Results of vote in Parliament

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on discriminatory internet sites and government reactions.

The resolution was tabled by the Greens/EFA, GUE/NGL, EPP, S&D, ALDE and ECR groups. It recalls that at the beginning of February 2012, the Dutch Freedom Party (PVV) launched an internet hotline ‘Meldpunt Midden en Oost Europeanen’, calling on people to report complaints arising from the ‘massive labour migration’ of ‘Central or Eastern European citizens’, in particular Poles, Romanians and Bulgarians. People are asked, in particular, whether they have experienced any problems in terms of anti-social behaviour and whether they have lost their jobs to one of those citizens. Parliament strongly condemns the website launched by the PVV, as it goes against the fundamental European values of human dignity, freedom, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights and risks destroying the very basis of the Union, which is pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and freedom of movement. It considers the PVV hotline as an ill-intentioned initiative aimed at creating divisions within society and obtaining political gain to the detriment of workers from Central and Eastern Europe.

Members strongly call on Prime Minister Mark Rutte, on behalf of the Dutch Government to condemn and distance himself from this deplorable initiative. They also urge the Dutch Government:

· not to turn a blind eye to the policies of the Party of Freedom which are in contradiction with fundamental EU values;

· to investigate whether this initiative has resulted in incitement to hatred and discrimination;

· to give a swift answer to the letters sent by the Commission on envisaged legislation that may infringe Directive 2004/38/EC on the right of EU citizens and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States, and to follow up on the requests made by Parliament in its resolutions.

Parliament notes that there is a real risk of similar hotlines being launched in other Member States, and it stresses the obligation of all European Union governments to guarantee the rights of free movement and non-discrimination. It calls on the European Council formally to condemn the PVV hotline since it undermines those rights and is an affront to European values and principles.

Furthermore, Parliament calls on the Commission and the Council to do their utmost to stop the spread of xenophobic attitudes such as those expressed on this website and to ensure the effective implementation of the Framework Decision on Racism and Xenophobia in all Member States.

Lastly, Members note that according to the latest studies carried out by the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, workers from the countries that joined the EU in 2004 and 2007 have had a positive impact on Member States' economies and have not caused serious disruptions in their labour markets, but have made a significant contribution to sustained economic growth in the EU.

T7-0087/2012

Debate in Parliament

B7-0152/2012

B7-0153/2012

B7-0154/2012

B7-0155/2012

B7-0156/2012

B7-0157/2012

RC-B7-0152/2012