Vol. 472 No. 7
23 Mr. L. Fitzgerald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the precise nature and mandate for the proposed European observatory for racism and xenophobia on which the Presidency is due to submit draft statutes. [23986/96]
The Deputy will recall that the European Council, at its meeting in Florence last June, to quote its conclusions, "approved the principle underlying the establishment of a European Monitoring Centre" as proposed in the report of the Consultative Commission on Racism and Xenophobia. It asked the Council to examine the legal and budgetary conditions of the future monitoring centre as well as the links between it and the Council of Europe.
Examination of all three aspects has been carried out under the Irish Presidency. In co-operation with the Commission, work has now advanced to the stage where a detailed draft statute is under consideration. A report was made to the General Affairs Council on 6 December which noted the progress made towards the realisation of the objective of establishing the centre. The Council urged that examination of key outstanding aspects be speedily completed so that the centre can be established in 1997, which has been designated as the European year against racism.
It can be taken that the main task of the centre will be to provide the Union and the member states with objective, reliable and comparable data on racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism, to improve the exchange of information and experience in this field. It will establish a European information network to be known as "Raxen". In carrying out its tasks it will work closely with other international organisations and in particular with the Council of Europe. As the Deputy will appreciate, until there is full agreement on the statute I cannot be absolutely precise on the nature and mandate of the proposed monitoring centre. Certain issues on which member states hold strong views remain to be decided.
I agree everything possible must be done to combat the problems of racism and xenophobia, but will the Tánaiste agree that rather than establishing an additional agency to monitor human rights abuses as a result of racism and xenophobia it would be more expedient to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the existing agencies? We do not need further layers of bureaucracy.
It is important to have coordination and not a multiplicity of agencies. The Council of Europe, for example, is working in this area and there has been a great deal of discussion between the Council and the European Union. Most member states are anxious to ensure not only that this valuable work continues but also that the new observatory co-operates closely with the Council of Europe. The EU's racism observatory will have a different focus and will concern itself closely with the EU and its member states in particular.
Written Answers follow Adjourment Debate.
