The role and activities of national institutional mechanisms in promoting and protecting minority rights 2012, para. 78
Paragraph
Paragraph text
European Union member States must set up equality bodies that address race and ethnicity in compliance with Council Directive 2000/43/EC of 29 June 2000 implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin. They are required to provide independent assistance to victims of discrimination on ethnic or religious grounds. They should also conduct independent surveys and publish reports and recommendations relating to discrimination. Consequently, there is a relatively high number of dedicated equality institutions in Europe compared with other regions without such binding directives. Nevertheless, frequently, equality bodies focus primarily on non-discrimination and rarely give essential proactive and dedicated attention to minority issues.