Strasbourg, 17/07/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), a specialised body of the Council of Europe, has published five new reports concerning:
- Armenia: The ECRI stresses the persistent discrimination against minority groups. Members of the large group of refugees of Armenian origin also encounter problems of integration and are particularly vulnerable to the social and economic disadvantages, as well as to marginalisation, states the report, which also notes the problems encountered in the practice of a number of minority religions.
- Iceland: Protection foreseen by the legislation against racism still has some shortcomings, according to the ECRI, which evokes the demonstrations of hostility toward persons of foreign origin and cases of discrimination mainly in employment and education.
- Luxembourg: The behaviour of certain officials towards immigrants and asylum seekers is not always satisfactory, the ECRI notes. It also states there is still too much prejudice and too many xenophobic stereotypes among the public, which could lead to discrimination in the field of employment and housing.
- Slovenia: Improvement of the situation of members of minority groups will depend on how fast and efficiently the new legislation can be implemented, ECRI notes, stressing that the Rom population is particularly exposed to discrimination.
- Spain: Problems of racism and xenophobia continue to exist and mainly affect the Rom/gypsies and non-EU nationals. This situation seems partly linked to inadequate implementation of the legislation in force aimed at fighting against such phenomena, as well as to the widespread use in public debates of arguments and descriptions that create a negative climate around immigration and immigrants. The application of a number of aspects of immigration policy and of the relevant Spanish legislation in certain regions, especially the Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla, is worrying, the ECRI notes.
