The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) released on 9 December the European Union Minorities and Discrimination Survey, the first ever EU-wide survey of over 23,000 individuals from ethnic minority and immigrant groups about their experiences of discrimination, racist crime, and policing in the EU. The results reveal shocking evidence about the discrimination faced by minorities in everyday life; in the classroom, when looking for work, at the doctor's, or in shops. On the eve of the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion, the FRA calls for targeted policies to combat the marginalisation of these groups.

1 in 4 (24%) of all respondents was a victim of crime at least once in the last 12 months.  Members of minority groups, often stereotyped as criminals themselves, can clearly also be victims of crime in need of assistance, protection, and support.

The survey exposes the serious lack of awareness of anti discrimination legislation amongst ethnic minority and immigrant groups.  Almost half (46%) of respondents were unaware that legislation exists forbidding discrimination against people on the basis of their ethnicity in relation to shops, restaurants, bars or clubs. 

82% of those who were discriminated against in the past 12 months did not report their most recent experience of discrimination either at the place where it occurred or to a competent authority.  The most common reason for non-reporting was the belief that ‘nothing would happen’.


FRA Director Morten Kjaerum: "The results of the EU-MIDIS survey  reveal the serious difficulties faced by significant numbers of those from ethnic minority and immigrant groups in accessing the most basic of services. Discrimination in education is particularly damaging as it can have a negative impact on young people's opportunities in the labour market. Actors at all levels, from governments to service providers, must use this evidence, collected on the ground through in-depth interviews, to develop targeted policies to prevent the exclusion of these groups from European societies."