MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
23.1.2008
pursuant to Rule 108(5) of the Rules of Procedure
by Elly de Groen-Kouwenhoven, Milan Horáček and Gisela Kallenbach
on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
on a European strategy on the Roma
B6‑0052/2008
European Parliament resolution on a European strategy on the Roma
The European Parliament,
– having regard to Articles 3, 6, 7, 29 and 149 of the EC Treaty, which commit the Member States to ensuring equal opportunities for all citizens,
– having regard to Article 13 of the Treaty of Amsterdam, which enables the European Community to 'take appropriate action to combat discrimination based on racial or ethnic origin',
– having regard to its resolution of 27 January 2005 on remembrance of the Holocaust, anti-Semitism and racism,
– having regard to its resolution of 28 April 2005 on the situation of the Roma in the European Union,
– having regard to its resolution of 1 June 2006 on the situation of Roma women in the European Union,
– having regard to its resolution of 15 November 2007 on the application of Directive 2004/38/EC on the right of EU citizens and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States,
– having regard to its legislative resolution of 29 November 2007 on the proposal for a Council Framework Decision on combating certain forms and expressions of racism and xenophobia by means of criminal law,
– having regard to Directive 43/2000/EC – the Racial Equality Directive – which bans discrimination on ethnic grounds,
– having regard to Article 4 of the Council of Europe Framework Convention on National Minorities and the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms,
– having regard to Article 3 of Recommendation 1557/2002 of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers underlining the widespread discrimination against Roma and the need to improve the system for monitoring discrimination against them,
– having regard to the Charter of European Parties for a Non-Racist Society,
– having regard to the establishment of a Group of Commissioners responsible for fundamental rights, anti-discrimination and equal opportunities, and awaiting the presentation of the Group's agenda,
– having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1035/97 establishing a European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC), to its annual and thematic reports on racism in the EU and to the Commission Green Paper on equality and non-discrimination in an enlarged European Union (COM (2004)0379),
– having regard to the recent publication by the Commission of a report drawing attention to very disturbing levels of hostility and human rights abuses against Roma, Gypsies and Travellers in Europe,
– having regard to the current report within the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs on the protection of minorities and anti-discrimination (2005/2008 (INI)),
– having regard to international bodies and legal instruments such as the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), its General Recommendation No. 27: 'Discrimination against Roma', and the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI),
– having regard to Rule 108(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the Roma population numbers 7-9 million in the EU and 12-15 million in Europe as a whole; whereas the vast majority of Roma suffer racial discrimination, reflected in a lack of access to education, employment, housing and health care, which substantially marginalises them in society,
B. whereas Anti-Gypsyism or Romaphobia is still widespread in Europe and is promoted and used by ultra-nationalist and right-wing political parties, culminating in racist attacks, hate speech, physical attacks, unlawful evictions and police harassment,
C. whereas the Romani Holocaust deserves full recognition commensurate with the gravity of Nazi crimes designed to physically eliminate the Roma of Europe as well as the Jews; whereas, in this regard, the Commission and other authorities should take all necessary steps to remove the pig-fattening farm from the site of the former concentration camp in Lety (Czech Republic) and create an appropriately respectful memorial,
D. having regard to the racially segregated schooling systems that exist in certain EU Member States and potential candidate countries, and to the large numbers of Roma children who drop out from school,
E. whereas future enlargement of the EU to the Western Balkans, including Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, FYROM, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, as well as Turkey, will significantly increase the number of Roma within the EU,
F. whereas Roma continue to be invisible and underrepresented in State and EU institutions, Member States and potential candidate countries, although they constitute a significant percentage of the EU population,
G. whereas in some Member States and potential candidate countries press and other media coverage continues to use discriminatory language which successfully contributes towards the stereotypical image of Roma in Europe,
1. Urges the Commission to develop a pan-European policy on Roma in accordance with EU law and the Lisbon Treaty;
2. Urges the Commission to ensure that future European policy on Roma, formulated in dialogue and cooperation with Roma people, leads to a sustainable strategy that will provide tools to combat further Anti-Gypsyism and promote inclusion of the Roma in Europe;
3. Calls on the Commission, as part of the European Roma Strategy, to formulate action plans to improve housing conditions, create possibilities for employment and guarantee affordable health care and education for Roma;
4. Calls on the Commission to institutionalise European policy on Roma by establishing a Roma Unit within its structure which will look at ways to effectively use the different EU funds to more directly target prioritised Roma policies and create, evaluate and help the implementation of the European Roma Strategy;
5. Urges the Commission to hire Roma staff in its Roma Unit and calls on the governments of the Member States to appoint their representatives to follow the progress of European policy on Roma;
6. Calls on the Commission to take the initiative to organise an annual EU conference on Roma;
7. Considers that the European Roma Strategy should take into account the recommendations of the Council of Europe, the OSCE Action Plan on Roma and the Decade of Roma Inclusion programmes;
8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States and the Council of Europe.