EUROPEAN COMMITTEE ON ROMANI EMANCIPATION
European Economic Interest Grouping
Founded under Articles of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2137/85
Regulation 9 of the European Economic Interest Grouping Regulations 1989
Registered in the United Kingdom Number GE 168
128 COPNOR ROAD, PORTSMOUTH PO3 5AN, UNITED KINGDOM
web site: http://www.eu-romani.org
email: info@eu-romani.org
Concerning Petition 239/2003
15th March 2004
The European Committee on Romani Emancipation has received an unexpected reply from the Petitions Committee stating that they have decided to close their consideration of the petition (see letter here).
The Committee of Peritions has on two occasions stated in writing that it would submit consideration of this Petition to a public meeting. Indeed, the preparation related to this petition undetaken by ECRE was based upon the assumption that there would be a public meeting. However, the Committee on petitions has now, without notice, have decided to cut out that essential stage and come to a hurried conclusion that makes the unrealistic assertion that all that can be done is being done for the Roma of school age in the countries concerned.
We are left with an unacceptable level of transparency with no anlaysis, checking of statistics and financial sums and being provided no more than assertions that all that can be done is being done for the Roma of school age in the countries concerned. Unfortunately the Petitions Committee does not state with whom they have consulted other than the European Commission whose response to the peittion was supplied. We therefore have no means of assessing the degree of independence of those consulted nor even their knowledge of the issue.
The Commission response has significantly redirected the considerations away from the main thrust of the petition (see response here) and the Petitions Committee seem to be satisfied with this state of affairs, without feeling any need to provide opportunities for rebuttal or cross examination which would be possible in a public meeting.
We have therefore written to the Committee on Petitions to ask that the public meeting be organized. (see letter here)
For and on behalf of
ECRE - European Committee on Romani Emancipation
(signed)
Hector McNeill
Member of Management Committee
European Committee on Romani Emancipation