EU Gets Its Way In “Gypsies” Case
- August 29th, 2011
- Posted by EUEditor
Europe’s human rights Commissioner, Viviane Reding, has claimed victory for actions by the EU to guarantee the rights of Roma people and other minorities.
She stepped in last year when member state governments, including France and Italy, imposed tight controls on Roma communities, including, in France, group deportations back to other places in the European Union, mostly Romania.
See EUAustralia Online: “Italy called to account over Romaâ€, 9.10.10; “European Parliament numbers support rights of Romaâ€, 5.10.10; “EC moves against France on Romaâ€, 30.9.10.
This week’s statement from the Commissioner:
It is one year since the European Commission took action to ensure that all 27 Member States fully comply with the EU’s free movement rights.
Thanks to continued political pressure, the Commission has achieved concrete results: 16 Member States have either fully addressed the Commission’s concerns or have drafted amending legislation to ensure full compliance with the EU Free Movement Directive.
For the remaining Member States, the Commission has started or is considering infringement proceedings under the EU Treaties to ensure full compliance with EU law.
Last summer’s events in France were a wake-up call for Europe.
It has become clear that the Commission will not hesitate to speak out if Member States do not properly apply this fundamental right, notably the procedural safeguards that protect EU citizens from facing arbitrary or disproportionate expulsion.
I am now satisfied that a majority of Member States have fully implemented the EU free movement rules; I expect the remaining countries to do so quickly; the European Commission will remain very vigilant until all Member States fully address the Commission’s concerns.
The free movement of persons between EU Member States is the most tangible success of the past 60 years of European integration. It brings great benefits to EU citizens, Member States and the European economy as a whole.
Free movement is one side of the coin. The other is integration. In April 2011 the Commission proposed an EU Framework for national Roma integration strategies which the European Council fully endorsed on 24.6.11.
More recently, a European Union co-funded project aimed at countering Roma stereotypes through film won a prestigious award from the US-based Society of Professional Journalists. The ‘Colorful but Colorblind’ project brought together 50 Roma and non-Roma journalists to produce a series of 25 short films recounting stories of Roma communities living in Central and Eastern Europe.
Viviane Reding, herself from Luxembourg, is an EC Vice President and the Commission member for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship.
Reference
Viviane Reding, “One year after the Roma controversy …â€, http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/reding/multimedia/news/2011/08/20110824_en.htm, (29.8.11).