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Mr President of the General Assembly, Mr Secretary General, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro*, Serbia*, Albania*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina* and Georgia, as well as San Marino align themselves with this statement.

[1][Almost exactly 60 years ago, on March 25 1965, the Reverend Martin Luther King Junior answered those who would ask "How long will prejudice blind the visions of men? … I come to say to you, however difficult the moment, however frustrating the hour, it will not be long, because … no lie can live forever."]

It was [against this backdrop], on December 21 1965 that the UN adopted the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. 60 years on, the ambition of the Convention, to eliminate “all forms” of racial discrimination remains as relevant today as it has ever been.

As we observe the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, we must recognise that racism continues to be prevalent in our societies, affecting millions of individuals, eroding our democracies and exacerbating social inequalities. 

The European Union  – “founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities” – is committed to combatting racism and racial discrimination through legal frameworks, policies and initiatives.

We must all act together to ensure that our legal frameworks deliver concrete results on the ground, to ensure the full implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. In that regard, we also recognise the need to implement the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.

[Action to combat discrimination, racism, xenophobia, and other types of intolerance at European level is based on a number of provisions of the Treaties and the general principle of non-discrimination and equality, also reaffirmed in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.]

The EU Anti-racism Action Plan 2020-2025 was launched to address racism more effectively and comprehensively within the Union. It calls for better implementation of European law and concrete measures set out in national action plans to fight against racial discrimination.

The EU Anti-Racism Coordinator remains essential to this joint work, alongside the full and meaningful participation of civil society.

[Beyond legislation, tackling racism in everyday life is a necessity. Anti-racism policies of the European Union strive for more inclusive societies, where everyone can enjoy equal rights and opportunities regardless of racial or ethnic background. The role of education should also not be omitted in these efforts.]

On this day, let us again renew our collective commitment to combating racial discrimination in all its forms.

Thank you.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

[1] Text in [] may not be read aloud, depending on how much time is allotted in the room by the Chair.