WRITTEN QUESTION E-2900/96 by Rinaldo Bontempi (PSE) and Maria Colombo Svevo (PPE) to the Council (4 November 1996)

Subject: Racism and xenophobia and measures to combat them

Recent events in Trebbin, Brandenburg, where three Italian workers were the victims of a violent xenophobic attach by a group of German skinheads, demonstrate yet again that racism and xenophobia are serious problems and have to be combated forcefully at all levels.

Given that the natural breeding ground for racist and xenophobic violence are to be found in deprived areas, particularly among young people, and in the lack of positive and decisive immigration policies at European level, and that 1997 has been declared European year against racism and xenophobia, what specifically does the Council intend to do to combat them?

Answer (13 February 1997)

1. The Florence European Council on 21 and 22 June 1996 reaffirmed the Union's determination to combat racism and xenophobia with the utmost resolve. It approved the principle underlying the establishment of a European Monitoring Centre for racism and xenophobia. It asked the Council to examine the legal and budgetary conditions of the future Monitoring Centre as well as links between the latter and the Council of Europe and to mandate the Consultative Commission on racism and xenophobia to continue its work until the Monitoring Centre is set up.

2. The Council adopted, on 15 July 1996, a Joint Action on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union, concerning action to combat racism and xenophobia (OJ L 185, 24.7.1996, p. 5). With a view to facilitate international judicial cooperation in combating racism and xenophobia, this Joint Action sets out provisions either for certain racist or xenophobic behaviour to be made a criminal offence or, failing that and pending any adoption of the necessary legislation, for the principle of double criminality to be waived.

3. The Council and the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council adopted on 23 July 1996, a Resolution concerning the European Year against Racism (1997) (OJ C 237, 15.8.1996, p. 1). In this Resolution, the Member States and the Commission were called on to implement, at Communtiy level, a large number of measures, which are designed to meet the objectives of the European Year by supporting and complementing the measures implemented at national, regional and local level. The authors of the Resolution noted the Commission's intention of securing assistance of an ad hoc working party, composed of representatives of the Member States, for implementing the measures provided for at Community level in this Resolution.

The Commission was called on to ensure that the measures undertaken are consistent with other Community measures and with activities undertaken by the Council of Europe and that they complement them by involving the various organisations active in the fight against racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and intolerance in the European Year.

4. The Council shares the sense of urgency on the importance of steps to counter racist and xenophobic phenomena. The proposed Monitoring Centre is an important element here and it is the Council's intention to make progress as quickly as possible on setting up the future Centre. The Consultative Commission on racism and xenophobia has been mandated to continue its work until the Monitoring Centre is set up.