ENAR Weekly Mail 26

23 December 2005

 

·      Conference: Strategic Litigation: A tool to strengthen anti-discrimination legislation

This ENAR conference, attended by some 70 participants and speakers, took place in London from 17-18 December 2005. The aims of the conference included: to raise awareness of the purpose and importance of strategic litigation; to provide information on how to take strategic litigation at different levels – national, European and international; and to share experience of litigation at various levels, particularly by NGOs. Conference proceedings and presentations will be published on ENAR’s website in January 2006.

 

·      ENARgy 14: racism and human rights

The December issue of ENAR’s bi-monthly magazine is available for download from ENAR’s website: in English // in French. It contains interviews with Claude Moraes, MEP, and Doudou Diène, the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, and includes articles on the Fundamental Rights Agency by Anastasia Crickley, on the EU Network of Independent Experts on Fundamental Rights by Valérie Van Goethem, and on the recent situation in France, written by actors on the ground.

 

 

·      Immigrants fear Greece amnesty

Greece has announced an amnesty for up to half a million illegal immigrants. But many believe that the law excludes them so they will have to remain outside the law. Read more (English only)

Greek NGOs SOS Racism, ENAR Greece and Cosmos of Culture organized an event on 20 December entitled “Legalization of immigrants: the new lost chance?” on the new process of legalization of immigrants. The aim of the event was for speakers and participants to discuss if this process really constitutes a new chance for the immigrants, with criticism on the relative law but also with presentation on the first results of the process. For more information, contact info@cosmosofculture.org

 

·      International Migrant’s Day - Calendar 2005

The events and activities of NGOs and governments from 28 countries on the occasion of International Migrant’s Day have been posted on the December 18 website: in English // French // Spanish // Italian

 

·      EU-Turkey negotiations

Turkey launched its EU accession negotiations on 3 October 2005. This overview highlights the key elements and stages of the process, which is expected to last at least a decade: English // French

 

·      Switzerland: Anti-racism decisions go online

Court rulings on Switzerland's anti-racism legislation can now be consulted online, thanks to a database set up by the Federal Commission against Racism (FCR). The database is aimed not only at legal experts - it can also be used by administrative bodies, non-governmental organisations or people fighting racism. Read more (French only)

 

·      Nearly 50% of EU citizens want new negotiations on Constitution

Should the 'dead in the water' Constitution be revived? Yes, according the latest Eurobarometer survey. Some governments are in favour of re-launching the debate on the future of the Constitutional Treaty. Read more: in English // in French

 

 

·      Community Action Programme to combat discrimination: 2006 Annual Work Plan

Most initiatives in the work programme are a continuation of those launched in previous years, but there will be several new measures that take account of recent policy developments: the new framework strategy on non-discrimination and equal opportunities; and the declaration of 2007 as the European Year of Equal Opportunities for all. One of the new measures proposed is to extend the training for NGOs and social partners to all 25 EU Member States plus Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey. Read the work programme: in English // in French

 

·      Priorities of the Austrian Presidency

Austria's six-month presidency of the EU would be challenging and difficult, HE Dr Gregor Woschnagg, the country's Permanent Representative to the EU, told an EPC Breakfast Policy Briefing. He set out a raft of priorities ranging from “Future of Europe” debate and climate change to the Lisbon Strategy and EU enlargement. There was also the problem of the rejected constitutional treaty to resolve. Mr. Woschnagg promised that his presidency would try to be “unbiased, pragmatic and effective” in pursuing the existing EU agenda. Austria, he insisted, would not be trying to re-invent the wheel. Read more (English only)

 

·      After the annus horribilis: a review of the EU institutions

The EU’s constitutional treaty would have given ‘added value’ to the way the EU’s institutions function, but it would be wrong to deduce that nothing could be done in its absence, former Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Antonio Vitorino told an EPC Policy Dialogue held to launch its Working paper on After the annus horribilis: a review of the EU institutions. Mr. Vitorino argued that the EU institutions should fully exploit the opportunities offered by the existing treaties, and said they needed to show leadership and define priorities for the Union. Read more (English only)

 

·      Non-proliferation and terrorism: EU visions and policies

The international security environment is the most complicated the world has ever known because of the highly complex character of new terrorist threats, speakers told a Policy Dialogue organised jointly by the EPC and the Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung. The Dialogue heard that recent events in Iran have clearly shown a need for new responses to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The EU is encouraging these new responses by helping to strengthen the international system on non-proliferation and pursuing multilateral solutions through close cooperation with its partners. But work is needed to build on what has already been done and fill in the gaps. Read more (English only)

 

·      Meijers Committee calls on European Parliament (EP) to apply for annulment of Asylum Procedures Directive

The Standing Committee of experts on international immigration, refugees and criminal law (the Meijers Committee) has written to the EP questioning the legality of the Asylum Procedures Directive (adopted on 1 December) and expressing its support for any application that might be brought by the parliament to the Court of Justice (ECJ) for annulment of the directive. Read the Committee’s letter (9 pages, English only). The Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) has also criticized the asylum procedures directive. Read their statement: in English // in French . Download the Asylum Procedures Directive: in English // in French

 

·      UN Torture Committee rules against police abuse of Roma in Serbia and Montenegro

On 16 November 2005, the UN Committee against Torture determined that Serbia and Montenegro violated the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The Committee concluded that Mr. Danilo Dimitrijevic, a Romani citizen of Serbia and Montenegro, was subjected to acts of torture as defined by the Article 1 of the Convention. Read more

 

·      Roma Diplomacy: A Challenge for European Institutions?

This international conference, which took place in Brussels on 8-9 December 2005 brought together European level policy makers, diplomats, academics and human rights activists from around Europe and beyond. It formed a part of the second workshop of the Roma Diplomacy programme, and educational and capacity building course focusing on public diplomacy skills for Roma activists. Read the press release

 

 

·      Combating Hate Crimes in the OSCE Region: An overview of Statistics, Legislation and National initiatives

This 158-page report published by the OSCE/ODIHR in September 2005 covers information received by participating States in response to a series of five Notes Verbales sent by the ODIHR in 2004, requesting relevant information relating to hate crimes, including statistics, legislation, and national initiatives.

Read more // Order the publication (available in English only)

 

·      Website Guide to Tolerance Education

The Center for European Studies of the Jagiellonian University of Kraków (Poland) developed a CD and website entitled “Website Guide to Tolerance Education”, in cooperation with the OSCE/ODIHR. Among the objectives for producing this multi-media tool were: to provide educational instruments that can be implemented in schools for overcoming the often inadequate and frequently clichéd images of members of other religious, national or ethnic groups; to offer to educators across Europe and Asia a broad range of methods and approaches to overcome the negative stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination that might occur in their countries. Read more

 

·      Training manuals on non-discrimination

Training seminars on European and national anti-discrimination law and policy have taken place throughout the 10 new Member States and in Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey during 2005. The training manual is now available for download in English (hard-copy version in all EU languages will be available in spring 2006), and may be useful for individuals and organisations active in the fight against discrimination throughout the EU. Specific country versions, prepared by the contractor together with the national NGO partners, are also available. The training seminars were supported by the Community Action Programme to combat discrimination as part of the project ‘Capacity Building of Civil Society dealing with Anti-Discrimination’

 

·      Adult Education Embracing Diversity I & II

These two volumes, Adult Education Embracing Diversity I, Snapshots from Intercultural Learning in Europe; and II, Developing Strategies for Mainstreaming Intercultural Learning Based on Needs and Experiences (series International Perspectives in Adult Education 53/ I and II) have been published by IIZ/DVV in 2005. Order (English only)

 

·      Report of Glasgow Round Table on Social Inclusion 

The 2005 Round table Conference on Social Inclusion organised by the UK Presidency in Glasgow on 17-18 October focused on taking stock of progress towards the Lisbon objectives and highlighted the areas which are crucial to their achievement. An event summary document has been recently released. Read more (English only)

 

·      “Empowering migrant women living in Europe”

The report of this workshop organised by EWL and SOLIDAR in the framework of the Platform of Social NGOs Conference “Building Social Policy on Fundamental Rights” on 11-12 October 2005 in Brussels, is now finalised. It includes a summary of the speeches and the main conclusions of the debate. To obtain copy, please contact Clarisse Delorme at delorme@womenlobby.org

 

·      Including the excluded - From practice to policy in European community development

Author: Paul Henderson; published by The Policy Press (£12.99)

This book provides an in-depth study of how community development can contribute to tackling social exclusion. Examples from policy and practice in the UK, Spain, Belgium, Sweden and Norway are discussed, with additional information from Denmark, Ireland and Hungary. Read more

 

·      Guide to European Union Funding: Accessing Europe’s Largest Donor

This guidebook to EU funding (including information on EU Funding, European Foundations, Structural Funds & Cohesion Funds, and Internal and External Budget Lines) is now available from the European Citizen Action Service (ECAS) at €29. For more info and to order

 

 

·      Writing about Refugees: A Competition for Student Journalists

JRS Europe (Jesuit Refugee Service) is organising this competition to encourage student journalists to examine and report the truth about the refugee situation in Europe. Students are asked to write an article of max. 1,200 words on: ‘Refugees in Europe’. Application forms and further details on the competition (in English) can be found on the JRS Europe's website. The deadline for entries is 21 March 2006. For queries or more information, contact Alice Kennedy at press.europe@jrs.net - tel.: +32 2 250 3220.

 

 

·      Internship positions at ECRE Brussels

The European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) is offering two 6-month internship positions at its EU Office, starting 25 January 2006. The interns will work closely with the EU Representative in following EU developments in the asylum area, producing written reports, and participating in meetings with European institutions and NGOs. Job description and more information (English only)