MADRID – Spain’s Ministry of Equality is currently drafting a bill to combat racism, racial discrimination and related forms of intolerance. The proposed law involves fines ranging from €300 to €500,000.
In addition, the bill includes amendments to the Penal Code, with the aim of preventing and correcting all forms of racial discrimination in various areas, including education, health care, police services and the workplace.
In the 80 pages of the document seen by El País, the text runs through virtually all areas – education, health, justice or statistics – and spells out everything from preventive and training measures to sanctions or plans reaching companies.
Large companies must develop a plan against discrimination
Companies with more than 250 employees must develop a plan within one year of the law’s enactment that includes measures to prevent, eliminate and correct all forms of racial discrimination in the workplace.
Fines of €300 to €500,000
The proposed law also outlines offences and penalties related to discrimination, with fines ranging from €300 to €500,000 depending on the severity of the offence. It also includes recommendations for ways to collect data on racism in Spain.
Among the “serious offences”, the bill considers “expressing expressions (…) that propagate, incite, promote or justify hatred based on racism…”, which may include shouting at Real Madrid player Vinicius Jr. by some fans from the stands of Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium on Sunday.
The law will also focus on education and training, with a focus on teachers, police and healthcare providers, who will need to study racism and discrimination from a gender and intersectional perspective.
In addition, the law also sets a percentage to determine when “racial segregation” occurs in schools and sets guidelines for when racial or ethnic profiles can be used.
