Vitorino critical of justice ministers on racism record

Date: 27/02/03

ANTONIO Vitorino, the justice and home affairs commissioner, will take justice ministers to task today (27 February) for lack of "political will" in backing plans aimed at combating racism.

Under proposals agreed by the Commission last summer, member states would be able to seek the extradition of people from other EU countries for 32 categories of crime, such as fraud, computer-related crime, racism and xenophobia, provided the offences are punishable with at least three years' imprisonment.

Finding agreement between member states on the proposals, however, has so far proved elusive and Vitorino is expected to tell justice ministers meeting in Brussels today and tomorrow that he is losing patience.

His spokesman, Pietro Petiucci, said: "This issue has been on the table since last June but there has been a complete lack of political will among member states to reach agreement on it. Research shows that the problem of racism and xenophobia is, if anything, on the increase in the EU. Yet, despite this, member states do not exactly appear eager to do something about the problem."

A number of EU countries, including the UK, have expressed concern that, under the Commission's proposals, it would be possible to extradite someone for conduct that is not illegal in their own country. France, Belgium and Spain are the most supportive of the plans.

• A deal has been clinched paving the way for the EU to extradite terrorist suspects to the US, the European Commission announced yesterday (26 February). Under the accord, EU states would cooperate with requests but could refuse to send a suspect to the US if he or she risked facing the death penalty.

António Vitorino, the justice and home affairs commissioner, is expected to take justice ministers to task on 27 February 2003 for lack of 'political will' in backing plans aimed at combating racism.