15 September 2010 – Responding to the EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding’s criticism yesterday of the ongoing expulsion of Roma people by the French authorities (1), Green MEP Keith Taylor said:

“This unprecedented condemnation and threat of legal action against the French government for its illegal deportation of Roma people is a step in the right direction. The European Commission has been tardy in taking this move, when the case for doing so was plain for all to see – but better late than never.

“The ethnic-based actions of the French government have more to do with the dark days of 1939-45 than today’s modern Europe. The Green Party has been at the forefront of protests against ill-treatment of the Roma Europe-wide – and just this week passed an emergency resolution at our national conference calling for legal action against any national government practising xenophobic deportations.

“The Commission must now build on the momentum towards fairer treatment of the Roma people in Europe by developing a pan-European Roma integration strategy. Such a move would help to prevent further persecution and strengthen the rights of these European citizens.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

(1) http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/reding/index_en.htm