(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, 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.

06/04/2005 – 30 cases of young people who were subjected, or allegedly subjected, to serious human rights violations by French police officers between 1991 and 2005. Such violations included unlawful killings, excessive use of force, torture or ill-treatment and racist abuse.

(Dublin/Brussels 12 January 2004) As the Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern prepares to address the European Parliament this week on how Ireland intends to guide the EU through the next six months, Amnesty International is calling for serious improvements in EU human rights policy inside Europe.

Dublin/Bruxelles – Alors que le Premier ministre irlandais, Bertie Ahern, doit s’adresser cette semaine au Parlement européen pour dévoiler la façon dont l’Irlande entend conduire l’Union européenne (UE) dans les six mois à venir, Amnesty International demande que l’UE mène une politique en matière des droits humains propre à assurer un meilleur respect des droits fondamentaux au sein même de l’Europe.

On the eve of Denmark’s accession to the Presidency of the European Union, Amnesty International has addressed a detailed memorandum to the Danish EU Presidency with proposals for improving the EU’s human rights record, both within Europe and beyond its borders.

ONE STEP TOWARDS RESTORING THE BALANCE: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL WELCOMES SEVILLE SUMMIT SHIFT FROM SANCTIONS TO “COOPERATION” BUT MAINTAINS CONCERN ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACT

War Against “Illegal Immigration” Puts Human Rights At Risk

 NEW REPORT FROM AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

On the eve of the Justice and Home Affairs Council, the Secretary General of Amnesty International, Irene Khan, in Brussels for talks with EU policy-makers, issued a strong appeal for the European Union to take a global lead in efforts to protect human rights in the aftermath of the 11 September attacks.