A Union of equality: EU anti-racism action plan 2020-2025

Summary:

Communication published by the European Commission on 18 September 2020, setting out a strategy to tackle racism across the European Union for a period of five years.

Further information:

This action plan sets out a series of measures to step up action, to help lift the voices of people with a minority racial or ethnic background, and to bring together actors at all levels in a common endeavour to address racism more effectively and build a life free from racism and discrimination for all. It includes the following actions:

• Better enforcement of EU Law
  • Report on the application of the Racial Equality Directive;
  • Ensuring full and correct transposition of the Framework Decision on combating racism and xenophobia;
• Closer coordination
  • Appointment of a coordinator for anti-racism;
  • Regular dialogue with stakeholders;
• Fair policing and protection
  • Urging Member States to step up efforts to prevent discriminatory attitudes by law enforcement authorities and boost credibility in working against hate crimes;
• Reinforced action at national level
  • Urging Member States to adopt national action plans against racism and racial discrimination;
• Increased diversity of EU staff
  • Improving the representativeness of Commission staff through measures targeting recruitment and selection.

This Action Plan was first announced during the State of the European Union (SOTEU) address.

• Primary Source

• Alternative Source

Commentary and Analysis

ENAR: News, 18/09/2020: EU Action Plan Against Racism: strong push on Member States to act better against racism https://www.enar-eu.org/EU-Action-Plan-Against-Racism-strong-push-on-Member-States-to-act-better

The Conversation, 18/09/2020: The EU is on a collision course with Poland over hate crime https://theconversation.com/the-eu-is-on-a-collision-course-with-poland-over-hate-crime-146489

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News

EUObserver, 17/09/2020: EU to have first-ever anti-racism coordinator https://euobserver.com/social/149457

Politico, 18/09/2020: EU institutions must lead ‘societal shift’ on racism, says equality commissioner https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-institutions-must-lead-societal-shift-on-racism-says-equality-commissioner/

EurActiv, 18/09/2020: Commission mulls enlarging scope of ‘hate crimes’ in new anti-racism drive https://www.euractiv.com/section/non-discrimination/news/commission-mulls-enlarging-scope-of-hate-crimes-in-new-anti-racism-drive/

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Official

European Commission: Press Release, 18/09/2020: State of the Union: A new Action Plan to turn the tide in the fight against racism https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_1654

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