The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) debate on issues surrounding the situation of Roma people in Europe, in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Brussels

debate

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

MORAES, Claude (S&D, UK)

IN 'T VELD, Sophia (Renew, NL)

situation of Roma people (T)

BUSUTTIL, Simon (EPP, MT)

FLAUTRE, Hélène (Greens/EFA, FR)

Situation of Roma people in Europe: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (French), Fran&#231;ois LE BAIL, Director General for Justice, On the fact that the Commission is considering both the legal aspects and the integration of Roma in Europe. On the legal analysis, where there are several aspect to be considered, as whether the measures taken by the French government are respecting directive 2004/38 on freedom of movement of persons. On the fact that this directive guarantees the freedom of movement under certain conditions.

SOUNDBITE (French), Fran&#231;ois LE BAIL, Director General for Justice, The Commission is well aware of the problems of integration, and is willing to play the role of 'honest broker' between the member states to allow those measures which are targeted at helping integration of the Roma to proceed smoothly. Commission believes there has to be a concerted effort carried out at European level.

SOUNDBITE (English), Simon BUSUTTIL (EPP, MT), asking the Commission when it will be ready to express itself whether France is in compliance with EU law vis-&agrave;-vis the particular situation in France. There will be a debate in Plenary next week and it will be very useful to have the Commission's view on this before the debate.

SOUNDBITE (English), Claude MORAES (S&amp;D, UK), Will the Commission go the fundamental point, which is that this is an entire group which is maybe being expelled? Because if that group is being collectively expelled then there's been no room for individual treatment of those individual cases as required by EU law...

SOUNDBITE (English), Sophia IN&apos;T VELD (ALDE, NL), Asking if the Commission is taking up the invitation of the French government to attend the meeting next Monday, as it would be odd that the Commission would participate in such meeting outside the EU context when there is so much EU competence at stake here.

SOUNDBITE (French), H&#233;l&#232;ne FLAUTRE (Greens/EFA, FR), I hope that this very sorrow incident will give inspiration to an unprecedented mobilisation in defence of human rights throughout the EU. We have to mobilise funds and good practise and people in a very dynamic way in order to make a very strong statement for all EU citizens that the EU will support the rights of Roma people despite the populist measures taken by some EU governments.