Call for EU ministers to agree race hate law

4.22.21pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 2nd Jun 2005

EU Justice Ministers meeting in the Council of Ministers must finally reach a decision after two years of debate on a proposed law to make race-hate behaviour a criminal offence throughout the EU, as it is already in Britain.

That's the call by Baroness Sarah Ludford, London MEP and European justice spokeswoman for the Liberal Democrats. She said:

"European governments must stop dithering over how to prevent criminals who trade in racist insults and incitement to hatred Europe-wide. Action is clearly needed, as has long been recognised in Britain".

"As well as the racism that affects many people daily in the EU of 15, since enlargement in May 2004 a large proportion of the 12-15 million Roma in Europe who suffer often acute prejudice and harassment are EU citizens."

"The UK should take leadership to spread best practice on this matter. However imperfect things are at home, they are often worse elsewhere in the EU."

Ends

Note:

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on 28th April 2005 on the situation of the Roma in the European Union, which, instigated by Baroness Ludford, called for this 'Framework Decision on Racism and Xenophobia' to be agreed under the current Luxembourg EU Presidency.