This annual report of the Agency is the EU's first comprehensive overview of racist, xenophobic, antisemitic and anti-Muslim discrimination, and responses to it, to cover all 25 EU Member States. The Roma emerge as the group most vulnerable to racism in the EU. They face discrimination in employment, housing and education - as well as being regular victims of racial violence. Other groups facing high levels of discrimination in many Member States are migrant workers from Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America. Muslim groups face particularly challenging conditions in many Member States. Also recent migrants from Russia or the Ukraine may be subject to discrimination in some Member States.

The report on ‘Racist Violence in 15 EU Member States' is based on national reports by the Agency's National Focal Points and includes available data for the period 2001-2004. The focus of the report is on the extent and nature of, and policy responses to, racist violence (and associated activities) in EU15.

This summary provides an insight into the extent of, and policy responses to, racist violence in the EU15. To this end they provide an overview of current knowledge about and responses to racist violence, by the State and civil society, in individual Member States.

In 2003 the Agency commissioned a research team from the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands (NISCO) to conduct a major analysis of data from the 2003 Eurobarometer Survey and the 2003 European Social Survey on attitudes towards minorities and migrants in different European countries. The researchers also compared the findings of the 2003 Eurobarometer with results of earlier Eurobarometer Surveys. The research team produced a statistical analysis, written up as four reports.

This summary provides a brief overview and interpretation of important results from the analysis of the 2003 Eurobarometer survey and 2003 European Social Survey on majorities’ attitudes
towards minorities. Detailed research findings can be found in the four reports stemming from the research.

By their very nature, opinion polls are in danger of misinterpretation or simplification. The EUMC puts forward these questions & answers in order to facilitate a better interpretation of the survey results.