European Parliament resolution on the outbreak of racism and xenophobia in El Ejido (Spain)
29. 11. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 339/271 Thursday 17 February 2000 Once the appropriate technical arrangements have been made, 4. the documents referred to in Article 7(3) of the Decision will be forwarded electronically. Confidential documents will be processed in accordance with internal administrative procedures drawn up by each institution with a view to providing all the requisite guarantees. 5. Pursuant to Article 8 of Decision, the European Parliament may indicate, in a resolution setting out the grounds on which it is based, that draft measures for implementing a basic instrument adopted by the procedure provided for by Article 251 of the Treaty exceed the implementing powers provided for in that basic instrument. 6. The European Parliament is to adopt such resolutions in plenary; it is to have a period of one month in which to do so, beginning on the date of receipt of the final draft of the implementing measures in the language versions submitted to the Commission. In urgent cases, and in the case of measures relating to day-to-day administrative matters and/or 7. having a limited period of validity, the time-limit will be shorter. That time-limit may be very short in extremely urgent cases, and in particular on public health grounds. The Member of the Commission responsible is to set the appropriate time-limit and to state the reason for that time-limit. The European Parliament may then use a procedure whereby application of Article 8 of Decision 1999/468/EC, within the relevant time-limit, may be delegated to the parliamentary committee responsible. 8. Following adoption by the European Parliament of a resolution setting out the grounds on which it is based, the Member of the Commission responsible is to inform the European Parliament or, where appro- priate, the parliamentary committee responsible, of the action the Commission intends to take thereon. 9. The European Parliament supports the aim and the procedures set out in Declaration No 2 of the Council and the Commission (1). That declaration is aimed at simplifying Community implementing arrangements by bringing the committee procedures currently in force into line with those resulting from Council Decision 1999/468/EC. (1) OJ C 203, 17. 7. 1999, p. 1. 12. Racism/xenophobia-related incidents in El Ejido (Spain) B5-0149, 0159, 0162, 0169 and 0175/2000 European Parliament resolution on the outbreak of racism and xenophobia in El Ejido (Spain) The European Parliament, 6 having regard to Article 13 of the EC Treaty, 6 having regard the conclusions of the Tampere European Council, 6 having regard to its resolution of 17 September 1992 on the riots in Rostock-Lichtenhagen and other cities of the new Länder (1), 6 having regard to its resolution of 20 February 1997 on racism, xenophobia and the extreme right (2), 6 having regard to its resolution of 8 October 1998 on cooperation with the Mediterranean countries on matters of migration (3), A. having regard to the establishment of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism, Xenophobia and Anti-Semitism, B. having regard to the outbreak of racism and xenophobia in El Ejido (Andalusia, Spain) following the tragic death on 5 February 2000 of Encarnación López, the third crime to have occurred in the town within the short space of a fortnight and, like the other two, said to have been committed by immi- grants, and having regard to the wave of indiscriminate violence, persecution of the immigrant popu- lation, physical aggression and burning of dwellings and possessions, C. whereas this violence also affected the headquarters of the NGOs involved in assisting and finding accommodation for immigrants; acknowledging the work of such bodies in the area, (1) OJ C 284, 2. 11. 1992, p. 99. (2) OJ C 85, 17. 3. 1997, p. 150. (3) OJ C 328, 26. 10. 1998, p. 184. C 339/272 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 29. 11. 2000 Thursday 17 February 2000 D. having regard to the appalling living conditions of the group of immigrant workers and their precar- ious employment situation, E. having regard to the European Union’s obligation to guard against racism and xenophobia, as laid down in its Treaties, F. whereas upholding the principles of tolerance, non-discrimination and social, economic and cultural integration with due regard to human diversity and dignity is the most effective guarantee upon which to establish and consolidate peaceful co-existence between local and immigrant populations, G. having regard to the importance of relations between Europe and the Maghreb countries, 1. Expresses its strongest possible condemnation of the crimes perpetrated and calls for the full weight of the law to be brought down upon the authors thereof, and at the same time shares the profound grief and immense sadness of the victims’ families and close associates, to whom it expresses those same feel- ings; Expresses its support and respect for the group of immigrants who have been the victims of aggres- 2. sion and vandalism; Condemns the acts of violence which have occurred over the last few days in El Ejido and firmly 3. rejects any racist or xenophobic attitude; Expresses its support for the NGOs working in the area and its acknowledgement of their efforts to 4. improve the living conditions of immigrants; 5. Calls for greater cooperation amongst the various levels of government (local, regional, national and European) so that the issue can be tackled on all fronts, and also for speedier identification of conflicts so as to prevent pockets of poverty and discrimination from developing; 6. Welcomes the agreement reached by the immigrants, the institutions and the business and trade- union associations as a starting point for resolving the immigrants’ employment situation, housing prob- lems and social problems; hopes that all parties will adopt a positive approach and calls for the agreed measures to be implemented to the letter; 7. Calls for implementation of the Tampere European Council conclusions on the need for a common immigration strategy and of the decision taken at that meeting to guarantee fair treatment for third-coun- try nationals who are legally resident within the Member States, and calls for a firmer integration policy which should lead to such nationals being granted rights and obligations comparable to those of EU citi- zens; 8. Recommends that immediate action should be taken against clandestine illegal immigration networks and calls for application of the rules intended to prevent the illegal recruitment and the exploitation of workers; 9. Notes that the initiatives launched in connection with the 1997 European Year Against Racism should be continued, and therefore calls on the Commission, on the basis of Article 13 of the EC Treaty, to put forward innovative Community initiatives designed to lay the foundations for suitable forms of co- existence and social cohesion between immigrants and the local population; 10. Calls on the Council to act upon its own decisions and to make greater funding available during the forthcoming budgetary year so that compliance with Article 13 of the EC Treaty can be monitored on a permanent basis; 11. Calls on the Member States, when drawing up their proposals for application of the Structural Funds, to take into account the fight against exclusion and action to support social integration, particularly in the case of immigrants; 12. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States, the El Ejido local authorities, the Andalusia regional government and the Govern- ment of Morocco