These are in direct breach of fundamental European values. Since the signing of the Amsterdam Treaty in 1997, Article 13, TEC (new Article III-8), has provided a basis for combating all forms of discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation in the European Union (EU). It was on the basis of this Article that in June 2000 the European Council adopted an important Directive implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin. In addition to committing itself to the implementation of Article 13, the EU has pursued its efforts to integrate the fight against racism and xenophobia into all its policies: employment, the European Structural Funds, education, training and youth. Moreover, Article 29, TEU (new Article III-42), provides a legal basis for the fight against racism and xenophobia in the fields of police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters. The European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) also plays an important role. Set up in Vienna in June 1997, its main task is to observe the scale of racism and xenophobia within the EU and developments in this area, to analyze the reasons for these phenomena and to draw up proposals for presentation to the European Community institutions and the EU Member States. The Monitoring Centre is also responsible for setting up and coordinating a European Racism and Xenophobia Information Network (RAXEN). An agreement was concluded on 21 December 1998 between the Centre and the Council of Europe in order to step up cooperation between the former and the Council of Europe's Committee on racism and intolerance. See: Discrimination; Equal treatment on grounds of racial and ethnic origin; European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC); Fundamental rights