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COUNCIL OF EUROPE - EUROPEAN COMMISSION AGAINST RACISM AND INTOLERANCE (CoE – ECRI)
http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/ecri/default_en.asp

Mission/Mandate:

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) is an ”independent human rights monitoring body on racism and racial discrimination“ of the Council of Europe. It was established by the first Summit of Heads of State and Government of the member States of the Council of Europe. The decision to establish ECRI is part of the Vienna Declaration, adopted by the first Summit on 9 October 1993. On 13 June 2002, the Committee of Ministers adopted a new Statute for ECRI, consolidating its role as an independent human rights monitoring body on racism and racial discrimination.

”ECRI’s task is to combat racism, xenophobia, antisemitism and intolerance at the level of greater Europe and from the perspective of the protection of human rights. ECRI’s action covers all necessary measures to combat violence, discrimination and prejudice faced by persons or groups of persons, notably on grounds of “race”, colour, language, religion, nationality and national or ethnic origin.“ (ECRI Website, http://www.coe.int/t/e/human_rights/ecri/1%2Decri/1%2Dpresentation_of_ecri/1-ECRI_and_its_programme_of_activities/Ecri_and_its_programme_of_activities.asp#TopOfPage, accessed on 14 April 2008).
ECRI comprises 46 expert members in the fields of combating racism, xenophobia, antisemitism, and intolerance – one from each member State of the Council of Europe. They act ”in their individual capacity, are independent and impartial in fulfilling their mandate, and do not receive any instructions from their government“ (Website of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, http://formin.finland.fi/public/default.aspx?nodeid=37606&contentlan=2&culture=en-US, accessed on 14 April 2008) (ECRI Website, http://www.coe.int/t/e/human_rights/ecri/1%2Decri/1%2Dpresentation_of_ecri/1-ECRI_and_its_programme_of_activities/Ecri_and_its_programme_of_activities.asp#TopOfPage, accessed on 14 April 2008).
Target group:
Governments of all Council of Europe member states (see Council of Europe Website, http://www.coe.int/T/e/com/about_coe/member_states/default.asp, accessed on 14 April 2008).
Objective:
ECRI closely cooperates with national authorities and institutions as well as civil society.
As stated in the original text adopted at the Vienna Summit in 1993, the committee of government experts who comprise ECRI act according to the following mandate:
“- review member States' legislation, policies and other measures to combat racism, xenophobia, anti-semitism and intolerance, and their effectiveness;
- propose further action at local, national and European level;
- formulate general policy recommendations to member States;
- study international legal instruments applicable in the matter with a view to their reinforcement where appropriate.” (ECRI Website, http://www.coe.int/t/e/human_rights/ecri/5-archives/2-Other_texts/2-Vienna_Summit/Plan_of_Action/Plan_of_Action_Vienna_Summit.asp, accessed on 14 April 2008).
ECRI’s COI-related activities are conducted within its country-by-country monitoring approach. Thereby, “ECRI monitors phenomena of racism and racial discrimination by closely examining the situation in each of the member States of the Council of Europe.” Country specific information obtained is made public by means of country reports containing “its analyses as well as recommendations as to how each country might deal with the problems identified” (ECRI Website, http://www.coe.int/t/e/human_rights/ecri/1%2Decri/1%2Dpresentation_of_ecri/1-ECRI_and_its_programme_of_activities/Ecri_and_its_programme_of_activities.asp#TopOfPage, accessed on 14 April 2008).
Funding:
No information available.
Scope of reporting:
Geographical focus: All CoE member states.
Thematic focus: Racism, xenophobia, antisemitism, intolerance; eg Roma, Gypsies, Travellers; migrants, refugees, asylum seekers; islamophobia (ECRI Website, http://www.coe.int/t/e/human_rights/ecri/5%2Darchives/1-ECRI%27s_work/2-Annual_reports/Annual_Report_2005.asp#TopOfPage, accessed on 15 April 2008).
Reporting methodology:
In order to report accurately and comprehensively on the situation with regard to racism and intolerance of the country in question, ECRI organises a contact visit before the preparation of each new country report. Meetings with ministries and public authorities that act within ECRI’s scope, representatives from NGOs, partners, and “anyone else concerned with matters within ECRI’s remit.” Furthermore, ECRI country reports analyse a fairly large number of published primary and secondary sources which are listed at the end of each report. Prior to publication of reports, a “confidential dialogue“ with the country’s national authorities on its final contents takes place.
Country reports are published “unless the government in question is expressly against its publication“ (ECRI Website, http://www.coe.int/t/e/human_rights/ecri/5%2Darchives/1-ECRI%27s_work/2-Annual_reports/Annual_Report_2005.asp#TopOfPage, accessed on 15 April, 2008).
Publication cycle:
Ten to twelve country reports per year, half of which are published in January/February, the other half in June of the following year. A “monitoring cycle” covering all CoE member states lasts four to five years. The first cycle was completed in 1998; the second in 2002; the latest, third cycle was finished in the end of 2007 (ECRI Website, http://www.coe.int/t/e/human_rights/ecri/5%2Darchives/1-ECRI%27s_work/2-Annual_reports/Annual_Report_2005.asp#TopOfPage, accessed on 15 April 2008).
Languages:
English and the national language of the country concerned.
Navigation of website:
Country-by-country monitoring reports on the menu bar in the centre of the homepage gives access to the latest country report.
The latest country (third cycle) reports as well as reports from the first and second monitoring cycle are accessible via Publications on the same menu bar. Archives on thesame menu bar gives access to the first two monitoring cycles.
Additional references:
Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland
http://formin.finland.fi/public/default.aspx?nodeid=37606&contentlan=2&culture=en-US (accessed on 15 April 2008)