About ENAR

Who we are

The European Network Against Racism (ENAR) is a network of European NGOs working to combat racism in all EU member states and represents more than 700 NGOs throughout the European Union. ENAR is determined to fight racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, to promote equality of treatment between European Union citizens and third country nationals, and to link local/regional/national initiatives with European Union initiatives.

At European level, we aim to:

  • Act as the voice of the anti-racist movement and formulate positions on EU policies related to anti-racism and anti-discrimination 
  • Develop policy papers and recommendations in relation to EU legislation or initiatives
  • Undertake collective lobbying actions
  • Establish advocacy coalitions and partnerships with other European networks and organisations

At national level, we aim to:

  • Bring our member organisations together to share and exchange ideas, experience and best practice
  • Inform our member organisations about EU policy developments
  • Encourage dialogue between civil society and the EU member states concerning the European political agenda related to anti-racism and anti-discrimination and its effects at national level
  • Reinforce the capacity of ENAR members to deliver national policy objectives

How it all started…

ENAR is a major outcome of the 1997 European Year Against Racism. Between March and September 1998, more than 600 NGOs were involved in national and European round table consultations to discuss the viability of such a structure. The 1998 Constitutive Conference of the European Network Against Racism brought together more than 200 representatives of these organisations to draw up a common programme of action.

The establishment of ENAR endorses the recognition by NGOs of the European dimension to the fight against racism. Anti-racist NGOs feel that they have a lot to gain from a network as a forum to share information, and influence policies at the level of the European Union and its member states.

Our vision

ENAR’s vision is of a Europe free of racism and related intolerance, where each individual has equal opportunities to participate in society. ENAR believes that the coordinated cooperation of NGOs can contribute significantly to the fight against ethnic and religious discrimination.

Our mission

ENAR’s mission is to foster a collective civil society voice and to influence decision-making in the European Union in order to:

  • Redress the negative consequences of discrimination based on colour, ethnicity, national origin, nationality, religion, culture or legal status;
  • Promote diversity and create the conditions for equal participation in a community characterised by a plurality of values
  • Ensure that anti-racism, equality and diversity are mainstreamed across all sectors of European Union public policies.

Why a European civil society perspective is crucial

National NGOs working on anti-racism are already seriously overburdened in their work to confront racism and discrimination. Why then should they also be concerned with what is going on in other European countries, and in the institutions of the European Union itself?

Developing an understanding of racism in Europe is essential for two key reasons. Firstly, to promote learning and knowledge about what racism and discrimination is and how to combat it and secondly, to generate common tools across the European Union to combat this phenomenon. Experience over the last ten years has demonstrated that national governments can be convinced to take action at the European level, where they may not have been prepared to move forward alone.
© Horus (Xtracms)