Monday

5th Jun 2023

Italy rejects accusations of racism from EU assembly

  • Italy dismissed accusation of racism for its plans to fingerprint Roma children (Photo: Amnesty International)

Italy has rejected criticism by the European Parliament of the country's move to fingerprint Roma people, including children.

MEPs on Thursday (10 July) adopted a resolution calling the practise discriminatory and against EU rules. Meanwhile, Rome is defending its actions as a mechanism to protect Roma children from abuse.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

The statement was adopted with 336 votes in favour, 220 against and 77 abstentions. Pushed by the left-leaning and centrist political groups, the Greens and Liberals, the resolution was opposed mainly by centre-right MEPs, who argued Rome should be given a chance to explain its policy.

Several deputies brought up the issue during a debate with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose country currently holds the six-month rotating EU presidency, urging him to press Italy's right-wing leadership to shelve the controversial measures.

German deputy Martin Schultz, chairperson of the Socialist group in the parliament, called the fingerprinting of Roma people a "serious breach of fundamental rights in Europe". He demanded of Mr Sarkozy: "Can I ask you to appeal to curb the government of Silvio Berlusconi and remind him that this is against the rule of law."

But the French leader repeatedly refused to "give lessons" to his Italian counterpart, arguing that it was not he who had voted Silvio Berlusconi in power.

In their resolution, MEPs referred to recent Eurobarometer surveys that report that Roma are one of the main targets of racism and discrimination in some European countries. They also highlighted incidents involving attacks and aggression against Roma in Italy and Hungary.

They expressed concern that a 12-month "state of emergency" could be justified in Italy by the presence of Romany camps, and urged the EU executive to check whether the Italian measures comply with the bloc's law.

But Roberto Maroni, the Italian interior minister from the anti-immigration Northern League, dismissed such suggestions, arguing Rome is trying to rescue children stolen from other countries and that the fingerprinting is to be carried out only in illegal camps in Rome, Milan and Naples and only of people without documents.

The Council of Europe estimates Italy's roma population as between 90,000 and 110,000.

UNICEF, the UN organisation for children rights, recently expressed "shock and deep concern" and called the Italian proposal "provocative".

Italy must face legal action for anti-Gypsy measures, says Soros

Billionaire philanthropist and financier George Soros has said at a top-level EU conference on the problems facing Roma people in Europe that he supports legal action against Italy over recent anti-Gypsy measures, particularly the fingerprinting of adults and children.

MEPs to urge block on Hungary taking EU presidency in 2024

"This will be the first time a member state that is under the Article 7 procedure will take over the rotating presidency of the council," French Green MEP Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, the key lawmaker on Hungary, warned.

European Parliament scales back luxury MEP pension fund

The European Parliament's Bureau, a political body composed of the president and its vice-presidents, decided to slash payouts from the fund by 50 percent, freeze automatic indexations, and increase the pension age from 65 to 67.

WhoisWho? Calls mount to bring back EU directory

NGOs and lobbyists slammed the EU commission for removing contact details of non-managerial staff from its public register, arguing that the institution is now less transparent.

Analysis

Final steps for EU's due diligence on supply chains law

Final negotiations on the EU due diligence law begin this week. But will this law make companies embed due diligence requirements in their internal processes or incentive them to outsource their obligations to third parties?

Latest News

  1. Final steps for EU's due diligence on supply chains law
  2. Top EU court rules Poland's court reforms 'infringe law'
  3. Sweden's far-right is most anti-Green Deal party in EU
  4. Strengthening recovery, resilience and democracy in regions, cities and villages
  5. Why Hungary cannot be permitted to hold EU presidency
  6. Subcontracting rules allow firms to bypass EU labour rights
  7. Asylum and SLAPP positions in focus This WEEK
  8. Spanish PM to delay EU presidency speech due to snap election

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  2. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  3. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics
  6. EFBWWEFBWW calls for the EC to stop exploitation in subcontracting chains

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us