LISBON, March 19 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged on Friday the 27 member states of the European Union (EU) to implement the EU's new action plan against racism 2020-2025.
At the opening of the first European Summit Against Racism, promoted by the Portuguese presidency of the European Council, von der Leyen said that the plan recognizes that structural racism exists in all areas and that the Member States must act.
She stressed at the visual meeting that "anti-racism is a founding principle of the Union," and that the Commission will not hesitate to "resort to justice when necessary" to alert countries that violate the directive.
She said that "a European anti-racism coordinator will be appointed soon" who will have the mission of "bringing the voices of racialized people to the heart of the European institutions."
She recalled that this plan against racism was motivated by the "many Europeans who took to the streets" to support the "Black Lives Matter" movement, created after the assassination of African American George Floyd by the United States police.
According to her, this is "the beginning of a common path of constant dialogue and commitment" to "continue to speak about racism, listen to people and associations" and recognize that "knowledge is the basis for change."
Mariana Vieira da Silva, Portuguese Minister of State for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, also said during the meeting that "the COVID-19 pandemic must not postpone or diminish the importance of dialogue" on racism, because the crisis has exacerbated the inequalities of the most vulnerable groups.
She guaranteed that Portugal is committed to "implementing the anti-racism agenda" during the presidency of the EU Council until the end of June.
EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell also said the EU has an "unwavering commitment to the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, including its contemporary forms."
He pointed out that the EU's new action plan against racism recognizes that the problem "is not only perpetrated by individuals, it is also structural," which requires "concrete actions."
The summit, co-hosted by the European Commission and the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and in cooperation with the Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup of the European Parliament, was the first time for the 27 Member States to meet to discuss the topic.
