MPG launches its policy recommendations to tackle structural and institutional racism in the EU

Time to Talk About and Tackle Structural and Institutional Racism in the EU
On 25 October 2024, Migration Policy Group is launching its policy recommendations to tackle structural and institutional racism in the EU at an event organised in Brussels and bringing together over 50 policymakers, researchers and representatives of civil society organisations.
The policy recommendations are the result of a two years MPG-led project Tackling structural and institutional racism in 8 EU Member States. In close collaboration with national experts, the project examined the situation in eight EU member states: Czechia, Germany, Greece, Latvia, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, and Sweden. National workshops involving local communities were held in each country. The project produced a comparative analysis titled ‘Unpacking structural and institutional racism in 8 EU Member States: key issues and policy recommendations’. The Robert Bosch Stiftung made the implementation of this project possible.
Understanding the Challenge
Racism in the European Union (EU) goes beyond visible acts of violence or hate crimes. It is deeply ingrained in the structures of society, manifesting within our social, economic, and political institutions. This structural racism creates systemic barriers that lead to inequality and disadvantage for racialised communities across Europe.
The Current Landscape
Structural racism impacts various aspects of life, including:
- Education: Racialised communities often encounter significant obstacles to accessing high-quality education, resulting in educational disparities.
- Employment: Systemic barriers in the job market lead limited access to jobs, to wage gaps and limited opportunities for advancement.
- Housing: Segregation persists, particularly affecting Roma communities, who often live in substandard conditions.
- Healthcare: Racialised groups experience health disparities, inequal access to healthcare and are suffering disproportionately from both physical and mental health issues.
This persistent inequality breeds mistrust in public institutions among affected communities, making them hesitant to engage with law enforcement or seek justice for discrimination. The absence of clear legal definitions and comprehensive policy frameworks to address structural racism compounds these issues, leaving significant gaps in both national and EU responses.
Key Recommendations for Action
To effectively combat structural racism, decision-makers at both the national and EU levels must adopt several critical strategies:
- Establish a Legal Framework
- Definition and Enforcement: Adopt legal provisions that explicitly recognize and address structural racism, accompanied by effective sanctions for violations.
- Comprehensive Policy Strategies
- Adopt National Anti-Racism Plans: Move beyond sector-specific approaches to create holistic strategies targeting structural racism across education, housing, law enforcement, and health sectors.
- Community Engagement: Ensure that representatives from racialised communities are involved in the decision-making process to address their specific challenges.
- Enhance Data Collection
- Equality Data: National governments should collect comprehensive data on ethnicity and racial identity, enabling targeted policy interventions and promoting equality.
- Address Policing Practices
- Ban Racial Profiling: Implement guidelines prohibiting the use of race or ethnicity in risk assessments. Improve transparency in policing through systematic recording of interventions.
- Access to Justice: Ensure that victims can easily report discrimination and that the complaint processes are clear, effective, and accessible.
- Promote Public Awareness and Restorative Justice
- Government Recognition: Acknowledge the detrimental effects of structural racism and explore restorative justice approaches to address historical injustices.
- Public Campaigns: Conduct awareness campaigns and facilitate dialogues to amplify the voices of racialised communities and promote understanding of structural racism.
Conclusion
The impact of structural racism on racialised communities in Europe is profound, perpetuating cycles of exclusion and fostering mistrust in public institutions. To create a just and inclusive society, EU and national policymakers must ground their strategies in evidence and prioritise systemic reforms.
By taking decisive action to dismantle these entrenched inequalities, we can pave the way for a future where all individuals, regardless of their racial or ethnic background, have equal access to opportunities and justice. It’s time to turn the conversation into action—together, we can confront and eradicate structural racism in the EU.
Read full policy brief and its recommendations.
About the Migration Policy Group (MPG)
MPG is an independent think-and-do-tank based in Brussels. MPG’s purpose is rooted in its ability to inspire networks to provide evidence-based projects, research and campaigns in the areas of integration, migration and anti-discrimination.