Combating antisemitism

The European Commission published a thematic report on 'The legal framework to combat antisemitism in the EU'. The report provides a comparative overview of how legal instruments have been complied with in the 27 EU Member States, and aims to establish how and to what extent the legal framework and its practical application in the different Member States provide protection against antisemitism in three main areas: (i) non-discrimination; (i) hate crimes; and (iii) hate speech.

22 February 2024, Pascale Falek, Policy officer, addressed the closing event of Negotiating Difficult Past project (NeDiPa) focusing on “Difficult heritage” about memory practices at Jewish heritage sites. This EU-funded initiative (500.000 Euro) developed a systematic approach to Jewish heritage in East Central Europe through trainings, commemorations and artistic initiatives, including original initiatives such as green and ephemeral commemorations.

On 4 March 2024, Pascale Falek, Policy Officer in the office of Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, discussed “Challenging discriminatory attitudes and cultures” with delegates from national youth councils, youth organization representatives and ministerial delegates as part of the EU Youth Conference.

22 February 2024 – To mark the second anniversary of the start of the Ukraine war, Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi opened the exhibition 'Escaping Ukraine: am I my brother keeper?' at the European Commission premises.

4 March 2024 - In a discussion hosted by the Hesse State Secretary for Finance and Special envoy for the fight against antisemitism, Uwe Becker, the European Commission Coordinator Katharina von Schnurbein urged representatives of the 16 German Länder to step up actions against antisemitism in the education sector and to speak out against antisemitism coming from all stratus of societies.

4 March 2024 - Together with the President of the State Parliament Hendrik Hering and Monika Fuhr, the Prime Minister's Commissioner for Jewish Life and Anti-Semitism Issues, European Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, Katharina von Schnurbein, met with the Jewish community representatives at the New Synagogue in Mainz.

3 March 2024 - Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, held the Laudatio for world renowned pianist Igor Levit who received the Buber-Rosenzweig Medal, by the German Coordinating Council of the Societies for Christian-Jewish Cooperation. The award is a recognition of "his commitment against all forms of misanthropy, be it antisemitism, racism or other forms of discrimination, and for a free, democratic and diverse society."

Ahead of the Munich Security Conference, European Commission Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, joined the Jewish community in the Munich’s Ohel-Jakob Synagogue to show solidarity with Jews across Europe and worldwide during these times when antisemitism is alarmingly on the rise.

Dr. Pascale Falek, Policy officer in the office of the Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, presented European Commission's work on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life during the CULT Committee of the European Parliament dedicated to an 'Exchange of views on Antisemitism in the educational sphere'.

A new call for proposals for EU action grants in the field of European Remembrance under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Value Programme (CERV) has been published.

7 February 2024

7 February 2024

The protection of public places, including among others places of worship, is crucial, as reconfirmed by the surge of antisemitic incidents across the European Union, following the unprecedented terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel in early October 2023.

In line with the Commission Communication ‘Ensuring justice in the EU — a European judicial training strategy for 2021-2024', the primary objective of the call is to support training promoting the digitalisation of national justice systems.

A new report from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) has been published, with Forward by Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life. The report investigates the contemporary challenges of online Holocaust denial and distortion.

As part of the EU-funded project BRIDGES, run by CEJI - A Jewish contribution to an inclusive Europe, the World Jewish Congress, and What Matters, a questionnaire on combating antisemitism through sport is now available online. The survey is addressed to representatives of Jewish communities and institutions in Europe and aims to gather information about Holocaust remembrance, antisemitism prevention, and the promotion of Jewish life in sports.

26 January 2024

The European Commission organized its 5th Working Group meeting on the implementation of the EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life in Brussels on 22-23 January 2024.

23 January 2024

10 December 2023 - In view of the rise of antisemitism in Europe, OSCE-ODIHR organised a conference in Rome to respond to antisemitic hate crimes and address the security needs of Jewish communities in Italy. The workshop was organised in partnership with the European Commission and the World Jewish Congress and the Jewish community of Italy, to strengthen the cooperation between law-enforcement and Jewish communities on matters of security.