France must address EU concerns over Roma deportations

The European Commission said on Wednesday that it will launch proceedings against France for its recent Roma crackdown if it does comply with EU law. Following a private meeting in Brussels between Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding, and other high ranking commissioners. 

Photo: Reuters

"France is not enforcing European law on free movement as it should, so we are launching an infringement process against France," Reding told France24. “If France changes its laws quickly, we will stop this procedure."

In a statement issued after the meeting the Commission said it "considers that France has not yet transposed the Directive on Free Movement into national legislation that makes these rights fully effective and transparent."

"The formal decision will be taken in the October package [of infringement proceedings], unless the French transpose the directive by 15 October," Matthew Newman, Reding's spokesperson told RFI.

Then if France does not satisfy the Commission it could eventually be taken to the European Court of Justice.

A statement issued by the French Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Bernard Valero said, "France will, of course, provide all necessary additional information, as it has already done up until now."

A few weeks ago she compared France's treatment of Roma people to the deportation of Jews by the Nazis during the second world war.

Those comments caused a row between French President Nicholas Sarkozy and the head of the European Commission during the recent European Summit.