1999
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2004
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
14 January 2000 PRELIMINARY
999/2099(COS)
DRAFT OPINION of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs for the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and
Defence Policy on the communication from the Commission on countering racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism in the candidate countries
(COM(1999) 256 – C5-0094/1999 – 1999/2099(COS))
Draftsman: Andreas Brie
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PROCEDURE
The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs appointed Andreas Brie draftsman at its meeting of 14 October 1999.
It considered the draft opinion at its meeting(s) of ....
At the latter/last meeting it adopted the amendments below by ... votes to ..., with ... abstention(s)/unanimously.
The following were present for the vote: ... chairman/acting chairman; ... , vice-chairman; ..., vice-chairman; ... draftsman; ..., ... (for ...), ... (for ... pursuant to Rule 153(2)), ... and ... .
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SHORT JUSTIFICATION
The removal of all legal and political forms of discrimination against minorities and other groups is indispensable not only to bring about the ‘stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities’
(Copenhagen criteria) to be met by countries applying for membership, but also in order to counter social and cultural discrimination and discrimination in the labour market.
Racism and xenophobia are indeed a serious problem in most candidate countries (but not only there). In the countries of central and eastern Europe there are various causes for this, but most of them have their roots in economic collapse, social impoverishment, political crisis and democratic deficits.
Furthermore, there is some evidence of inter-ethnic tension. War in neighbouring countries has reinforced some prejudices or intolerance, and the unprecedented influx of refugees has caused many practical problems which have also led to tensions. In addition to their political and legal aspects (compliance with human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rights of minorities) racism and xenophobia often have a considerable social and employment impact and frequently crop up emerge as racism at the work place. They imply social and cultural discrimination and even marginalisation and in particular reduce equality of opportunity in access to education and training, cultural and legal integration (citizenship legislation) and opportunities on the labour market. The social and employment problems of many minorities and immigrants in the applicant countries are extremely grave, especially as in many cases they coincide with structurally under-developed regions.
Anti-Semitism is sometimes present as a significant latent attitude which also calls for more resolute countermeasures.
Although there have been some improvements in the situation of minorities and migrants in the central and eastern European candidate countries, the problem is still a matter of concern in many countries. This is particularly true of the situation of the Roma and of the Kurdish problem in Turkey.
The Roma
The draftsman wishes to use the Czech Republic as a typical example of the situation of the Roma minority in the Central and Eastern European countries. Although the
Government of the Czech Republic has recognised a number of the issues relevant to the situation of minority groups and is taking a variety of measures to address them, some of the key areas identified still need particular attention:
- the activities of racist groups, particularly skinheads, and the increasing incidence of racist attacks and conflicts, particularly targeting Roma/Gypsies, and in some cases anti-Semitic incidents;
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- the increase in the number of voters for the extreme right-wing political party Assembly for the Republic - Czechoslovak Republican Party;
- a rather marked public hostility or mistrust - as expressed in opinion polls - towards minority groups, particularly the Roma/Gypsy community.
The situation of the Roma minority is very much similar in Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania. Slovenia, on the other hand, seems to be a positive example; the ethnic community of Roma/Gypsies living in Slovenia is granted special rights by the
Constitution.
The Kurds
As regards the situation of the Kurds, in the Commission’s opinion ‘Turkey’s current handling of the Kurdish issue was one of the reasons for Turkey’s failure to meet the political conditions for membership.’ Judicial, political and cultural discrimination against the Kurds is accompanied by alarming structural economic and social under-development in the regions they inhabit.
Other minorities
In Estonia and Latvia, the situation of the Russian minorities is far from satisfactory despite political decisions seeking to improve it and other developments. This is particularly true of social and occupational discrimination.
The partial improvements in the respective legal situation and government policies should not blind us to the actual extent of racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism in sections of the population, in social and cultural everyday life and on the labour market. With the unavoidable economic and social upheavals accompanying the accession process there is every reason to expect a worsening of specific racist and xenophobic attitudes aimed at individual minorities. Efforts need to be stepped up in practically all candidate countries (apart from Malta; according to the Council of Europe, problems of racism, intolerance or discrimination are virtually unknown in Malta), and must place more emphasis than in the past on the development of civil society structures empowered to deal effectively with racism and xenophobia.
In these circumstances, it is neither satisfactory nor adequate for a mere 1% of PHARE expenditure to be spent on democratisation and strengthening civil society (8% for environment/nuclear safety!),
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PE 232.967

PHARE Programme 1990-98 (figures in MECU)
Total amount
Civil society & democratisation
Environment and nuclear safety
Commitments
8,890.9 MECU
104.8 MECU
= 1 % of total amount
753.1 MECU
= 8 % of total amount
Contracts
6,697.3 MECU
77.1 MECU
= 1 % of total amount
543.5 MECU
= 8 % of total amount
Payments
5,589.1 MECU
63.3 MECU
= 1 % of total amount
447.0 MECU
= 8 % of total amount
(official figures of the EU Commission)
Moreover, these efforts have in some cases been undermined by fragmentation (for example,
Slovakia: in the six years between 1993 and 1998 a sum of 0.185 m euro from the PHARE foundation for the development of civil society went to fund 44 minorities projects). In addition to the various PHARE programmes (national, cross-border, interdisciplinary,
European Training Foundation Turin, etc.) the Commission (DG XXII) is also funding widely varying projects under LEONARDO, SOCRATES, etc.
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EN
CONCLUSIONS
The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs calls on the Committee on Foreign
Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following paragraphs in its draft resolution:
Paragraph 1
Points out that action against racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism, which includes their social, employment and cultural (e.g. educational) aspects, should be given greater prominence in the Commission’s accession strategies, especially in the PHARE and MEDA programmes and those managed by the Directorate-General for Education and Culture;
Paragraph 2
Calls on the Commission to publicise positive experience, innovative measures and projects which have produced particularly good results in combating racism, xenophobia and anti-
Semitism and to make them accessible to other candidate countries;
Paragraph 3
Takes the view that, in view of the especially widespread discrimination against Roma in candidate countries, this process must be speedily carried out in respect of this problem;
Paragraph 4
Believes that the Commission needs to consider increasing the funds available for democratisation and the strengthening of civil society in combating racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism;
Paragraph 5
Calls on the Commission to review practice in the allocation of aid in the light of its long-term effectiveness and to alter it if necessary, and in particular, despite the need and desirability for decentralisation of the use of appropriations for processes related to the strengthening of democracy and civil society, to permit no inefficient fragmentation of the programmes;
Paragraph 6
Takes the view that the governments concerned should step up their measures to promote the integration of minorities, for example language teaching for Russian minorities in Estonia and
Latvia;
Paragraph 7
Calls on the Commission and the two sides of industry, as part of their effort to develop social
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dialogue in the candidate countries, to deal with the problem of racism at the workplace, taking as a basis for discussion the joint declaration by the European social partners; urges the
Commission to assess the implications of the joint declaration and to draw up a compendium of best practice to be used as a model for action against racism at the workplace;
Paragraph 8
Calls on the governments of the candidate countries, in view of the fact that racist prejudice and practices have in some cases become institutional, to have their public sectors set a good example, and calls on the Commission to pay special attention to developments in this field in its regular assessments;
Paragraph 9
Calls on the Commission and the governments of the applicant countries to give particular support for special action programmes to encourage the employment of Roma and other disadvantaged ethnic groups, and for putting such programmes into effect;
Paragraph 10
Believes that the governments of the candidate countries must guarantee elementary social standards for Roma, especially in respect of health care and education;
Paragraph 11
Calls on the Commission to work closely with non-governmental organisations active in this field in combating racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism;
Paragraph 12
Calls on the Commission to link the utilisation of MEDA funds for Turkey and of funding for the support of the customs union with Turkey effectively to the development of democracy and civil society, in particular in overcoming political, social and cultural discrimination against the Kurdish population.
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