During the plenary session (25-28 March 2019) in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs vote on the fundamental rights of people of African descent. They debated on 14 March 2019 during the previous plenary session, in Strasbourg. Statements by Cécile Kashetu KYENGE (S&D, IT), Valdis DOMBROVSKIS, Vice-President of the EC in charge of the Euro and Social Dialogue, José Inácio FARIA (EPP, PT), Marie-Christine VERGIAT (GUE/NGL, FR) and views of the votes.

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

EU - Africa (T)

vote

respect for human rights in the world (T)

VERGIAT, Marie-Christine (GUE/NGL, FR)

fight against racism and xenophobia (T)

KYENGE, Cécile Kashetu (S&D, IT)

DOMBROVSKIS, Valdis (EPP, LV, EC)

FARIA, José Inácio (EPP, PT)

Fundamental rights of people of African descent: extracts from the debate (14/03) and from the vote

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/10863830/I170159Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (Italian), C&#233;cile Kashetu KYENGE (S&amp;D, IT), Author, The official recognition of the specific history of the Afro-descendants, the possibility of instituting reparations, the question of public apologies, but also that of the return of artistic assets to African countries, once robbed by the European colonizing nations, as well as the question of declassification of the Colonial archives deserve the establishment of a unit of the European Commission that deals specifically with these issues and the promotion of full citizenship of African descendants.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), C&eacute;cile Kashetu KYENGE (S&amp;D, IT), Author, Housing rights, the possibility of access to decent work and the right to education appear to be particularly violated. In some European countries, we have even witnessed the attempted return of apartheid, with the discriminatory exclusion of Afro-descendant children from school canteens, as well as the attempt to establish separate classes for them.

SOUNDBITE (English), Valdis DOMBROVSKIS, Vice-President of the EC in charge of the Euro and Social Dialogue, The Commission is concerned about the high rates of discrimination and the manifestations of hatred reported to be seriously affecting people of African descent and black people in Europe, as recently shown by Fundamental Rights Agency research.  <p class="contents">Preventing and fighting afrophobia and other forms of racism are fully embedded in the Commission&rsquo;s policies against discrimination and racism, which remain a clear priority for us. EU action in this area comprises a variety of measures and tools, including the continuing monitoring of the transposition and implementation of relevant EU legislation and, in particular, the Race Equality Directive and the Framework Decision on combating racism.</p>

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Jos&#233; In&#225;cio FARIA (EPP, PT), This sad panorama is a shame that is happening all over Europe, including in my country, where Afro-descendants are particularly vulnerable socially and economically and where unfortunately reports of police violence based on racial discrimination persist, where countless Afro-descendants are treated as immigrants and Afro-descendants immigrants see their right to nationality being restricted to them and their inherent rights to be denied to them by an institutional racism that persists in keeping in the XXI century. It is therefore urgent to create a European Union framework for national strategies for the social inclusion and integration of Afro-descendants, including the promotion of political empowerment, the fight against afro-phobia and hate crimes.

SOUNDBITE (French), Marie-Christine VERGIAT (GUE/NGL, FR), Alors, oui, il faut parler de cette histoire sans tabou, d&eacute;nouer les pr&eacute;jug&eacute;s, reconna&icirc;tre les faits et ce qu&rsquo;il faut appeler des &laquo;crimes contre l&rsquo;humanit&eacute;&raquo;, comprendre les sp&eacute;cificit&eacute;s de ce racisme pour &eacute;viter qu&rsquo;il ne se perp&eacute;tue, y compris dans nos institutions, &eacute;duquer, et condamner les discriminations et les violences, y compris polici&egrave;res.

EP Presdient opens the vote on the resolution, which is approved by 535 votes in favour, 80 against and 44 abstentions. 