In an address notable for its urgency and gravity, Margarítis Schinás, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for migration and the promotion of the European way of life, and the Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hadja Lahbib, representing the Presidency of the Council of the EU, sent a message to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday 7 February, against the rise in antisemitic and anti-Muslim incidents in Europe. These statements come at a tense time, 4 months after Hamas attacked Israel and on the eve of the European elections. A timeframe that underlines the urgency of rapid intervention, according to the European Commissioner, who has announced a series of concrete measures.
Mr Schinás described with concern the upsurge in hate crimes since 7 October 2023. Faced with this alarming situation, he urged MEPs, regardless of their place on the political spectrum, to unanimously condemn these acts of hatred, and stressed the importance of solidarity to ensure the safety of all minorities.
The European Commissioner also presented a number of key measures adopted by the Commission to combat this scourge, already mentioned in his presentation on 6 December (see EUROPE 13308/4). A highlight of his speech was the launch of a major initiative to establish a network of Holocaust memorial sites. This educational project aims to teach European children about “the darkest chapter in their history”. In addition, an extra budget of €30 million will be allocated to protect places of worship, including €5 million specifically for Jewish sites. A call for tenders will be issued.
Mr Schinás also highlighted the role of Member States and individual citizens in combating antisemitism and Islamophobia. “We are not naïve, we are aware that no strategy from Brussels, no amount of funding on its own will be enough to counter prejudices dating back centuries and centuries and which launch hate campaigns. We need to raise awareness throughout society”, he said, calling for coordinated action and civic commitment. “We will soon be organising a citizens’ panel on action against hate”, he said.
The Vice-President also reaffirmed the European Commission’s commitment to working closely with the European Parliament and the EU Council to strengthen the code of conduct against online hate speech.
For her part, Hadja Lahbib also denounced these phenomena of hatred and exclusion. She stressed the importance of highlighting the fundamental values of the EU, in particular respect for the dignity of each individual and freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
The Council of the EU has condemned all forms of hatred, intolerance, racism and xenophobia. The EU action plan against racism and the strategy to combat antisemitism were stressed as being essential for the protection of discriminated communities. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)