FRA reports on EU survey on minorities and migrants: discrimination grossly under-reported

22 april 2009

The first findings of the European Union Minorities and Discrimination Survey (EU MIDIS) have been summarized in two reports which have just been published by the FRA: ‘EU-MIDIS at a glance’, an overview of the whole survey, and "Data in Focus I: The Roma", the first in a series of "data in focus" on specific minorities and issues covered by the survey itself.
The study reveals that harassment, discrimination and racially motivated violence are far more widespread than recorded in official statistics and that ethnic minorities and immigrants do not have trust in mechanisms to protect victims. Furthermore, according to the survey, vulnerable groups are not sufficiently informed on where to seek assistance when they feel discriminated against and on the existence of competent bodies. On top of that discrimination experiences remain, for an overwhelming part, unreported. Victims of discrimination and harassment therefore show a sense of resignation and a lack of rights awareness.
The FRA calls on EU governments to improve the situation by fully implementing the anti-discrimination legislation, reporting and recording discrimination and racist crime and better informing minorities about their rights.
The highest level of discrimination is recorded amongst Roma, who represent the most vulnerable minority group.

Click here for more information on the survey.

Click here to read the memo of the survey.

Click here to read the media press release.