26 Amendments of Michal ŠIMEČKA related to 2020/2011(INI)
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 a (new)
Citation 10 a (new)
- having regard to the General Policy Recommendation No. 13 of the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI);
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital -A (new)
Recital -A (new)
-A. whereas most people with Romani background are deprived of their fundamental human rights in all areas of life;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas deeply rooted, persistent, and structural antyd often institutional and governmental anti-gypsyism continues to exist at all levels of European society and manifests itself on a daily basis;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas anti-gypsyism has resulted in unacceptable levels of inequality for people with Romani background in the field of housing, schooling, health status, and their social and labour-market situation, which often perpetuate their exclusion and racism against them, and whereas EU Member States do not show determination to break the vicious circle of anti-gypsyism, to safeguard equality and non- discrimination for their citizens with Romani background, and to grant the full enjoyment of their fundamental human rights;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas a Directivepost-2020 EU Strategic Framework for the Equality and Inclusion of People with Romani Background, developed on the basis of more realistic quantitative and qualitative data, a legislative act with a binding character on the European Union and its Member States, is needed and must be proposed by the Commission;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the equal participation of local and, regional, national and European stakeholders (NGOs, activists, experts, community members, etc.) must be significantly involved in the development, implementation and monitoring of public policies towards people with Romani background, in the post-2020 context;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas under COVID-19 lockdowns, the situation of marginalised communities of people of Romani background in overcrowded compounds and settlements is very difficult; whereas people of Romani background do not have access to adequate healthcare, sanitation and food, and are particularly at risk of contracting COVID-19 or of suffering negative economic and societal consequences of the COVID-19 crisis; whereas the Member States must deliver emergency support and medical care in order to limit the spread of the virus; whereas racism, exclusion and discrimination against people of Romani background should be urgently addressed by the Union and its Member States;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
Recital G a (new)
Ga. whereas anti-gypsyist attitudes have been exacerbated during the Covid- 19 pandemic with Romani people being singled out for spreading the virus; whereas there is a critical role of media in decreasing anti-gypsyist attitudes through non-discriminatory coverage of minorities;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G b (new)
Recital G b (new)
Gb. whereas the European Commission’s 2019 report on the implementation of national Roma integration strategies recognises that success factors encompass intersectional, cross-sectoral and integrated approaches to tackle multiple discrimination and multi-dimensional exclusion; whereas the report mentions amongst the priorities the need to support Roma access to justice with a focus on victims of multiple discrimination (women, LGBTI, non- citizen Roma), and reinforcing the capacity of equality bodies to deal with discrimination against Roma;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G c (new)
Recital G c (new)
Gc. whereas expert reports on the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies recognise that Roma LGBTI face a range of facets of discrimination: first as people with Romani background, secondly as LGBTI, thirdly as LGBTI persons in Roma communities; whereas some LGBTI people with Romani background may resort to suppressing aspects of their identity as a result;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1 (new)
Paragraph -1 (new)
-1. Considers that people with Romani background belong to one of the minority groups in Europe that face deprivation of their fundamental human rights, they are subject to anti-gypsyism, a specific form of racism and the highest rates of poverty and social exclusion; notes with regret that despite economic prosperity in the EU and despite the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies and the Cohesion Funds measures introduced in the last decade, the overall situation of the people with Romani background in the EU has stagnated; stresses that progress in the area of education and healthcare has been very limited and in some fields even regressed often due to the lack of political will; therefore calls on the Commission to lead by example and introduce a “Roma mainstreaming policy” in order to integrate the perspective of the people with Romani background at all stages and levels of mainstream policies, programmes and projects particularly the Recovery Plan, the new Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021-2027, the European Green Deal, the new Common Agricultural Policy, the Just Transition Fund, the New Skills Agenda for Europe, the European Digital Strategy, the SME Strategy for a sustainable and digital Europe, and to prevent discrimination at policy areas in the EU policy in general and facilitate affirmative action and active outreach to people with Romani background; calls on the Member States also to follow this path and create policies which help the active inclusion of people with Romani background into our societies;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers that the Commission must developshould develop - on the basis of systemic consultations with (pro-) Romani experts and NGOs and the Council of Europe - a proposal for a post- 2020 directiveEU Strategic Framework for equality and inclusion of people with Romani background in Europe putting the fight against poverty and antigypsyism; is of the opinion that this proposal should contain a legislative measure based on Article19 (2) of the Treaty of the Functioning of the EU as appropriate action to combat discrimination based on ethnic origin and could further develop the prohibition of indirect discrimination and permissibility of positive action with a view to ensuring full equality of people with Romani background in practice; stresses that this Strategic Framework should be putting the fight anti-gypsyism and social exclusion at the forefront; stresses that the new proposal must include clear, realistic and binding objectives, measures and targets for the Member States, a clear timeline and clear and binding progress requirements, as well as success indicators and adequate funding for its implementation; emphasises the need for a robust monitoring and oversight mechanism to ensure effective implementation and appropriate use of fundsand sanctioning mechanism on European level with the involvement of the Fundamental Rights Agency, the EQUINET, watchdog organisations and other stakeholders from the civil society to ensure effective implementation and appropriate use of funds and to prevent corruption and the misuse of EU funds; is of the opinion that funds are often most effectively spent at local level by local governments and NGOs, therefore calls on the Commission to increase the funds distributed directly to them; notes that equal participation in all domains of public life, political participation, and the language, arts, culture, history and environment of people with Romani background should be explicitly mentioned in the proposal for post-2020 EU public policy for people with Romani background, as additional measures to the four main priority areas of education, employment, housing and healthcare;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that the Recovery Plan and the new Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021-2027 EU is firmly linked to the post- 2020EU Framework for National Roma Inclusion Strategies, its binding targets and their execution by the National Roma Inclusion Strategies;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Reiterates its position and recommendations put forward and adopted in its resolution of 25 October 2017 on fundamental rights aspects in Roma integration in the EU: fighting anti-Gypsyism; since limited action has been taken so far, calls on the Commission to integrate those recommendations into its post-2020 EU Framework for National Roma Inclusion Strategies, particularly the recommendations relating to anti- gypsyism and truth and reconciliation as these are the cornerstone of building a strong and inclusive society;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the Commission to develop a proposal for a post-2020 EU directiveStrategic Framework for the equality and inclusion of people with Romani background, giving priority to (i) achieving a positive impact; (ii) a rights-based approach, including a plan to eliminate social and economic inequalities; (iii) developing a vision for the future proposal, including concrete, specific, measurable, comparable, achievable, relevant and time- bound objectives to protect and improve the inclusion of people with Romani background; and (iv) eliminating inequalities and discrimination and segregation, especially for children from their earliest years; and those with Romani background facing multiple discrimination, such as women and girls, LGBTI persons and people with disabilities;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission to ensure the equal participation of Romani and pro- Romani civil society organisations, experts and community members from all levels, including those active at local and regional level, taking into account a gender perspective in both the policy debate and in decision-making; calls on the Member States to do the same when creating their own post-2020 National Inclusion Strategies for People with Romani Background;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Is of the opinion that often the best tool for empowering Roma to fully exercise their fundamental rights is through litigation; calls on the Commission to create a strategic litigation funds under the Rights and Values Programme and provide adequate funding for civil society and human rights defenders in order to achieve systemic change;
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Strongly rejects the political narrative and populism to build government policy on inciting anti- gypsyism, exercising scapegoating of Roma and promoting discrimination or segregation both directly and indirectly; is of the opinion that such political actions are against not only the national constitutions but the fundamental values of the EU Treaties as well and the rights provided thereby; therefore calls on the Commission to take immediate action by opening infringement procedures and by addressing such issues in the annual report on the state of rule of law in the relevant Member States;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3c. Reiterates its call on the Council to unblock negotiations on the horizontal anti-discrimination directive as it is a prerequisite to achieve equality in the EU;
Amendment 172 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the Commission to tackle anti-gypsyism across the key areas of the proposal for the post-2020 directiveFramework;
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Is particularly concerned by the high level of segregation children with Romani background in schools and the discriminatory practice of placing children with a Romani background in schools for children with mental disabilities, which persist in some Member States; urges the Member States concerned to put an end to such practices in accordance with applicable anti- discrimination legislation; reminds that the Commission opened infringement procedures on segregation of children with Romani background in relation to 3 Member States; is of the opinion that the last years have shown no improvement despite the Commission's efforts; therefore calls on the Commission to take further steps and refer these cases to the European Court of Justice if necessary;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Is of the opinion that COVID-19 extorted the active use of info communication techniques (ICT) and methods, however the pandemic revealed insufficient preparedness in digital transformation as families with Romani background and their schools were not equipped adequate ICT tools and skills and families with Romani background are often unable to afford electricity and digital connectedness, therefore they cannot effectively participate in distant learning educational as the majority population; considers that the possession of an ICT device is the turnkey point into digital education, therefore urges the Commission to create a pool ICT tools similarly to the RescEU or within the RescEU framework and distribute it among the most vulnerable families and children to provide them with the basic tools for distant learning and prepare them for the digital age; considers that access to internet and ICT skills are a cornerstone of the forthcoming digital age for every citizen and as such it is essential the empowerment of people with Romani background as well; therefore calls on the Commission to examine the possibility to introduce the right to internet access as a fundamental right within the EU and include it to the post-2020 Framework; calls on the Member States to add ICT skills into their curriculum from an early age;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Calls on the Member States to improve their data collection methods to provide reliable actual and comparable data as they support effective evidence- based policies and can contribute to improving the effectiveness of strategies, actions and measures taken, and to identifying structural problems;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8b. Calls on the Member States to guarantee the effective independence, the mandate and the necessary resources of the equality bodies for enabling them to carry out their tasks in the promotion of equal treatment and protection of fundamental rights also of people with Romani background; is of the opinion that equality bodies are the right institutions to collect data and draw trends on anti-gypsyism and to channel it to the European level;
Amendment 272 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Acknowledges that the path to successful inclusion of children with Romani background requires not only compulsory (high-quality and non- segregated) school education but also early childhood education and equal access to extracurricular activities; calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure adequate funding to NGOs which provide such activities as these activities are crucial to create an environment and conditions where children from all backgrounds have equal opportunities; considers that the exchange of good practices between Member States is also crucial in this field;
Amendment 275 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12b. Draws attention to discriminatory practices and cases of violence by the police against people with Romani background in Member States; calls on the Member States adopt Guidelines and develop trainings to the police forces against disproportionate criminalisation of people with Romani background, over- policing (ethnic profiling, excessive stop- and-search procedures, uncalled-for raids on Romani settlements, arbitrary seizure and destruction of property, excessive use of force during arrests, assaults, threats, humiliating treatment, physical abuse, and the denial of rights during police interrogation and custody) and in under- policing of crimes committed against people with Romani background, providing little or no assistance, protection (such as in cases of trafficking and for victims of domestic violence) or investigation in cases of crimes reported by people with Romani background (hate crimes in particular); calls on the Member States concerned to ensure that full investigation of such cases police and particularly where violence and brutality involved; calls on the Member States to provide appropriate remedies;