Summary: January 28, 2001: 56th UNGA - Third Committee - EU speech under item 117. Elimination of racism and racial discrimination (New York)
Mr Chairman,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union on agenda item 117 concerning the elimination of racism and racial discrimination. The countries of Central and Eastern Europe associated with the European Union - Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia -, Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, which are also associated countries, and Iceland endorse this declaration.
I am pleased to take this opportunity afforded to the European Union and the international community of undertaking an initial review of the results achieved following the third World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance held in Durban from 31 August to 8 September.
This Conference is the first United Nations Conference against racism to have enabled the adoption by consensus in Durban of a Political Declaration and a Programme of Action. The European Union welcomes the spirit of compromise evinced by the other regional groups, which has enabled agreement to be reached. It wishes to place on record the considerable efforts which it has made to ensure that the final process of adopting the Declaration and the Programme of Action has become possible. On the
basis of these documents, it is the responsibility of the States to renew their efforts to combat contemporary forms of racism and racial discrimination wherever they occur.
We must also draw the lessons from the problems encountered in finalising the Durban texts. With an eye to the future, therefore, the European Union wishes to reaffirm the importance of following the established rules in this area. Failure to comply with them could adversely affect future Conferences, which are so important as a platform for the voice of the international community, and diminish the significance of texts adopted at them.
In accordance with the objectives pursued by the European Union, and despite the difficult context in which the negotiations took place, the Conference enabled a clear signal to be sent to the whole international community. The texts adopted are the expression of a strong and genuine political desire to put an end to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. They emphasised the principles essential to human dignity such as equality and non-discrimination, as well as
tolerance and respect for diversity.
The Durban Conference also enabled progress to be made in the discussion of the origins, causes, forms and current manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. The European Union acknowledged and condemned the immense suffering caused by past and contemporary forms of slavery and the slave trade, wherever they occurred, and also the reprehensible aspects of colonialism; it did so in the context of a common desire to close one of the most sombre chapters
of our history, as stated in the Durban Declaration. The European Union thinks that the time is ripe to look to the future and to apply without further ado the compromises adopted in Durban. What is important above all is to be able to build a new relationship based on mutual respect, solidarity and partnership.
Mr Chairman,
This political will was also reflected in a call for the implementation of a number of concrete measures at national, regional and international level. I should like to mention some which are of particular importance for the European Union.
First of all, the Conference stressed the need to strengthen the legal framework of the fight against racism, especially through the adoption of relevant and effective national legislation. The States were called on to establish effective judicial and administrative means of redress for violations of human rights, including racial discrimination, and reminded of their obligation to allow individuals equal and effective access to those means of redress.
The Conference also stressed the importance of intensifying the introduction and implementation at national level of measures to improve education, training and prevention in regard to racism, xenophobia and related intolerance and to develop information and a greater awareness of these phenomena.
Particular attention was given to the forms of multiple discrimination suffered by certain categories of persons. The need to combat contemporary forms of racism such as the trade in human beings and racial discrimination at the workplace was noted. The Conference also recognised the crucial role of civil society, whether it be the media, businesses or non-governmental organisations, notably as a vital link with public opinion. In this context, it is also committed to the fight against new
forms of dissemination of racist ideas, in particular via the internet.
The European Union attaches particular importance to combating antisemitism. It therefore welcomes the Conference's emphasis on the importance of and need for firm action to combat this form of racism.
The Conference called on the States to strengthen international cooperation, both in legal terms and through exchanges between States or specialised institutions. The role of national and regional institutions was noted in this connection. There was a reaffirmation of the central role of the relevant international instruments, and principally the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
The European Union considers that these elements ought to be the main focus of our efforts to translate the Durban provisions into concrete progress in the fight against current forms of racism. The EU is committed to seeing that the follow-up to the Conference is carried out - as was decided at Durban - by the High Commissioner for Human Rights in conjunction with the five independent experts who will be appointed by the Secretary-General once the opinion of the Chairman of the Commission on
Human Rights has been obtained.
I should also like to express the European Union's gratitude for the work done by Ms Zuma as President of the Conference, and, through her, we want to thank her country for hosting the Conference. Our thanks also go to Ms Robinson for the part she played, sometimes in difficult circumstances, as Secretary-General of the Conference.
Mr Chairman,
An event such as the Durban Conference made us fully aware that racism and racial discrimination are a daily reality for people throughout the world. We must all bear our responsibilities in the face of this scourge. Racism and racial discrimination are prejudicial to or preclude the full exercise of human rights and pose a threat to democratic societies and their fundamental values. These phenomena are incompatible with the principles which underlie the European Union, namely liberty,
democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law.
The European Union believes that it is the responsibility of the States to take all appropriate steps to prevent and eliminate racism. The European Union is convinced that respect for the principle of non-discrimination, promotion of tolerance and respect for diversity and the active participation of all members of society are factors for stability and social cohesion. In this connection, it is essential to protect economic, social and cultural rights as well as civil and political rights on an
equal basis for all persons under their jurisdiction. Governments, acting transparently and responsibly, must allocate their available resources effectively, fairly and lastingly and they must seek to ensure equal opportunities for everyone under their jurisdiction.
The fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance is a key element of the policies of the EU and each of its Member States. The Union has made numerous efforts to carry on this fight, especially through the adoption of national and European anti-discrimination legislation, and the solemn proclamation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, which contains a clear prohibition of any discrimination based on sex, colour, social or ethnic origin, language, religion or
belief. The setting up of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia forms part of these efforts. With the information which it provides, the phenomena which I have just mentioned can be better understood and eventually eliminated.
A specific reference to the fight against racism is contained in the Treaty establishing the European Community. The Treaty gives the Community powers in this area, which are embodied in a number of Directives introducing a binding framework that prohibits discrimination based on racial and ethnic origin, religion and belief, disability, age or sexual orientation within the EU.
Mr Chairman,
The EU is profoundly convinced that, as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has recognised, human beings, who form a single family, are born free and equal in dignity and rights. This is why the EU rejects any theory that seeks to establish the existence of separate human races. It welcomes the fact that this rejection was written into the documents adopted at Durban. The EU believes that by opposing false ideas we shall succeed in eliminating the contemporary forms of racism, which
consistently rely on this type of erroneous assertion.
As was emphasised in the documents adopted at Durban, the establishment of action plans at regional level is a paramount stage in the fight against racism. For some years now, the EU has done much to promote and support the work of regional organisations such as the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Council of Europe.
The Council of Europe also plays a leading role in the fight against racism and racial discrimination in Europe. The judicial system of the European Court of Human Rights - which is responsible for applying the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms - provides effective protection for human rights, which include the fundamental principle of non?discrimination. The EU also appreciates the work done by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance
(ECRI). The Council of Europe, which hosted the European regional conference preparatory to the Durban Conference, will also provide the follow-up by formulating proposals for the implementation at European level of the Action Programme adopted at Durban.
The European Union is also actively involved in the OSCE's efforts to prevent violent conflicts by promoting inter-ethnic relations and tolerance. The problem of human rights is one of the OSCE's central concerns. Moreover, the human dimension of the OSCE, which covers all the rules and activities relating to human rights and democracy, represents one of the three dimensions of security as conceived by that organisation. In this context, the fight against discrimination, especially
ethnically-based discrimination, is of paramount importance, since a free society which allows everyone to play a full part in public life is a guarantee against conflict and instability.
The Durban Conference also acknowledged and stressed the central role of the UN and the range of mechanisms which it has developed in the fight against racism. The Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) is the key element. The European Union welcomes the fact that the participating States at Durban set themselves the aim of universal ratification of that Convention by 2005. The important contribution by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial
Discrimination has been brought to the fore. The European Union endorses the request that all States should cooperate with the Committee and also with all the relevant anti?racism mechanisms which promote equality, solidarity and justice for all. The work of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance should also be encouraged. The Union also supports the aims and objectives of the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial
Discrimination, which will finish in 2003. These were in fact confirmed and reinforced by the Durban Action Plan.
Finally, the European Union feels it important to highlight the efforts of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in combating racism and racial discrimination through its many activities and programmes. That contribution will be further reinforced with Mary Robinson's decision to create an anti-discrimination unit within her office. The mainly advisory functions assigned to that unit by the High Commissioner are paramount in the fight against racism, in particular through
promoting equality, solidarity and justice for all.
Mr Chairman,
The European Union believes that all differentiation, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, ancestry or national or ethnic origin is a denial of human rights. It is also convinced that respect for the principle of non-discrimination is essential for human dignity. For this reason the European Union calls upon all States to strengthen their legal framework and continue their efforts and their vigilance to eradicate discriminatory, racist and xenophobic behaviour, which
imperils the foundations of human rights.
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