The European Coordinator for Combating Antisemitism, Katharina von Schnurbein, confirmed, on Thursday 21 January, that the Commission will present by the end of the year the first European strategy on “Combatting Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life”.
In particular, the Commission intends to address issues such as the trivialisation of the Holocaust and the increase in antisemitic speech and threats online. According to the European institution’s work programme for 2021, the text is not expected to be unveiled until the last quarter of the year.
It will follow the declaration adopted in December by the Council of the EU (see EUROPE 12615/34), Ms von Schnurbein said.
Vienna takes the lead
The European coordinator was speaking at the launch, in Vienna, of the Austrian National Strategy against Antisemitism.
The latter aims, on the one hand, to ensure the “best possible security for Jews” in Austria in the face of the resurgence of antisemitic threats. On the other hand, it aims to prevent the spread of antisemitism. The text thus sets objectives in areas such as education, research or justice.
“The European Commission will support efforts at the national level”, promised Katharina von Schnurbein, describing the fight against antisemitism as a “collective civic responsibility” and stressing the importance of EU coordination and exchange of experience.
Consult the Austrian strategy (in German): https://bit.ly/3o5f1zz (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)