Activities of the European Union Activities of the European Union

againstagainst

Racism and IntoleranceRacism and Intolerance

Presentation: Peter FleissnerEuropean Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia

Vienna, Austria

Rensselaer, 10 April 2001

Outline of the presentationOutline of the presentation

• The legal framework of the European Union against racism and xenophobia

• Activities of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC)

• Attitudes against minorities in the EU15 (empirical evidence)

• Concluding considerations

Timeline of EU AntiTimeline of EU Anti--DiscriminationDiscrimination

• Since the beginning: DG Employment (DGV) • 1993: Starting Line Group founded

(informal network of 400 organisations within EU15)

• 1993: “Starting point” proposal• 1994: Lobbying and info campaign• 1997: Year against Racism, EUMC founded,

Article 13 accepted (see next slide)• 1998: ENAR founded, new “Starting Line”• 1999: Draft Proposals/Action Programme• 2000: EP reports (Bastiaan Belder, Sarah Ludford,

Kathalijne Maria Buitenweg) • 2000: legislative package against racism passed

European Council

Article 13 of the Treaty Article 13 of the Treaty establishing the European Community establishing the European Community “Without prejudice to the other provisions

of this Treaty and within the limits of the powers conferred by it upon the Community, the Council, acting unanimously on a proposal from the Commission and after consulting the European Parliament, may take appropriate action to combat discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation”

EC 2000: Legislative measures to EC 2000: Legislative measures to combat racial discriminationcombat racial discrimination

• Council Directive for Equal Treatment in Employment and Occupation (Search for: 300L0078)Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 on five of the six grounds covered in Article 13 (sex excluded)

• Council Directive for equal treatment irrespective of racial or ethnic origin (Search for: 300L0043)Council Directive 2000/43/EC of 29 June 2000, “Race directive”, goes beyond employment

• Community Action Programme to combat discrimination (2001 to 2006) (Search for: 300D0750)Council Decision of 27 November 2000 to support the development of practical actions in the Union

http://www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/index.html

EUROPEAN MONITORING CENTRE ON RACISM AND XENOPHOBIA

OBSERVATOIRE EUROPÉEN DES PHÉNOMÈNES RACISTES ET XÉNOPHOBES

EUROPÄISCHE STELLE ZUR BEOBACHTUNG VON RASSISMUS UND FREMDENFEINDLICHKEIT

Founded 1998 in Vienna, AustriaAt present 25 staff

Tel +43 (1) 58030-0Website: http://eumc.eu.int

EUMC Activities EUMC Activities • Networking

– RAXEN and RAREN– National Round Tables, EU Round Table

• Research and Documentation– research studies – electronic database

• Working in the European Institutional Context– Charter of political parties for a non-racist society– Monitoring the implementation of article 13

• Information and Public Relations– Website– Annual Report (on the website), “Equal Voices”, Monthly

Bulletin– Press Releases and Press Conferences

The construction of RAXENThe construction of RAXEN

EUMC

Special areas of society related to Special areas of society related to racism and “racism and “xenophilicxenophilic” practices” practices

• Legislation and Politics– Article 13, Charter, Working Group "Key Issues"

• Education– Teaching the Teachers

• Media– Media Conference in Cologne 1999

• Society– European Foundations, EUROBAROMETER 2000

Attitudes towards minorities Attitudes towards minorities in the EU in the EU

• Empirical Results • Eurobarometer 2000

• Theoretical reasoning• What do we mean by “racism”? • And how could we fight it?

Empirical evidence Empirical evidence

Eurobarometer – spring 2000– 17000 interviews– About 1000 per Member State

Standard Standard EurobarometerEurobarometer

• investigates regularly attitudes of the EU population • twice a year • in the 15 Member States of the European Union • Organized by Directorate General for “Education

and Culture” • Conducted by a private enterprise, INRA, Brussels,

Belgium– 16.300 interviews– About 1000 per Member State – 1000 each in western and eastern part of Germany – 1000 in the UK, 300 in Northern Ireland

Eurobarometer 53Eurobarometer 53

• 12 questions added to the standard questionnaire • in April/May 2000• First poll in 1997, less questions • Exhaustive study by SORA, Vienna, Austria

(download it from http://eumc.eu.int)• Publication and Press Conference in Brussels in

March 2001: “Day against Racism”

Selected ResultsSelected Results

• Typology of EU population by attitude • changes between 1997 and 2000• Positive assessments/fears • Essential factors of influence

Typology of EU population Typology of EU population • Actively tolerant (21%)

– Not disturbed, but enriched by minorities, they do not insist inassimilation, request policies in favor of minorities

• Passively tolerant (39%)– Positive attitude, they do not insist in assimilation, but do not request

policies in favor of minorities, neutral

• Ambivalent (25%)– Not disturbed by minorities, minorities do not have positive effect on

society, in favor of assimilation

• Intolerant (14%)– strong negative attitude, are disturbed by minorities, in favor of

assimilation and Repatriation, lower level of education and lower socio-economic status

Typology of EU population Typology of EU population

• In 13 EU Member States there are more “actively tolerant” than “intolerant” people (Exceptions: GR and BE)

• Largest group: “ambivalent” (max. GR, min. SE) and “passively tolerant” (max. ES, min. GR)

• “ambivalent” group open against political influence

• There are a few polarized societies (e.g. BE, DK, DE, FR, UK)

Clusters of attitudes in the EU15Clusters of attitudes in the EU15

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

GRPTIRIT

ESAT

EU15BEGBDEFRLUNLFI

DKSE

actively tolerant passively tolerant ambivalent intolerant

Changes betweenChanges between 1997 and 20001997 and 2000

Ambivalent results:+ more citizen would like better relationships

between minorities and majority + more citizen request political measures for the

improvement of coexistence - increasing fear that social peace is endangered

and the level of social welfare is reduced

Positive Attitudes Positive Attitudes

• Majority of people optimistic for a multi-cultural society (constant since 1997)

• Increasing number of people state that immigrants enrich the cultural life (increase from 33% 1997 to 48% 2000)

• A large majority is against statement like “foreigners go home”

Fears and anxietiesFears and anxieties

Because of

Increasing unemploymentLoss of social welfare Schools become worse A small, but substantial minority feels itself personally disturbed by the presence of minorities

Essential influencing factors Essential influencing factors

Voting behavior (“greens”, Social democrats +; right wing populists -)Level of education (+)Personal relationships with persons of other ethnic background and culture (+, exception: second generation immigrants)Experience of unemployment (-)If a person is afraid of social conflicts, she/he does not believe in any enrichment of the cultural life by minorities

More resultsMore results

• 20% are in favor of cultural assimilation of foreigners (constant since 1997)

• In some countries the number of non-respondents is high (e.g. AT; GE)

Do you personally find the presence of people of other nationalities disturbing?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

GreeceAustriaDenmark

GermanyBelgium

IrelandFranceGreat Britain

EU15NetherlandsItaly

SwedenLuxembourg

FinnlandPortugalSpain

not disturbing don't know disturbing

Do you personally find the presence of people of another race disturbing?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

BelgiumGreeceFrance

GermanyDenmark

IrelandAustria

EU15Great Britain

ItalySwedenPortugalFinnland

NetherlandsLuxembourg

Spainnot disturbing don't know disturbing

Is the presence of members of minorities a reason for letting you feel unsecure?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

GreeceDenmarkGermanyBelgiumAustriaPortugal

FranceEU15NetherlandsIreland

ItalyLuxembourGreat Britain

SpainFinnlandSweden

tend to disagree don't know tend to agree

What about PEOPLE COMING FROM EASTERN What about PEOPLE COMING FROM EASTERN EUROPE who wish to work in the West?EUROPE who wish to work in the West?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

GermanyLuxembourgNetherlands

BelgiumGreeceAustriaFranceIreland

Great BritainEU15

PortugalFinland

ItalyDenmark

SpainSweden

be accepted, without restrictions be accepted, but with restrictions not be accepted

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

GreeceGermany

LuxembourgPortugal

Great BritainAustriaIreland

BelgiumFrance

EU15Italy

FinnlandSpain

NetherlandsSweden

Denmark

tend to disagree don't know tend to agree

AcceptanceAcceptance of of thethe statementstatement„„All All ForeignersForeigners shouldshould bebe sentsent homehome, and also , and also theirtheir childrenchildren, , bornborn in in

thethe EU15)EU15)

I agree with the statement:I agree with the statement:„„Every foreignerEvery foreigner, , born here or abroad, should be sent back to the born here or abroad, should be sent back to the

country of his/her origincountry of his/her origin””

0

5

1 0

1 5

2 0

2 5

3 0

3 5

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0

left Neutral right

Political self-placement

0

20

40

60

80

100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

lehne ab

weiss nicht

stimme zu

West

0

20

40

60

80

100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

lehne ab

weiss nicht

stimme zu

East

Left neutral right .

“foreigners go Home” vs. polit.self-placementin Germany

AlteAlte BundeslanderBundeslander

0.00

20.00

40.00

60.00

80.00

100.00

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Unter 1516-19studiere20+

0.00

20.00

40.00

60.00

80.00

100.00

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Unter 1516-19studiere20+

West

Ost

Left neutral right

Educ. length vs. polit.self-placement in Germany

TypologyTypology byby age age (Germany: Old and New L(Germany: Old and New Läändernder))

intolerantpassiv

tolerant aktiv tolerant ambivalent gesamt

West 15 - 24 Jahre 13 35 29 23 10025 - 39 Jahre 15 30 31 24 100

40 - 54 Jahre 14 29 22 34 100

55 + Jahre 26 25 18 30 100

gesamt 18 29 24 28 100

Ost 15 - 24 Jahre 26 30 25 18 100

25 - 39 Jahre 18 30 23 29 100

40 - 54 Jahre 12 35 22 31 100

55 + Jahre 17 27 18 38 100

gesamt 17 30 21 31 100

Differences in GermanyGermany(Eurobarometer 2000 (Eurobarometer 2000 –– Germany)Germany)

• Share of „Intolerant“ by age– 15 to 24 years old:

• West 13%; East 26%– 55- years old and more

• West 26%; East 17%• Laws for the improvement of interethnic relations

needed– West 30%; East 38%

• multicultural optimism• West 51%; East 56%

• cultural assimilation needed• West 59%; East 68%

AcceptanceAcceptance of of immigrantsimmigrants

8

4

11

8

22

17

18

16

32

21

58

58

62

66

58

64

63

69

49

57

29

32

22

21

16

13

15

10

13

15

6

6

5

5

5

6

5

5

6

7

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Muslime (WEST)

Muslime (OST)

Osteuropäer (WEST)

Osteuropäer (OST)

Flüchtlinge (WEST)

Flüchtlinge (OST)

Asylbewerber (WEST)

Asylbewerber (OST)

aus anderen EU-Ländern (WEST)

aus anderen EU-Ländern (OST)

Aufnahme ohne Beschränkung Aufnahme mit Beschränkung keine Aufnahme weiß nicht

BlamingBlaming MinoritiesMinorities forfor negative negative featuresfeatures of of societysociety* Significant Difference Stimme

eher zuStimme eher

nicht zu Weiß nicht

In Schulen mit zu vielen Kindern dieser Minderheiten sinkt die Qualität des Unterrichts (WEST) 60* 26* 14*

(OST) 48* 35* 17*Angehörige dieser Minderheitengruppen nutzen das soziale System aus (WEST) 54* 28* 18*

(OST) 60* 22* 18*Die Anwesenheit von Angehörigen dieser Minderheitengruppen ist ein Unsicherheitsfaktor (WEST) 42* 37* 21*

(OST) 51* 32* 18*Angehörige dieser Minderheitengruppen werden von Behörden bevorzugt behandelt (WEST) 26 55 19

(OST) 26 51 23Durch die Anwesenheit von Angehörigen dieser Minderheitengruppen erhöht sich die Arbeitslosigkeit (WEST) 57* 27* 16*

(OST) 65* 22* 13*Sie (die Zuwanderer) sind überdurchschnittlich oft an Straftaten beteiligt (WEST) 57* 29* 14*

(OST) 67* 19* 14*

What do we mean by racism? What do we mean by racism?

• “Societal” construction• Linked to an ideology of superiority• And to characteristic indicators (“real” or

“constructed”)– biologic variant: appearance– cultural variant: religion, language, living space

• In any case a process of erroneous generalization towards individuals

A hypothesis on the genesis of A hypothesis on the genesis of racism racism

Imagination

Perception-

Interact1

Interact2…

..

What can we do What can we do against racism and xenophobia? against racism and xenophobia?

• Organizing concrete processes of social learning where one

• De-constructs und re-constructs the “alien” as “my own”

• Strong involvement of civil society (NGOs) in partnership with public bodies

• Within a sound legal framework of non-discrimination

The FutureThe Future

Will the Charter of Fundamental Rights of

the European Union lead to

a Constitution?

Thank you for your attentionThank you for your attention

If you would like to know more, If you would like to know more,

please Eplease E--mail to mail to peter.fleissner@eumc.eu.intpeter.fleissner@eumc.eu.int

and visit our websiteand visit our website

http://http://eumc.eu.inteumc.eu.int