United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Reviews France

21 July 2005

In its Concluding Observations on France made public on February 22 and 23, 2005, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) stated that [it] "remains concerned at delays in the effective application of the Act of 5 July 2000 on the reception and housing of travellers and the persistent difficulties travellers encounter in such fields as education, employment and access to the social security and health system." The CERD "recalls its General Recommendation XXVII on discrimination against Roma and recommends that the State party should step up its efforts to provide travellers with more stopping places equipped with the necessary infrastructure and facilities and located in clean environments, intensify its efforts in the field of education and combat the phenomena of exclusion of travellers more effectively, including in the fields of employment and access to health service." Additionally, the CERD recommended to the French government that it "take the necessary preventive measures to halt racist incidents involving members of the security forces…[the government] should also ensure that impartial investigations are carried out into all these complaints, and that any sanctions imposed are proportionate to the gravity of any offences committed."

Commenting on the efficacy of anti-discrimination law in France, the CERD stated that it was "concerned at the fact that the concept of indirect discrimination is applied only in matters of employment and housing." The CERD further recommended to the French government that "it should take all necessary legislative steps to ensure the general application of the concept of indirect discrimination." Full text of the CERD report. In the run-up to the review the ERRC submitted written comments for consideration by the CERD which can be found online HERE.

(ERRC)