Race (human categorization)

==== European Union ====
According to the [[Council of the European Union]]:
{{cquote
|quote=The European Union rejects theories which attempt to determine the existence of separate human races.
|source=Directive 2000/43/EC<ref name="32000L0043">{{CELEX|32000L0043|text=Council Directive 2000/43/EC of 29 June 2000 implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin}}</ref>
}}
The [[European Union]] uses the terms racial origin and ethnic origin synonymously in its documents and according to it "the use of the term 'racial origin' in this directive does not imply an acceptance of such [racial] theories".<ref name="32000L0043" /><ref>{{cite web|title=European Union Directives on the Prohibition of Discrimination|url=http://www.humanrights.is/human-rights-and-iceland/equality--non-discrimination/|work=HumanRights.is|publisher=Icelandic Human Rights Centre|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120724051826/http://www.humanrights.is/human-rights-and-iceland/equality--non-discrimination|archive-date=24 July 2012}}</ref>{{full citation needed|date=September 2015}} [[Ian Haney López|Haney López]] warns that using "race" as a category within the law tends to legitimize its existence in the popular imagination. In the diverse geographic context of [[Europe]], ethnicity and ethnic origin are arguably more resonant and are less encumbered by the ideological baggage associated with "race". In European context, historical resonance of "race" underscores its problematic nature. In some states, it is strongly associated with laws promulgated by the [[Nazi]] and [[Fascist]] governments in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s. Indeed, in 1996, the [[European Parliament]] adopted a resolution stating that "the term should therefore be avoided in all official texts".{{sfn|Bell|2009|p={{page needed|date=December 2021}}}}

The concept of racial origin relies on the notion that human beings can be separated into biologically distinct "races", an idea generally rejected by the scientific community. Since all human beings belong to the same species, the [[European Commission against Racism and Intolerance|ECRI]] (European Commission against Racism and Intolerance) rejects theories based on the existence of different "races". However, in its Recommendation ECRI uses this term in order to ensure that those persons who are generally and erroneously perceived as belonging to "another race" are not excluded from the protection provided for by the legislation. The law claims to reject the existence of "race", yet penalize situations where someone is treated less favourably on this ground.{{sfn|Bell|2009|p={{page needed|date=December 2021}}}}