EU Commission Report on Being Black in Europe 28.11.18

EU Commission Report on “Being Black in Europe” 28.11.18 – Critical Race and Ethnicity Research Cluster

In light of the findings from the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the ongoing advocacy work within the UK, we can see that the landscape for people of African descent remains fraught with systemic barriers. At Making Education a Priority (MEaP), we recognise that these statistics are not just numbers; they represent the lived experiences of our children, families, and community partners.

The 2018 FRA report, Being Black in the EU, was a seminal wake-up call, and its subsequent updates continue to highlight a distressing lack of progress in tackling structural racism.

Academic Leads for the Report on “Being Black in Europe” 28.11.18 – Critical Race and Ethnicity Research Cluster were Dr Michael McEachrane and Dr Ornette D Clennon with Esther Mamadou (ENPAD). As Dr Ornette D Clennon says

I was invited to contribute to the policy forum discussion that explored the policy implications of the Being Black in Europe report. Report Launch in the European Parliament We’re getting started at our #BeingBlackinEU launch in the @Europarl_EN. @ckyenge, @MalinBjork_EU & @MichaelCJT to kick things off before we get […]

via EU Commission Report on “Being Black in Europe” 28.11.18 — Critical Race and Ethnicity Research Cluster

The Scale of the Challenge: Systemic Barriers

The research highlights that anti-Black racism is pervasive and entrenched across the continent. From the classroom to the workplace, the data reflects a “racialised hierarchy” that actively hinders the aspirations of Black Europeans.

Employment and Education

One of the most striking findings is that people of African descent are disproportionately engaged in employment requiring lower levels of education than they actually possess. This “brain waste” is a direct result of discriminatory hiring practices. In education, Black youth face higher risks of exclusion and lower teacher expectations, which MEaP actively combats through our supplementary school networks and mentoring programmes.

Racial Profiling

The report indicates that 24% of all persons of African descent surveyed had been stopped by the police in the preceding five years. Crucially, 41% of those stopped felt the interaction constituted racial profiling. This erodes trust in public institutions and contributes to a cycle of disenfranchisement.

Housing and Social Inclusion

Accessing basic necessities remains a hurdle. Nearly half of the respondents (45%) lived in overcrowded housing, compared to just 17% of the general population. Discrimination from private landlords remains a persistent barrier to safe and stable living conditions.

Intersectionality and the UK Context

While the UK historically showed higher levels of awareness regarding anti-discrimination legislation (87% awareness according to the report), the reality on the ground remains complex. Advocacy groups like the European Network Against Racism (ENAR) have noted that hateful rhetoric is becoming increasingly normalised across Europe, particularly as we approach major political shifts.

At MEaP / MaCTRI, we view these issues through an intersectional lens. We understand that gender, religion, and socio-economic status further complicate the experience of racism. For instance, men who wear traditional or religious clothing are twice as likely to experience racist violence compared to those who do not.

Our Advocacy and Call to Action

The FRA’s findings reinforce the necessity of our mission at MEaP / MaCTRI. We don’t just advocate for policy change; we build the infrastructure—through supplementary schools and creative pedagogy—that allows our community to thrive despite these systemic pressures. To address the “Being Black in Europe” crisis, we support the following pillars of advocacy:

• Strengthening Equality Bodies
  Many victims do not report discrimination because they feel nothing will change. We must empower local and national equality bodies to be more accessible and effective.
• Decolonising Education
  Our work in Manchester demonstrates that when education reflects the heritage and humanity of the African diaspora, student engagement and civic confidence soar.
• Dismantling Structural Racism
  We echo the Human Rights Watch World Report 2024 in calling for the full implementation of the EU Anti-Racism Action Plan, ensuring that historical roots of inequality are addressed rather than ignored.

Sources and Further Reading

• European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights: Being Black in the EU (2018)
• ENAR: EU Elections 2024 and Racialised Communities
• Human Rights Watch: World Report 2024 – European Union
• Report on “Being Black in Europe” 28.11.18 by MEaP Academy Community Training & Research Institute (MaCTRI) with Academic Leads Dr Michael McEachrane and Dr Ornette D Clennon with Esther Mamadou (ENPAD))
• Photos courtesy of Dr Ornette D Clennon gallery