STATEMENT: The Mandate and Work of the EU Coordinator on Anti-Racism

Brussels, 17/05/2021 – ENAR and 66 civil society organisations across Europe issue a joint statement on the newly appointed EU Coordinator on Anti-Racism.

Strong political engagement from European Union Executive and Member States’ political leadership will lead to concrete initiatives that will help deliver racial justice in Europe. The new EU Coordinator on Anti-Racism should be leading all the work on the topic within the European Commission, ensuring the meaningful participation of civil society and other stakeholders and engage with national and local levels. The creation of this new role is an important development that can lead to the successful implementation of the Anti-Racism Action Plan (ARAP) [see civil society Open Letter to Commission on the ARAP]. A. A clear mandate and roadmap for the EU Coordinator on Anti-Racism The Coordinator and their team (hereafter, the Coordinator) should be responsible for implementing the ARAP. More specifically, the following elements should be part of the Coordinator’s mandate:

• 1. National Action Plans against Racism (NAPAR) – The Coordinator should actively work with the European Commission’s subgroup on NAPAR to develop common principles in 2021 and to support Member States to meet their reporting obligations in 2022 including with the meaningful involvement of national civil society organisations. A Council Recommendation should be adopted to strengthen this framework.
• 2. Mainstreaming of racial equality – The Coordinator should be the primary contact point for mainstreaming racial justice in the different Directorates-General with the Task Force on Equality supporting their work.
• 3. Support to anti-racism civil society and human rights defenders – The Coordinator should closely monitor the situation of anti-racist human rights defenders on the ground in the Member States and ensure support from the political leadership for relevant civil society and human rights defenders.

B. A constant and participatory body for civil society organisations The success of the Coordinator’s work will be limited if it is not supported by a permanent body facilitating structured dialogue with civil society organisations led by racialised groups and organisations working on issues related to racial justice and equality. This body would be responsible for the bi-annual meetings proposed in the ARAP and regular meetings with civil society organisations and other groups. The body could also facilitate regular contact and meaningful involvement in policy processes, especially through linking experts and groups with various Directorates-General to ensure knowledge sharing, training and mainstreaming. C. Coherent organisational structure on racial equality with additional resources The appointment of the Coordinator is an opportunity for the EU to implement an internal restructuring that will lead to coherence between policy aims and organisational structure. This will be key if the EU intends to tackle structural racism and mainstream racial justice across all policies areas and for all racialised groups, including those at the intersections of different grounds of discrimination. An organisational restructuring will also lead to better coordination, decision-making and monitoring of progress. Additional financial resources should be allocated to work on racial equality, including for the Coordinator and for their work with civil society organisations. Signatories 1. European Network against Racism (ENAR) 2. Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice 3. European Roma Grassroots Organisations Network (ERGO) 4. Institute Circle 5. NGO RomanoNet 6. Migrant Tales 7. Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations 8. Greek Forum of Migrants 9. Trans United Europe 10. Roma Active Albania 11. Changemakers Lab 12. European Network of Women of African Descent 13. Public Institution Roma Community Centre 14. European Youth Forum 15. AO Public Association of Roma women and Girls from Moldova “Moldsolidaritate” 16. KISA – Action for Equality, Support, Antiracism 17. Velferdsalliansen EAPN Norway 18. Roma Association Utrecht 19. Instituto de Asuntos Culturales, España 20. Roma advocacy and research centre Skalica, Slovakia 21. In IUSTITIA 22. Stichting Ocan 23. Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM) 24. Refugee Legal Support (RLS) 25. The Czech Helsinki Committee 26. HumanRights360 27. Büro zur Umsetzung von Gleichbehandlung e.V. (BUG) 28. Movimento SOS Racismo 29. Pavee Point Traveller & Roma Centre 30. International Federation of Resistance Fighters (FIR) 31. Centre for Peace Studies 32. Regional Roma Educational Youth Association – RROMA 33. Paveepoint Traveller and Roma centre 34. ADVANCING TOGETHER 35. International Roma Women Network Phenjalipr 36. Povod Institute 37. Roma and Travellers Mediation Center (Centre de Médiation des Gens du Voyage et des Roms) 38. Een Andere Joodse Stem 39. Àltera 40. Minderhedenforum vzw 41. Fair Trials 42. BIBI AMKA Woman wake up 43. Center for Migration, Gender, and Justice 44. ASOCIACIÓN NACIONAL PRESENCIA GITANA 45. European Network on Religion and Belief 46. Latvian Human Rights Committee 47. Central Council of German Sinti and Roma 48. Collective Against Islamophobia in Belgium (CCIB) 49. SIEMPRE – Latin American Women and Girls Networking 50. Federation of Roma Associations in Catalonia – FAGiC – FAGiC 51. Waterford Integration Services 52. Unge for Menneskerettigheder 53. Asoc. Nacional Presencia Gitana 54. “ANTIGONE” – Information and Documentation Centre on Racism, Ecology, Peace and Non Violence 55. Balkan LGBTQIA 56. Africa Solidarity Centre Ireland 57. Asociación Musulmana por los Derechos Humanos (AMDEH) 58. Pan African Movement for Justice 59. Implementation Team of the International Decade for People of African Descent-Spain 60. Africa-Europe Diaspora Development Platform 61. European Anti-Poverty Network 62. Churches´Commission for Migrants in Europe CCME 63. Africa Solidarity Centre CLG 64. Anti-Racist Forum ry 65. Center for Intersectional Justice 66. Advocacy and Human Rights Centre 67. Network for Children’s Rights 68. #DiasporaVote! 69. Romaversitas Foundation 70. The Citizens’ Association for the Promotion of Roma Education “Otaharin” 71. Integro Association 72. Derbyshire Gypsy Liaison Group Download the letter in pdf format cso_joint_statement_on_eu_anti-racism_coordinator.pdf

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