European Union lawmakers today asked the EU's executive body to investigate a proposal by Italy to fingerprint every Roma in the country.
The European Parliament urged Italy to refrain from implementing a plan by the interior minister to fingerprint all Roma, including minors who make up 55% of Roma population, as part of a crackdown on crime.
With reports that the estimate of 160,000 Roma in Italy may be short by 100,000, Interior Minister Roberto Maroni plans a census of their camps.
EU member countries said the plan was racist and would treat them like criminals.
'The European Parliament... urges Italian authorities to refrain from collecting fingerprints from Roma, including minors,' said a line in the resolution, which was approved by 336 votes to 220, with 77 abstentions.
Roma people, known in Italy as 'nomads', get the blame for much of the crime which Silvio Berlusconi's new government pins on illegal immigrants. About half of the Roma come from abroad, mostly from eastern European countries such as Romania.
Mr Berlusconi's conservative government has created 'special commissioners' for what it calls the Roma 'emergency'. It has also met ministers from fellow EU member Romania to overcome concerns that its people could be unfairly targeted by the immigrant crackdown.
The European Parliament resolution called for the European Commission to investigate whether Italy's plans were compatible with EU law and said Italy was unjustified in declaring a state of emergency.
