Outrage at French expulsion of up to 1,000 Roma people today blew up into an EU embarrassment for the Sarkozy government as a pivotal group of Euro MPs called for parliamentary statements by the European Commission and Council.

 

The European Parliament's main progressive group, the 184-strong Socialists and Democrats, accused France of breaching EU law and cited provisions on freedom of movement to underline its claims. The group called for statements to be made at the next session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

 

Group leader Martin Schulz condemned the European Commission's failure to act on detailed proposals for action on the Roma issue, approved by the full European Parliament in March. The action plan included the development of a European strategy for the Roma and measures to promote their inclusion in society.

 

Said Mr Schulz: "The recent treatment of Roma people in France was appalling and cannot go unchallenged. Their rights have been abused for populist, electoral reasons by a government that is fast losing support.

 

"The country that gave us liberté, égalité and fraternité has taken a different, regrettable path today.

 

"There are up to 12 million Roma people in Europe, living in extreme poverty and hardship. Their problem is a European one that we have campaigned on for years. The European Parliament backed us five months ago in calling for a European strategy for the Roma -- but the Commission and the Council have sat on their hands.

 

"Those two institutions must now account for their inaction. Scenes like those we have recently witnessed in France must never be repeated."

 

The S&D Group cited EU directive 38/2004 on the rights of EU citizens to move freely within EU territory in support of its claim that France had flouted EU law. It added that reports of the fingerprinting of deportees would, if true, indicate further breach of the law, specifically the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights and Freedoms, articles 21.1 and 2 as well as directives 38/2004 and 43/2000.

 

Said Mr Schulz: "As a founding principle, the EU bans discrimination based on ethnic origin or nationality. This ban is part of the EU's DNA and its identity as a community of values, as defined by the Charter of Fundamental Rights. Now, with the Lisbon Treaty in force, it has the status of binding primary law.

 

"The European Parliament will use its prerogatives to defend and promote the Charter and to prevent violation of people's rights."

 

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Associated media

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