EU gives France ultimatum on Roma

France has two weeks to enshrine freedom of movement into national law, or the EU will take the country to court.

Since July, more than 1,000 Roma immigrants from Bulgaria and Romania have been expelled from France and 100 settlement camps have been destroyed. The deportations sparked outrage, with some critics raising the specter of similar expulsions during World War II. Roma have long been targets of discrimination in Europe and were persecuted by the Nazis. Yesterday all 27 EU commissioners voted in favour of giving France a deadline of Oct. 15 to enshrine into law EU directives guaranteeing freedom of movement for all citizens across national borders. Nicolas Sarkozy’s government escaped more serious charges of ethnic discrimination, despite the leak of an internal memo specifically calling for action against the Roma.

For more on this issue, check out The Mark's interview with Ujjal Dosanjh.