- 27 - on the merits of 30 June 2011, §41). The Committee adds that a balance needs to be found between the creation of such villages and the place where they are located, a balance between a housing solution and a risk of social exclusion, and that Médecins du Monde has not demonstrated the existence of social exclusion of the Roma living in integration villages. 62. In any case, the Committee notes that the integration villages offer a housing solution to only a very limited number of the Roma, while the living conditions of the others continue to be in non-conformity with the requirements of Article 31§1. 63. As to the possible discriminatory treatment on grounds that Roma families wishing to have access to housing in an integration village were selected according to a discretionary allocation procedure that fails to offer sufficient guarantees of equity and transparency, the Committee notes that the Romeurope Report (Collectif National Droits de l’Homme Romeurope, Rapport 2009-2010 sur la situation des Roms migrants en France, September 2010, p.83), referring to the situation for only three such villages, does not mention any discriminatory treatment. The report indicates that the way the criterion have been applied has reinforced the feeling of arbitrariness. It is added that, as the most consideration should be given to human dignity of the people, there is in the final end no other satisfactory selection mechanism than the voluntary participation of those concerned. Whatever criterion is employed and whichever diagnostic methods applied, selecting some families and evacuating others will always be felt as discretionary and iniquitous. 64. The Committee stresses that it is acknowledged that the Roma suffer from a generally hostile climate against them, and of racist prejudice (see in particular European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), Report on France, Fourth monitoring cycle, adopted on 29 April 2010, CRI(2010)16, §112, that demonstrates discriminatory treatment). 65. The Committee underlines that the Government has omitted to take into account the differences in situation of the Roma migrants who reside lawfully or work regularly in France, as well as to take measures adapted to ameliorate their housing situation. It notes that the means placed at disposal by the Government for the purpose of taking concrete action within this area are too limited in nature to alter the unworthy living conditions of a large number of the Roma. The Committee concludes therefore that they have been subjected to discriminatory treatment. 66. Consequently, the Committee holds that there is a violation of Article E read in conjunction with Article 31§1.

Select target paragraph3

Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents