Fighting racism must go hand in hand with tackling poverty and social exclusion

Regions and cities urge EU to turn political commitments into action against racism and discrimination to promote equal opportunities for all.

Local and regional leaders called for strong action against structural racism and discrimination at a plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) on 13 October, emphasising that racism continues to affect access to housing, education, healthcare and employment across the EU.

In an opinion led by Pär Löfstrand (SE/Renew Europe), member of Östersund Municipal Council, regions and cities backed the European Commission’s 2026-2030 EU Anti-Racism Strategy, but stressed that racial discrimination persists across major areas of life. They stated that tackling racism requires both political commitment and action on the ground to deliver results.

CoR members underlined that many discriminatory outcomes stem from deeper structural inequalities and share common denominators such as poverty, social exclusion and economic marginalisation, which disproportionately affect racialised and ethnic minority communities. They therefore called for anti-racism action to be closely integrated into social inclusion and anti-poverty measures.

Local and regional authorities (LRAs) play a key role in tackling discrimination in areas such as housing, employment, education and healthcare. The CoR pressed for the development of both national and local anti-racism action plans aligned with EU and international frameworks. To help cities and regions tackle racism and discrimination, the CoR called for adequate funding, including from a strong Cohesion policy with easier access to EU funds.

Regions and cities acknowledged that structural racism may also be embedded in public institutions, leading to persistent inequalities and differential treatment in access to public services. They called on all levels of government to strengthen enforcement of existing anti-discrimination legislation across public administration, law enforcement, the judiciary, and education, housing, employment and healthcare sectors.

To rebuild trust between public institutions and communities affected by racism and discrimination, CoR members called for better support for victims, stronger cooperation between local authorities, equality bodies, law enforcement and civil-society organisations, and greater involvement of anti-racism networks in policymaking. They also highlighted the importance of long-term awareness-raising, intercultural dialogue and anti-racism education in building more inclusive communities across Europe.

Quote:

• Rapporteur Pär Löfstrand (SE/Renew Europe), member of Östersund Municipal Council: “Racism is experienced locally, and this is where much of the work to combat it must take place. The EU’s new Anti-Racism Strategy can only succeed if cities and regions are fully involved. We need better data, stronger coordination and, above all, a sustained European commitment to ensuring that every person can live free from discrimination.”

Background:

• Photos and videos from the Plenary Session.
• Follow the Press service account on X.
• A Union of equality: EU anti-racism action plan 2020-2025 (CoR opinion, 2020).
• Report on the RegHub consultation: Local and regional implementation of the EU Anti-Racism Action Plan and implications for the delivery of the new EU Anti-Racism Strategy.

Contact:

Ângela Machado

Tel: +32475413158

Angela.machado@cor.europa.eu