Discrimination is "not new but in the news," said Dutch MEP Emine Bozkurt (Socialists and Democrats; S&D), chair of the anti-racism and diversity inter-group in the European Parliament, referring to last week's decision by public referendum in Switzerland to ban the construction of minarets in the country.
The popular vote, held on 29 November, saw more than 57% back a proposal tabled by a right-wing party for a constitutional ban on the construction of new minarets, despite strong opposition from the government and the majority of Switzerland's political parties.
"I remember from my history lessons that Switzerland was the country which always protected discriminated groups in Europe," said Bozkurt, deploring that "this might now have changed".
The outcome of the Swiss vote was welcomed by right-wing parties across Europe, with some calling for similar votes to be held in their countries.
One Turkish minister said he expected Muslims to withdraw their money from Swiss banks.
Although the ENAR report did not examine the Swiss referendum case, the network's director, Pascale Charon, singled out other countries where negative developments had taken place.
"There is a worrying development of extreme-right movements spreading anti-sentiments in Lithuania, Hungary or Slovakia," Charon said, adding that such sentiments are "exacerbated in old EU member states by debates on immigration or integration".
The ENAR report compiles information collected from 22 national reports. "The aim of this report is not to stigmatise one or another country," said ENAR Vice-President Chibo Onyeji, "but to underline facts".
The report identifies Roma, migrants and religious minorities as particularly vulnerable to racism. Even when employed, ethnic minorities tend to hit a 'glass ceiling' with regard to career progression and occupy jobs that do not reflect their qualifications, the report reveals.
In the Netherlands, for instance, non-Western migrants "feel that they have to work harder than their indigenous counterparts to achieve the same labour market position" and that "they constantly have to demonstrate that they do not fit the - unfavourable - stereotypical image of their group".
Housing, education, health, policing, and access to goods and services or to the media are other areas in which ENAR found discrimination.
The report does shows some areas of improvement, however, citing the positive impact of EU anti-discrimination legislation in member states in terms of ensuring that racial discrimination is outlawed. But the effectiveness of legislation varies from one country to another.
"Lots of incidents are unreported," Bozkurt stressed. She also said many of the good measures that have already been taken at EU level to fight against discrimination and racism still needed to be implemented by member states.
