The Effectiveness of European Union Interventions into the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and Improvement of Labor Market Outcomes for Racial and Ethnic Minorities in European Member States

Abstract

This paper analyzes the efficacy of EU interventions into the elimination of racial discrimination and improvement of labor market outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities in the EU, including the Race Equality Directive of 2000, soft law measures such as the Lisbon Strategy, the European Employment Strategy, Europe 2020 and the European Social Fund. The paper examines the application of the Racial Equality Directive, the European Employment Strategy and the European Social Fund in six European member states - three of the original member states (France, Belgium and the Netherlands) and three new member states (Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria). It finds that EU and member state efforts have resulted in improved labor market outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities in only a few isolated instances, despite the development of an overarching legal framework and significant investment of government financial resources. The paper was written under the guidance of Professors Roger Blanpain and Mijke Houwerzijl of Tilburg University Law School in Tilburg, Netherlands for completion of a Masters in Law (LL.M.) degree.

Keywords: European Union, Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Race Equality Director of 2000, Lisbon Strategy, European Employment Strategy

JEL Classification: J71, J78, K31, K33