The European Parliament has adopted a new stance in favour of a greater protection of minorities. With a Resolution approved during the last plenary session in Strasbourg, MEPs call for a reinforcement of the “measures adopted by the public authorities in this field”. They appeal for a condemnation of “all acts and all expressions of anti-Semitism and anti-Islamic or anti-Christian forms of racism, as well as of the recrudescence of the denial or downplaying of forms of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, acts of intolerance and the incitement of racial hatred, and all acts of racist harassment or violence”. The Resolution adopted with 360 votes in favour, 272 against and 20 abstentions also urges the adoption of the EU framework decision on the fight against racism and xenophobia, blocked in the Council for over five years due to the repeated vetoes imposed by some member states. Particularly controversial is the paragraph of the document with which the European Parliament invites the Commission to present a new Communication “on the obstacles to the free circulation in the EU of married or legally recognized homosexual couples”. For further information: www.europarl.eu.int
