(Brussels, 21 March) While the EU celebrates the Year of Equal Opportunities for all, racism and discrimination remains severe and widespread as a fundamental human rights problem across the EU, says Amnesty International on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

The Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) is a step in the right direction but today’s human rights challenges in Europe call for a much stronger mechanism, says Amnesty International on day of the opening of the new Agency in Vienna. (To access the Amnesty International “speech” click here)

(Brussels, 26 February) The EU cannot continue to ignore the plight of thousands of citizens who are still living in legal limbo or awaiting compensation from the Slovenian authorities for being denied their most basic rights, says Amnesty International.

Discrimination against Roma persists in various forms in several European countries. Amnesty International launches a new report on the discrimination of Roma children in primary education. This report looks at the youngest victims of discrimination in three countries of the former-Yugoslavia: Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia.

If the EU wants 2007 to be “European Year of Equal Opportunities”, it needs to ensure as of now that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people can freely express, assemble and associate in countries such as Poland and Latvia.

20/07/2006 – Letter to European Commissioner Vladimir Spidla regarding Amnesty International’s concerns on freedom of assembly in Latvia and the climate of discrimination and intimidation against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. See also documents: Latvian authorities fail to protect LGBT community Latvia must protect the rights to freedom of assembly and expression for all  

EU pressure to “keep people out” contributing to serious abuse of migrants’ rights

(Brussels, 19 October 2005) With the European Commission due to release its annual monitoring reports on Bulgaria and Romania on 25 October, Amnesty International calls on the European Union to keep up pressure on the two accession countries on some crucial outstanding human rights concerns.