Transcript European Citizenship Project

Europe and Me
The European Union
Helping everyone feel
they belong?
Discrimination at Work
The two colleagues live in different
parts of the town
But one of them seems to be given
more work than the other
So she goes to ask why…
But the question costs her job.
A few weeks later…
What has made Leila
react like this?
Languages of Europe
Did you know?
• Riots broke out in 2005 in a small town near Paris in an area where
there is a large concentration of minority families from North Africa.
• The riots started after two French teenagers of African origins died.
They were electrocuted as they took shelter in an electric power
substation when being chased by the police. Following these
deaths, a number of young people protested and clashed with the
police. Their feelings were further inflamed when newspapers
reported that the French Interior Minister had called them “riffraff”
and threatened to "clean out the suburbs with a power hose."
• Within days, the riots had spread to other suburban towns in France.
No fewer than 300 neighbourhoods were involved. Lives were lost
and cars, business and houses were destroyed.
Did you know?
• With some 10-12 million members, the Roma and Sinti are the
largest minority in Europe today. They live mainly in central and east
Europe and the Balkans. Those of eastern European descent are
called "Roma" and those of central European origin are referred to
as "Sinti".
• When Romania and Bulgaria expanded the European Union to 27
countries, up to 8 million Roma became EU citizens.
• For many years they have been subjected to harassment,
discrimination, ghettoisation, racial stereotyping and hate
propaganda.
• The practice of sending Roma children to special schools for the
mentally handicapped or concentrating them in special Roma
classes with worse facilities has been said to be an international
scandal.
Did you know?
• The EU has taken a number of measures to prevent discrimination
against minority groups – including:
• the Charter on Fundamental Rights which states that all people
are equal before the law, prohibits discrimination and requests the
EU to protect the cultural, religious and linguistic diversity of minority
groups
• the Racial Equality Directive which prohibits discrimination against
people because of their racial or ethnic origin in terms of
employment and training, education, social security, health care and
access to goods and services, including housing
• the Employment Equality Directive promotes the equal treatment
of all people in employment and training regardless of religion or
belief, disability, age or sexual orientation
Did you know?
• Every Member State of the EU has a National
Equality Body that gives you independent
advice if you think you have been the victim of
discrimination.
• It you want to take your case to court using the
laws in your country, your National Equality Body
can tell you about:
• the procedures you have to follow
• what the law can do for you
• any financial support that is available
Did you know?
•
In June 1993 EU leaders meeting in Copenhagen
agreed rules for new countries wishing to join the EU.
• These rules are sometimes known as the Copenhagen
criteria.
• They state that to qualify as members of the EU
candidate countries must have institutions in place to
guarantee democracy, the rule of law, human rights
and respect for and protection of minorities.
• Candidate countries’ records concerning the treatment of
minorities are assessed in annual reports presented by
the European Commission to the European Parliament
and to the Council of Ministers. Based on these reports,
the European Commission recommends measures the
candidate countries can take to improve their records.