2ND SEPTEMBER 2010: WHEN the European Commission dodged answering a Written Question on mass immigration leading to people becoming an ethnic minority in their own country, Nick Griffin MEP sought clarification by asking a supplementary question.

"I refer to the answer to my earlier question E-2056/10.

"The Commission did not respond to my question beneath:

"Does the Commission also welcome the prospect of the indigenous peoples of the nation states becoming minorities in their ancestral homelands, outnumbered by the sum of newcomers who are not native to such lands?’

"The Commission will be aware that the indigenous peoples of the nation states are forecast to become minorities in their own ancestral homelands at various dates well within the current century. Is it that the Commission has failed to answer these questions accurately because of the controversial nature of the answers?"

The Commission responded and this was the answer given by Ms Vassiliou on behalf of the Commission.

"In reply to the written question E-4895/10, the Commission would like to inform the Honourable Member that the 2005 UNESCO Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions mainly aims to reaffirm the sovereign right of States to draw up cultural policies and to recognize the specific nature of cultural goods and services as vehicles of identity, values and meaning. It is therefore a tool to preserve cultural identities, rather than to dilute them as the Honourable Member fears. 

"Framework Decision 2008/913/JHA on combating certain forms and expressions of racism and xenophobia by means of criminal law aims at penalising, inter alia, the intentional public incitement to violence or hatred directed against a group of persons or a member of such a group defined by reference to race, colour, religion, descent or national or ethnic origin. The European Court of Human Rights has declared that it may be considered necessary in democratic societies to sanction all forms of expression which spread, incite, promote or justify hatred based on intolerance. 

"As regards the written question E-4896/10, the Commission refers the Honourable Member to its reply to his question E-2056/10 which summarized its view on the subject. 

"The Commission would like to conclude that it does not make value judgements on minority and majority cultures and identities, but seeks to support understanding and tolerance between people. It promotes the integration of migrants for the well being of both migrants and the rest of the population and intercultural dialogue as a means to increase understanding and respect between individuals and groups. Fostering peace, tolerance and understanding between people from diverse cultural backgrounds is one of the fundamental goals of the European Union. The Commission is committed to support and defend such values."