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Data on self-perceived discrimination in the EU shows that, in 2024, foreign-born people (those who were born in a different country than the country of residence) felt more discriminated against than native-born people in various social contexts. The highest share was registered among those looking for housing, with 12.5% of people born abroad reporting feeling discriminated against, compared with only 4.3% among native-born individuals.

At the same time, 9.7% of foreign-born people felt discriminated against when in contact with public services or administrative offices, while that share for native-born stood at 4.5%. 

When it comes to public spaces (cafes, shops, sports facilities, etc.), 7.8% of foreign-born people felt discriminated against compared with 2.8% among native-born people. 

The smallest difference between foreign-born and native-born people was registered when interacting with educational institutions: 4.3% vs 2.3%, respectively. 

Self-perceived discrimination by country of birth in the EU, 2024 (%, by housing, public services, public places, education). Bar chart. Link to full dataset below.

Source dataset: ilc_atsd02

People born abroad nearly 3 times more likely to feel discriminated in public spaces

When looking specifically at discrimination in public places, the 5 countries with the highest shares among foreign-born people are also those with the largest gaps in self-perceived discrimination between foreign and native-born. The Netherlands ranked first, with 16.2% among foreign-born compared with 5.0% among native-born people (11.2 percentage points difference), followed by Austria (13.9% vs 6.1%), Denmark (13.1% vs 5.3%), Finland (13.1% vs 2.4%) and Portugal (10.8% vs 1.8%). 

The shares of self-perceived discrimination were very similar between the 2 groups in Croatia (0.8% for foreign-born vs 0.7% for native-born) and Estonia (6.7% vs 6.4%).

Self-perceived discrimination in public spaces by country of birth, 2024 (%). Bar chart. Link to full dataset below.

Source dataset: ilc_atsd02

This news article marks Zero Discrimination Day, held every year on 1 March.  

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Methodological notes

  • Foreign-born people: those who were born in a different country than the country of residence. 
  • Discrimination is the unfair or prejudicial treatment of people and groups based on the protected characteristics in the EU law: sex, age, disability, religion or belief, ethnic or racial origin and sexual orientation. Self-perceived discrimination refers to the self-reported experience of discrimination. It is measured by asking individuals if they have felt, in the last 12 months (last 5 years for housing), personally discriminated against in a certain number of situations. Subjective perceptions of discrimination, as measured through surveys, can be influenced by various factors, including individuals’ awareness, expectations, the legal context and the degree of societal acceptance. As a result, these factors can significantly impact the reporting of discrimination and affect the comparability of data across different population groups, countries, or cultural settings.
  • Portugal: low reliability for foreigners and natives.
  • Romania: low reliability for foreigners.
  • Lithuania: provisional data. 

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