EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 14.10.2024

COM(2024) 476 final

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL

First progress report of the EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life

‘The unprecedented spike of antisemitic acts we have seen all over Europe reminds us of the darkest time of our history. What is different now, however, is that we all stand with the Jewish communities.’

― Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission

Brussels, 26 January 2024

1.INTRODUCTION

Antisemitism has been dangerously on the rise in Europe in recent years. It hampers the daily lives of Jewish people and is a threat to peaceful coexistence, democracy and security. This prompted the European Commission to adopt, on 5 October 2021, its first-ever EU strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life (2021-2030) 1 (EU strategy). The EU Strategy is a key pillar of the Commission’s work to uphold EU values, defend fundamental rights and combat all forms of racism and discrimination, in line with the European way of life.

The EU strategy set out a series of measures articulated around three pillars: 1) to prevent all forms of antisemitism; 2) to protect and foster Jewish life; and 3) to promote research, education and Holocaust remembrance. In addition, the EU aims to lead the global fight against antisemitism. The strategy includes 90 actions of which the implementation is in full motion.

All EU Member States welcomed the EU strategy 2 and committed to holding regular exchanges at political and technical level in the Council to coordinate their efforts to combat racism and antisemitism. The strategy was also widely recognised as a major step at EU-level by many Jewish communities, partner countries and international organisations.

In the EU strategy, the Commission committed to publishing progress reports in 2024 and 2029. To prepare this first progress report, the Commission gathered feedback through a ‘Call for Evidence’ on the implementation of the EU strategy from civil society organisations and EU citizens 3 . Jewish organisations responded positively, acknowledging that the adoption of the EU strategy marked a turning point in the EU’s efforts to address antisemitism and is having a positive impact on the development of government policy and political discourse in the Member States. In March 2024, the Commission sent a questionnaire to Member States to receive updates on the development and implementation of their national strategies and other measures to combat antisemitism of which the results are included in this report.

This first progress report presents the achievements in building sustainable EU and national structures to prevent and fight antisemitism and to ensure a future for Jewish life in Europe. In line with the EU strategy, most of the EU Member States have adopted national strategies on combating antisemitism. Several of them have appointed special envoys or coordinators and, in using the non-legally binding working definition of antisemitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA definition) 4 , most Member States are employing a human-rights based and victim-based approach to combat antisemitism.

Contemporary antisemitism can be found in radical and fringe groups espousing right-wing, left-wing or Islamist extremism, it can hide behind anti-Zionism, but it can also be found in the centre of society 5 . Already in 2019 on average more than one out of two Europeans (54%) stated that the conflict in the Middle East has an influence on their perception of Jewish people in their country 6 .

Yet, the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine exacerbated antisemitic attitudes across the EU. According to the third survey by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) on antisemitic experiences by Jewish people 7 , conducted in the first half of 2023, almost all Jews (96%) in Europe encountered antisemitism either online or offline. Eight in ten Jews say antisemitism has increased in recent years, and 76% avoid carrying or displaying items in public that would make them recognisable as Jews.

1.1Upsurge of antisemitism since the Hamas attacks on 7 October 2023

The situation for Jews in the EU and globally has dramatically worsened since the terrorist attacks by Hamas 8 on Israeli civilians on 7 October 2023 and the ensuing war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The brutal attacks were the deadliest since the Shoah, with 1125 people murdered that day, including many EU citizens. 251 people were initially taken hostage, and 101 hostages are still kept in Gaza 9 . The Commission strongly condemned the attacks and expressed its full solidarity and support to Israel and its people and reaffirmed its full commitment to Israel’s security 10 .

In her statement 1 year after the 7 October tragic events, Commission President von der Leyen made clear that there can be no justification for Hamas' acts of terror, which brought immense suffering not only upon the people of Israel, but also upon innocent Palestinians, and stressed that the European Union stands with all the innocent people whose lives have been shattered to the core since that fateful day and called to collectively fight antisemitism wherever it spreads 11 .

During the past year, Europe witnessed a significant rise in hate incidents and violence targeting the Jews. The Hamas attacks and the conflicts in the Middle East has led to levels of antisemitism 12 unprecedented since the founding of the EU. Acts include the firebombing of Jewish premises, such as synagogues, physical attacks on Jewish persons, homes, restaurants and shops. Across Europe, Holocaust monuments have been defaced with false comparisons of Jews and Nazis, thereby trivializing the Shoah. The Commission condemns such despicable acts in the strongest possible terms.

France, home to the largest Jewish community in Europe, saw an explosion of recorded antisemitic incidents after 7 October. With a total of 1676 incidents in 2023 (4,5 incidents per day) this resulted in a three-fold increase compared with the year before 13 . In the Netherlands, recorded 14 incidents increased eight-fold 15 . In Austria, incidents increased fourfold in the last months of 2023 16 . In Germany, one third of hate incidents registered by the Federal Criminal Police Office were antisemitic in nature 17 , disproportionally affecting the Jewish community, which makes up only around 0.25% of the population.

Harassment and attacks targeted also Jewish students and staff in universities 18 . A report conducted by the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) reported a significant upsurge in antisemitic incidents at European universities since 7 October 19 . According to the report, Jewish students felt unsafe and their right to access education was significantly limited through harassment and attacks.

Antisemitism online increased significantly on social media platforms following 7 October 2023, triggering radicalisation. Research by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue 20 published in February 2024 found major increases of antisemitic comments and messages, and online threats against Jewish communities. A policy brief commissioned by the European Commission showed an upsurge of hate speech content online after 7 October 2023 of +7% on Reddit and +10% on X. In a random sample of hateful content, around 45% was antisemitic content, 15% related to anti-Muslim hatred 21 .

1.2Reaction of the European Commission

Faced with the alarming escalation of manifestations of antisemitism in public and online, the Commission has made clear that it stands with the Jewish communities in Europe and beyond. The Commission called for a concerted effort to combat the surge in hatred, in particular antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred in the Communication ‘No place for hate: a Europe united against hatred’ 22 . The Commission condemns in the strongest possible terms all acts of antisemitism as well as any form of hatred intolerance, racism and xenophobia.

According to the IHRA definition, criticism of Israel like that levelled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic, but calling for the killing or harming of Jews, stereotypical allegations of the power of Jews and holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel are among the many manifestations of antisemitism included in the definition. Such allegations are witnessed in the EU on a daily basis.

Antisemitic acts are criminal when they are so defined by law and in those cases they need to be prosecuted. At EU level, the Framework Decision on combating certain forms of expressions of racism and xenophobia provides a strong legal framework to combat antisemitic hate crimes and hate speech. The Commission continues to encourage the Member States to prosecute antisemitic hate crimes and hate speech in the light of these common legal provisions. It is equally determined to uphold freedom of expression, emphasizing the need to exercise due diligence when identifying antisemitic incidents to ensure that freedom of expression is protected for all.

During the last year, the Commission stepped up its efforts. It expressed its solidarity through visits to Jewish communities 23 and at public events 24 . At the Euro-Chanuka lighting celebration in December 2023, President von der Leyen made clear: “There is no justification to the rise in antisemitism. No war, no political argument can excuse it. Freedom of speech and opinion, freedom of worship, and freedom from fear – that must be a reality at all times, in all circumstances, and for all human beings” 25 . 

The Commission accelerated the implementation of the EU strategy, made funding available for security of Jewish premises, cooperated with Europol and national law enforcement authorities to address the vast amount of terrorist and extremist content circulating online after the attacks, and launched the creation of a network to address antisemitism online. The Commission also stressed that national authorities must investigate, prosecute, and try cases of alleged hate-motivated crime or speech, including public condoning, denial and gross trivialisation of the Holocaust 26 .

2.COMBATING AND PREVENTING ALL FORMS OF ANTISEMITISM

This progress report follows the structure of the EU strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life and shows how the initiatives envisaged under each pillar have been implemented so far. An overview of the state of play for every action in the strategy can be found in the annex.

2.1Fighting antisemitism across policy areas and mobilising EU funds

The Commission is fostering an EU-wide dialogue with Member States and civil society organisations to support the development and implementation of national strategies, to prevent where possible and to respond swiftly to antisemitic incidents, as well as improve communication channels between Jewish communities and national authorities. For these purposes, the Commission’s Working group on the implementation of the EU strategy on antisemitism 27  brings together Member States and representatives of Jewish organisations and communities twice a year. In addition, the Commission hosts quarterly roundtables with Brussels-based international Jewish umbrella organisations that address antisemitism.

Moreover, on 16-17 November 2022, the Commission organised its first-ever ‘Civil Society Forum on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life’ 28 in Brussels, bringing together over 200 representatives of Jewish and other civil society organisations to discuss the challenges in combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life.

The EU strategy aims to mainstream the fight against antisemitism across all relevant policy areas and has encouraged Member States to do the same by adopting national strategies against antisemitism or include dedicated measures in their national action plans against racism. Furthermore, the Commission has encouraged Member States to appoint special envoys or national coordinators against antisemitism, and adopt and use the non-legally binding IHRA working definition of antisemitism.

Following the adoption of the EU strategy:

·23 Member States have developed national strategies on combating antisemitism, of which 14 Member States have developed an alone-standing strategy to combat antisemitism and 9 Member States have included dedicated measures in broader strategies against racism, against extremism or to promote human rights; 

·20 Member States have appointed a special envoy or national coordinator on combating antisemitism;

·25 Member States have adopted and/or endorsed the IHRA working definition of antisemitism.

The Commission welcomes the development of national strategies and action plans, which show a strong commitment to address the rising threat of antisemitism across Europe. More than half the Member States have put in place ‘standalone’ strategies targeting antisemitism specifically, often with a significant number of dedicated measures. Others have put in place strategies covering antisemitism as part of broader strategies to fight racism or extremism or to promote human rights. In such cases, the measures to combat antisemitism can differ in scope and level of ambition. Some strategies include specific sections dedicated to the fight against antisemitism, making them in scope and ambition comparable to ‘standalone’ strategies against antisemitism. In other strategies, antisemitism is referred to only as part of general measures to combat all forms of racism, hatred and xenophobia, with less attention for the specific challenges antisemitism poses.

Table 1: Progress in EU Member States to take measures to combat antisemitism
MS	1. Strategy is a ‘standalone’ strategy/action plan against antisemitism	2. Measures on antisemitism are included in national action plan against racism	3. IHRA definition adopted/endorsed	4. Special envoy appointed
AT	X		X	X
BE			X	X
BG	X		X	X
CY		X	X
CZ		X	X	X
DE	X		X	X
DK	X		X	X
EE	X		X	X
EL		X	X	X
ES	X		X	X
FI		X	X
FR		X	X	X
HR		X	X	X
HU	X		X	X
IE		X		X
IT	X		X	X
LT			X	X
LU	X		X 29	X
LV	X		X
MT
NL	X		X	X
PL			X
PT		X	X	X
RO	X		X	X
SE	X 30		X	X
SI	X		X 31
SK		X	X
Total	14	9	25	20
The table is based on information provided by EU Member States to the Commission.

Jewish organisations have welcomed the national strategies on combating antisemitism as well as the pledges made by many countries at the Malmö International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism in October 2021 32 . In May 2023, the World Jewish Congress presented an assessment of the progress made following the Malmö pledges, which included national strategies. It revealed that pledges had been implemented only partially and emphasized follow-up mechanisms are crucial. The report also showed discrepancies between the expectations of Jewish communities and governments’ actions 33 .

This assessment is in line with data from the 2023 FRA survey 34 , according to which Jewish people expect stronger efforts by governments to combat antisemitism. Only 18% of Jews are (somewhat) satisfied with governmental efforts to ‘combat antisemitism’ and only 23% with efforts to ‘promote Jewish life’. They are most satisfied with the government’s ‘public commemoration of the Holocaust’ (47%), ‘response to security needs of the Jewish community’ (32%) and ‘inclusion of the topic of the Holocaust in education’ and ‘celebration of Jewish culture and heritage’ (both 28%).

The implementation of the EU strategy is a common endeavour across the Commission and hence actions have been funded through numerous EU funding programmes 35 , such as the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme, the Justice programme, Horizon Europe, Creative Europe, Erasmus+, the Internal Security Fund, the cohesion policy funds, the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), and the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA). The European Commission's Technical Support Instrument (TSI) further supports these efforts by offering tailored assistance to Member States in their fight against racism and antisemitism 36 .

In particular, increased funding under the CERV programme was deployed to support new instruments and networks at all levels. Funding for projects fighting antisemitism went from approximately EUR 5.2 million in 2021, to EUR 6 million in 2022, and EUR 11 million in 2023. 61 projects were funded over the 3 years for an average of EUR 360,000 per project. Some projects combating antisemitism may also address racism, and other forms of intolerance, and promote Holocaust remembrance. The Commission provides structural support to the European Union of Jewish Students and the Facing Facts network led by CEJI (A Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe) as framework partners to fight antisemitism and other forms of hate.

2.2Combating antisemitic hate speech and hate crime

The Framework Decision on combating racism and xenophobia by means of criminal law 37 provides a strong legal framework to combat, among others, antisemitic hate crimes and hate speech, including the public condoning, denial or gross trivialisation of the Holocaust when carried out in a manner likely to incite to violence or hatred.

The Commission has taken steps to ensure the complete and correct transposition of the Framework Decision and launched 13 infringement procedures against Member States for incomplete or incorrect transposition between October 2020 and August 2024. As a result, six Member States brought their legislation into full compliance with the Framework Decision and the cases were closed. Others have made progress and are amending their legislation. The Commission will continue its efforts to ensure implementation in full 38 .

To strengthen the legal framework across the EU, the Commission adopted on 9 December 2021 a Communication on 'A more inclusive and protective Europe: extending the list of EU crimes to hate speech and hate crime' which aims to trigger a Council Decision extending the list of ‘EU crimes’ as laid down in Art 83 TFEU to include hate crime and hate speech 39 . The Council has not yet adopted such a decision.

The share of Jews who experienced antisemitic harassment in the 12 months prior to the 2023 FRA survey increased from 31% in 2018 to 37% in 2023. 4% of Jewish people experienced antisemitic physical attacks in the 12 months prior to the 2023 survey, compared with 2% in 2018 40 .

With the Joint Communication “No place for hate: a Europe united against hatred” of 6 December 2023, the Commission and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy increased efforts to fight hatred in all its forms. As a follow-up, the Commission organised a European Citizens' Panel on Tackling Hatred in Society in April and May 2024 to look at the root causes of hatred, such as antisemitism, and to elaborate concrete recommendations for EU action 41 .

On 12 July 2023, the Commission adopted a proposal for the revision of the Victims’ Rights Directive 42 , which aims to further strengthen the rights of all victims of crime in the EU, including victims of antisemitic hate crime. The 6 March 2024 meeting of the EU Victims’ Rights Platform dedicated attention to victims of antisemitic hate crimes 43 .

Antisemitic hate speech and hate crimes must be effectively prosecuted and perpetrators convicted. The Commission’s “High Level Group on combating hate speech and hate crime” 44 provides guidance and promotes standards and good practices in the area of hate crime data collection, hate crime training and hate crime victims support, and also includes a focus on antisemitism.

Through the Justice programme, the Commission supports the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) with an operating grant, including for the organisation of seminars on non-discrimination and the fight against antisemitism 45 . Developing training courses and materials to support justice professionals to recognise and prosecute antisemitism is one of the priorities of the annual call for proposals for actions grants under the Justice programme.

The EU Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) aims to foster a common law enforcement culture based on fundamental rights. It is developing and accrediting a Diploma Course on fundamental rights, including on the fight against antisemitism, for law enforcement officials in the EU.

CEPOL specifically addressed the impact of the 7 October attacks on the EU internal security situation from an antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred perspective, in a seminar that took place on 8-9 February 2024. It also cooperates closely with the European Jewish Congress to regularly co-organise webinars on antisemitism. Furthermore, the Commission and CEPOL co-organised a Conference on Hate Crime and Hate Speech on 25 April 2024 which was followed by the meeting of the Working Groups on Hate Crime under the Commission-led High Level Group on combating hate speech and hate crime.

To effectively combat it, antisemitism must be properly monitored. To this end, in May 2021 Austria established the European Conference on Antisemitism as part of a ‘frontrunners group’ of now 15 Member States that have signed the “Vienna Declaration on enhancing cooperation in fighting antisemitism and encouraging reporting of antisemitic incidents” 46 . With the support of the FRA, the Vienna Declaration signatories aim to develop a common methodology for quantifying and qualifying antisemitic incidents. Through the CERV programme, the Commission supports the European Network Monitoring Antisemitism 47  bringing together civil society originations that monitor antisemitic incidents based on the IHRA definition of antisemitism and contribute to the development of the common methodology.

2.3Tackling antisemitism online

Antisemitism is widespread online. 91% of Jews perceive ‘antisemitic content on the internet and on social media’ as one of the most problematic manifestations of antisemitism. 90% of Jewish people have themselves encountered antisemitism online. The share of Jews who experienced online antisemitic harassment in the 12 months prior to the 2023 FRA survey increased from 26% in 2018 to 32% in 2023 48 .

In the months after the 7 October 2023 attacks, online platforms facilitated and amplified the spread of hate speech 49 , violent extremism, and terrorist content. Denial and distortion of the acts of 7 October has become widespread online, including antisemitic conspiracy myths, disinformation, Holocaust denial and distortion, and the claiming of victimhood on the part of the perpetrators – right up to the glorification of terrorism and calling for attacks on Israel and Jews 50 .

As the first region in the world, the European Union has adopted in 2022 a legal framework regulating the way platforms may operate in the EU. The Digital Services Act (DSA) 51 , in force since 17 February 2024, includes new obligations for online platforms to act against illegal content, including illegal antisemitic hate speech. It creates clear and harmonized obligations for online platforms to set up and operate notice and action mechanisms, to be transparent and to timely report on their content moderation practices. Online platforms and online search engines that have more than 45 million users in the EU also must assess and mitigate the risks linked to the use of their service, for example to the dissemination of antisemitic content. The Commission also has direct enforcement powers towards these companies and can fine them if they fail to comply with the relevant provisions or impose interim measures 52 . In this context, the Commission has sent requests for information in relation to the dissemination of illegal content related to Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel and has opened formal proceedings against X on this issue 53 .

A reinforced Code of Conduct on countering illegal hate speech online aims to increase the prevention of threats of hate speech before they go viral. The revised Code will be integrated as “DSA Code of conduct” under the meaning of Article 45 of the DSA. This will mean that the new Code will not only set ambitious voluntary commitments but will be recognised as a tool in the context of the DSA risk mitigation approach. The Commission is preparing to reinforce funding to support the implementation of the Code of conduct with an additional EUR 2.2 million, including the support to a dedicated network of organisations specialised on antisemitism. In addition, the Commission has started the preparatory work to organise a hackathon to explore new ways to combat antisemitism online and to conduct a comprehensive data analysis to better understand how antisemitism travels online.

The strengthened Code of Practice on Disinformation was presented on 16 June 2022 54 . It seeks to limit the risks of online disinformation, including based on antisemitism, under the DSA. Following the 7 October attacks, the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) conducted an analysis of disinformation 55 regarding the conflict and has been actively monitoring developments around antisemitic and other narratives in its monthly fact-checking briefs.

On 12 December 2023 the Commission adopted the Defence of Democracy package 56 , ahead of the 2024 European elections. A key element of this package is a legislative proposal, which is currently being discussed by the co-legislators, that aims to establish harmonised transparency requirements in the internal market on transparency of interest representation carried out on behalf of third countries which are aimed at influencing policies, decision making and the democratic space. The Regulation on transparency and targeting of political advertising, was adopted on 11 March 2024 57 . In the framework of the Action Plan on disinformation, antisemitism is paid specific attention to, including through the East StratCom Task Force 58 and EUvsDisinfo 59 .

As part of the Better Internet for Kids (BIK+) strategy, the EU co-funds Safer Internet Centres that, with their helplines, assist the public, in particular children, when they are confronted with harmful and illegal content. These hotlines might be granted the status of ‘trusted flaggers’ under the DSA, obliging platforms to prioritise and process their reports of illegal content without undue delay. They primarily address child sex abuse material, but under national arrangements some also process reports of racist and xenophobic hate speech, including antisemitism.

2.4 Combating antisemitic discrimination

Two out of 10 Jewish people in Europe experienced discrimination because of their religion or beliefs in one or more areas of their daily lives. Jews most often experience discrimination in educational settings because of their Jewish identity or religion. Around 4 out of 10 Jews are ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ open about being Jewish at work or school, and 33% and 41% even frequently hide their Jewish identity at work and school, respectively 60 . 

At EU level, the Commission closely monitors the implementation of the Racial Equality Directive and the Employment Equality Directive 61 . Upon request by the European Commission, the European network of legal experts in gender equality and non-discrimination drafted the first report on ‘The legal framework to combat antisemitism in the EU’ which was published in March 2024 62 . It provides a comparative overview of how relevant EU legal instruments have been implemented in the 27 Member States and makes recommendations to strengthen the effective protection against antisemitic acts.

Equality bodies promote non-discrimination and inclusion and, when properly trained, can play a crucial role in fighting antisemitic discrimination. The adoption in 2024 of the two new EU directives strengthening national equality bodies 63 is a major step to help to enforce non-discrimination rules (including on the grounds of racial or ethnic origin and religion or belief) and better help victims to access justice. To increase equality bodies’ knowledge about antisemitism, the Commission and Equinet (the European Network of Equality Bodies) hosted a webinar for their staff 64 .

To build inclusive workplaces, the EU-funded EU Platform of Diversity Charters, aiming to promote diversity at the workplace and address discrimination, convened a webinar with a specific focus on antisemitism, anti-Muslim hatred, and racism 65 .

Sufficient and accurate equality data about the Jewish population in the EU remains a challenge. The Eurobarometer on Discrimination in the EU 66 includes data on Jews and Holocaust education, but not sufficient for a complete picture. In 2023 Eurostat set up an Equality Task Force to improve the collection of equality data, including based on racial or ethnic origin. The Task Force aims to develop guidelines and recommendations for improved comparability and to make proposals for addressing gaps in data collection related to various ethnic groups, including antisemitism statistics and the Jewish population. 

2.5The European Commission leading by example

The Commission aims to lead by example as an employer by preventing and addressing antisemitism and all forms of hatred and discrimination within the organisation. In 2022, the Commission adopted the diversity and inclusion action plan 67 and in 2023 a renewed anti-harassment policy to ensure a safe and inclusive workplace for all. Following the EU strategy, the Commission uses the IHRA working definition of antisemitism as the basis for identifying antisemitic bias. It offers training to newcomers, staff, managers and human resources professionals, including dedicated sessions on Holocaust remembrance, and organises an annual training ‘Unmasking modern antisemitism’. The Commission facilitates the use of flexible working arrangements to accommodate the religious holiday observance for all its staff and is currently preparing to expand the existing flexibility.

3.PROTECTING AND FOSTERING JEWISH LIFE IN THE EU

Security is a prerequisite for a flourishing Jewish life. While, in 2018, 45% of Jews indicated to have considered emigrating because they did not feel safe as Jews in the EU, this had decreased to 41% in the first half of 2023 68 . However, the eruption of antisemitic attacks on Jewish people and Jewish premises following the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks significantly worsened the security situation for Jews in the EU. As a result, the Commission accelerated the implementation of the EU strategy and increased the resources dedicated to supporting the security of Jewish communities and institutions.

3.1Combating violent extremism and terrorism targeted against Jews

The Commission has stressed the fact that national authorities are responsible for protecting all citizens. Cooperating closely with Jewish communities to address their security concerns is crucial in this regard. Following the 7 October attacks, in cooperation with Member States and other relevant actors, the Commission also upscaled measures on all available levels to prevent and address violent extremism and terrorism.

Complementing national action, the Commission on 21 December 2023 advanced a new call under the Internal Security Fund focused on the protection of public spaces and places of worship from terrorism and included EUR 5 million to specifically fund projects aimed at protecting Jewish places of worship, schools and community gatherings 69 . In December that year, the High-Risk Security Network (HRSN) initiated a mapping exercise of the measures taken by Member States to better protect the Jewish communities.

Since the adoption of the EU strategy, the Commission has also organised two dedicated EU Protective Security Advisory (PSA) missions 70 to Jewish communities based on the EU Quick Guide to Support the Protection of Places of Worship 71 . Furthermore, together with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the World Jewish Congress, the Commission organised a series of events bringing together national law enforcement, security institutions and Jewish communities 72 .

In the framework of the EU Internet Forum (EUIF) the Commission convened a meeting on 13 October 2023 with internet industry 73 , Europol, Member State representatives and their national law enforcement authorities to address the vast amounts of terrorist, violent extremist, and harmful content, including antisemitic content circulating online in the aftermath of the 7 October attacks. In addition, several meetings between Europol and EU Member States’ law enforcement authorities supported coordinated action to prevent the dissemination of violent extremist and terrorist content online 74 . In addition, on 27 June 2024, Europol concluded a Referral Action Day aimed at identifying and combatting antisemitic content online 75 .

The Terrorist Content Online (TCO) Regulation applies since 7 June 2022. On 14 February 2024 the Commission adopted a report on its implementation 76 showing that the Regulation has been effective in preventing the spread of terrorist content online, following the 7 October terrorist attacks 77 . On 7 March 2024, the Commission and Europol organised an exercise to test the implementation of the voluntary EU Crisis Protocol alongside relevant obligations and operational procedures under the TCO Regulation, considering new challenges in preventing the dissemination of terrorist content online resulting from the attacks.

The Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN) stepped up its efforts to address ‘Antisemitism as a part of almost all extremist ideologies and narratives’ 78 through a workshop and the publication of the report ‘Approaches to addressing antisemitism in European Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE)’ 79 . The network further addressed the impact of the 7 October attacks on Jewish communities 80 in the EU and supported Member States in their strategic communication efforts online and offline following the attacks. The EU Knowledge Hub on prevention of radicalisation 81 , which was launched by the Commission in June 2024 replacing RAN, continues to monitor and provide analysis of the extremist narratives emanating from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Europe.

Furthermore, at the beginning of 2024, the Commission, with the co-leadership of Germany and Austria, launched a project-based collaboration on antisemitism in preventing and countering violent extremism with 12 Member States to address the rise in radicalisation.

3.2Fostering Jewish life and freedom of religion or belief

As a direct consequence of the Shoah, today Jewish communities are small and form significantly less than 1% of the population in any EU country. Fostering Jewish life is therefore a moral obligation and at the heart of the EU antisemitism strategy. This entails having the freedom of marking Jewish holidays and commemoration days and being able to express their Jewishness through specific cultural and religious practices.

To support Jewish life, initiatives must be taken at all levels of society. The Commission launched a study to map good practices at regional and local level to combat antisemitism and to develop a guide of best practices. In that context, training on countering antisemitism for local civil servants in three different cities 82  took place in 2023. The Euro-Chanukah, hosted by the European Jewish Community Centre and the European Jewish Association in the heart of the European Quarter in Brussels, are occasions to celebrate Jewish life in public and an opportunity for the Commission President and members of the College of Commissioners to join 83 . The Commission has also started preparatory work to develop an awareness raising campaign to increase knowledge about Jewish life and fighting antisemitism and hatred among the general public.

Freedom of religion or belief is crucial to ensure that Jewish people can enjoy their right to practice their religion in line with their traditions. According to the FRA survey, 68% of Jews across Europe indicated that prohibition of traditional slaughter would be a ‘very big’ or ‘fairly big’ problem for them and 35% has heard non-Jews in their country suggest the prohibition of it 84 .

Member States may adopt different rules on ritual slaughtering while striking a fair balance between respect for the freedom to manifest religion and the protection of animal welfare 85 . Dialogue with the communities that may be possibly affected by relevant legislation is crucial. Therefore, in October 2022, the Commission facilitated a conference on 'Freedom of religion with regard to religious slaughter' that brought together representatives of EU Member States and representatives of national Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities. Community representatives expressed their concerns regarding potentially restrictive legislation that impedes kosher and halal slaughtering alike 86 .

Addressing antisemitism through sports can serve as an effective preventive measure 87 . In June 2022, the Commission and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) signed and adopted the third cooperation agreement 88 . One of the main objectives is to promote European values through the power of football, which is reflected by emphasizing the importance of football in the prevention of and fight against racism and antisemitism in Europe.

3.3Safeguarding Jewish heritage

Jewish material and immaterial heritage are integral parts of European culture. The extermination of Jewish communities during the Holocaust changed the face of Europe and left many buildings, cemeteries and other Jewish heritage sites unattended or unused and often in poor condition or in danger of deterioration.

The European Heritage/Europa Nostra Awards, a prize awarded under the Commission’s Creative Europe Programme, acknowledges and celebrates the diversity of heritage, including recognising Jewish culture. They emphasize the importance of restoration and preserving and remembering Jewish cultural heritage and traditions, with a dedicated commitment to raising awareness and remembrance of Holocaust victims. As an example, the TISH Jewish Food Festival is a unique event that presents the culture and history of Polish Jews through a celebration of Jewish food heritage 89 .

Raising awareness about Jewish heritage across Europe is systematically included in the European Heritage Days (EHD) work programmes and mentioned in the European Heritage Days Stories Competition. National EHD Coordinators have been encouraged to develop a cross-frontier cooperation project on Jewish culture and heritage.

Since July 2022, young people travelling with DiscoverEU 90 receive a discount card allowing them to get discounts on cultural visits across Europe, including some Jewish museums and cultural centres. Under the CERV programme, the European week of Jewish culture project received funding worth EUR 400.000.

As part of the EU strategy, the Commission invites cities to address the history of their minorities, including Jewish community history, when applying for the title of “European Capital of Culture”. In 2022 Kaunas, Lithuania, as European Capital of Culture, included the Jewish festival as part of the official activities and Kaunas included a number of other projects addressing the tragic fate of its Jewish community during the Second World War. In 2024, Bad Ischl in Austria used its European Capital of Culture year to present the flourishing life of its Jewish community in the 20s and the 30s and its disappearance due to National Socialism, as part of Remembrance Culture activities.

The Jewish Digital Recovery Project 91  - covering Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Czechia - aimed to extend the database of the plundered Jewish cultural assets with new collections. The European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative’s 92 core objective is preserving Jewish cemeteries across Europe particularly in the regions impacted by the devastating consequences of the Shoah.

4.EDUCATION RESEARCH AND REMEMBRANCE

Knowledge about Jewish life in Europe over the centuries, the impact of antisemitism and the Holocaust on Jewish people and the European continent are essential to understand the danger of antisemitism today.

4.1Education and research on antisemitism and Jewish life

The aim of the EU strategy is to mainstream the prevention of antisemitism across relevant policy areas; this includes developing new education and research tools across Europe. The Working group on equality and values in education and training 93 addressed the topic of antisemitism at its meeting of 9 June 2023. On 10 October 2023, the Commission published the report ‘Promoting diversity and inclusion in schools in Europe’, which includes policies to combat antisemitism in education 94 .

The network of ‘Young European Ambassadors to promote Holocaust remembrance’ led by the Memorial de la Shoah Paris was launched on 16 November 2022, at the occasion of the Civil Society Forum on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life. It will train young Europeans to access and share accurate information about the Holocaust, initiate Holocaust commemoration in their local environment, like schools and universities and recognize and counter Holocaust distortion online.

With funding by the European Commission and support from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, on 3 April 2023 UNESCO launched a 2-year joint project to address rising antisemitism through education in Europe, taking place in 12 Member States 95 .

To support the creation of a ‘European research hub on contemporary antisemitism and Jewish life’, the Commission published on 31 March 2023 the report ‘The field of research on contemporary antisemitism and Jewish life’ 96 . The Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025-2027 foresees that “funded actions will aim to support the creation of a European research hub on contemporary antisemitism and Jewish life and culture”. The Erasmus+ programme funds projects relevant to combating antisemitism and promoting Holocaust remembrance, supporting activities that foster tolerance, respect for human rights, and intercultural dialogue 97 .

The results of the third FRA survey of Jewish people’s experiences of antisemitism were published on 11 July 2024. Every year the FRA publishes an overview on antisemitic incidents 98 . The Commission has also started the preparation of the EU survey on antisemitic attitudes.

4.2Holocaust education, research and remembrance

The Holocaust is a defining legacy of European history, during which six million Jewish children, women and men, as well as hundreds of thousands of Roma were murdered. Many other victims also suffered from Nazi persecution.

For many decades, thousands of Shoah survivors have served the public and strengthened European democracy by sharing the testimonies of their painful survival. First-hand accounts of the Holocaust continue to have the most powerful impact on following generations. In the future, it will be paramount to find new ways of remembering the Holocaust, honouring the victims and ensuring that the lessons learnt are internalized by all people living in Europe.

Following the EU strategy the Commission established its own Holocaust Memorial event. Together with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), and the EU Presidencies (Sweden, 2023 and Belgium 2024), the Commission marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day (IHRD) on 27 January with a conference bringing together the Jewish community and survivors, EU leadership and experts 99 . 

At the occasion of International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2024, the Commission launched a public call for tender to establish a Europe-wide Network of places where the Holocaust happened (EUR 3 million) 100 . As there are less and less survivors to share the story of their survival, the importance of memorial sites increases. The aim of the network is to ensure the exchange of good practices and support cooperation between memorial sites.

The European Commission has supported the European Holocaust Research Infrastructure (EHRI) 101 with over EUR 26 million over the period 2010-2025. As the largest EU-funded research initiative on the Holocaust globally, EHRI supports trans-national Holocaust research, commemoration and education by connecting sources, institutions and people. It is now transforming itself from an EU funded project into a permanent organisation, which should be fully operational by January 2025, the 80th-anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The IHRA Charter for Safeguarding Sites adopted by IHRA on 30 November 2023, contains principles, responsibilities, and recommends good practices to promote the safeguarding of Holocaust sites, sites of the genocide of the Roma, and sites related to crimes of the Nazis and their collaborators 102 .

Through the Remembrance strand of the CERV programme, the Commission is supporting Memorial de la Shoah, Centropa, Paidea, ENRS, EUROM, Yahad-un-Unum and EuroClio as framework partners to promote Holocaust remembrance. In addition, funding for action grants for remembrance projects has been increased from EUR 4.5 million in 2021 to almost EUR 11 million in 2023. Half of the funding awarded concerned projects focussing on remembrance of the Holocaust.

4.3Holocaust denial, distortion and trivialisation

Holocaust denial, distortion and trivialization are tragically widespread phenomena 80 years after the end of the Shoah. According to the 2023 FRA survey, 79% of Jews encountered Holocaust denial, trivialisation or distortion of the historical facts, and more than two thirds (71 %) of respondents had encountered ‘accusations of Jews exploiting Holocaust ‘victimhood’’ 103 .

The 2008 Framework Decision on combating racism and xenophobia provides robust legislation prohibiting the condoning, denial or gross trivialisation of the Holocaust. Out of the 13 infringements opened against Member States, seven cases 104 are related, among other grievances, to the non-transposition or incorrect transposition of the provisions criminalising the condoning, denial or gross trivialisation of the Holocaust when the conduct is carried out in a manner likely to incite to violence or hatred against a group or a member of such a group identified with regard to the protected characteristic listed there.

The Commission actively promoted the IHRA definition of Holocaust denial and distortion at meetings and events and by publishing it on its website. IHRA itself published a toolkit against Holocaust distortion 105 and recommendations for policy and decision makers 106 .

Through the CERV programme, the Commission supported UNESCO with EUR 200.000, to train journalists and education professionals on countering Holocaust distortion, and develop campaigns, together with the IHRA, such as the ‘#ProtectTheFacts’ campaign. CERV-funded projects, such as Facing Historical and Holocaust Distortion Now, also aim to tackle Holocaust denial, distortion and trivialisation.

5.LEADING THE GLOBAL FIGHT AGAINST ANTISEMITISM

With the strategy, the EU reaffirmed its firm and unequivocal commitment to the global fight against antisemitism. This is fully in line with the EU’s strong commitment to promote and protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law worldwide.

5.1Use all instruments to address antisemitism through the EU’s external action

Russia’s war of aggression heavily impacted the Ukrainian Jewish community, the fourth largest Jewish community in Europe with up to 200,000 people and the eleventh largest in the world. As all Ukrainian citizens, the community has been suffering heavily because of the war, and many have been displaced. The EU supported the Federation of Jewish Communities (FJC) in Ukraine by making available EUR 1.5 million to mobilise 1500 volunteers in the FJC network to provide indicatively 4000 food packages and evacuate at least 4500 persons from 180 communities across Ukraine in the 3 months after the start of the invasion.

The EU aims to cooperate closely with all relevant international organisations and to use all instruments at its disposal to combat antisemitism internationally, through political and human rights dialogues and in broader cooperation with partner countries outside the EU.

The fight against antisemitism is part of the EU’s support to the promotion of the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FORB) in EU international cooperation through global and country level EU funding. By the end of 2024 the Commission will award two grants under the NDICI supporting various dimensions of Freedom of Religion or Belief for a total amount of EUR 5.5 million.

Concerns regarding Freedom of Religion or Belief were raised by the Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the EU. The human rights dialogues with countries in the Middle East and North Africa offered an opportunity to raise on several occasions the need to introduce school curricula programs about the Holocaust. EU delegations have also met with faith-based organisations including Jewish civil society organisations, whenever requested. Several EU Delegations indicate in their reports violations of freedom of religion or belief, including Holocaust denial.

The EU-Israel high-level seminar on combating antisemitism was co-organised on 12 June 2023 in Jerusalem and on 7-8 May 2024 in Brussels. At the latter meeting the Commission and Israel reaffirmed their full support to European Jewish communities and the fight against all forms of antisemitism in these difficult times.

The Commission has actively engaged in advancing informal networks of special envoys and coordinators combating antisemitism. Convened by the World Jewish Congress, the Commission co-chairs meetings of the roughly 40 Special Envoys and Coordinators on Combating Antisemitism (SECCA) globally twice a year. Following the 7 October attacks, the Commission co-signed the joint statement by SECCA 107 calling on governments to provide the necessary security for Jewish communities, ensuring safety for Jews on campus, encouraging solidarity with Jews from civil society and calling social media platforms to action. The Commission also joint 42 countries in endorsing the Global Guidelines for countering antisemitism 108 which summarize necessary actions in the fight against antisemitism.

The Commission has actively cooperated with the UN, the OSCE and the Council of Europe (CoE) to fight antisemitism worldwide. The EU Delegation to the UN and the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) hosted a briefing on efforts to combat antisemitism 109 . The Commission also addressed a cross-regional workshop at the UNHCR on “Addressing Antisemitism: A Global Human Rights Challenge”, joining the Organisation of American States, Germany and UNAOC at this US-facilitated event 110 .

The EU has actively participated in the annual OSCE Conferences on Combating Anti-Semitism 111 and raised the topic of antisemitism in the context of the OSCE Warsaw Human Dimension Conferences. The EU strives to closely cooperate with the Council of Europe (CoE) on initiatives to combat racism and antisemitism 112 . As an example, it contributed to the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) revised General Policy Recommendation on preventing and combating antisemitism 113 and cooperates with the CoE’s Special Representative on antisemitic, anti‑Muslim and other forms of religious intolerance and hate crimes.

5.2Safeguarding Jewish cultural heritage and commemorating the Holocaust

On 20 January 2022, the UN General Assembly approved, with the support of all EU Member States, a resolution condemning Holocaust denial 114 . The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy annually issued statements on the occasion of Holocaust Remembrance Day 115 . Some EU Delegations regularly participate in high-level events around the day. As an example, in Geneva, the EU Delegation co-organises every year the official UN Ceremony on the Commemoration for the Victims of the Holocaust. The EU Delegation in Tel Aviv also organizes dedicated commemoration events to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day and Yom HaShoah.

To show the rich and diverse Jewish life in Europe before the Holocaust, the European Commission is sponsoring the World Holocaust Remembrance Center Yad Vashem in Israel with EUR 10 million to create an Immersive Audiovisual Experience in its Valley of the Communities for all ages, including children. The project aims to contribute to dismantling antisemitism and prejudices, raising awareness and knowledge of Jewish history and culture, and achieving full recognition of Jewish life as part of Europe’s society.

In the Neighbourhood and Enlargement regions, the Commission plans several projects to safeguard Jewish heritage and commemorate the Holocaust. A specific lot for projects aimed at fostering Jewish life and Jewish cultural heritage, with a total allocation of EUR 1.5 million, was included in an Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) regional call for proposals for civil society organisations in the Western Balkans and Türkiye. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Commission has allocated EUR 260.000 for the Sarajevo Holocaust Museum.

Under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) the Commission has earmarked EUR 7 million for fighting antisemitism and preserving Jewish heritage in Ukraine and EUR 3 million for management and preservation of Jewish-Moroccan cultural sites and intangible heritage in Morocco.

6.CONCLUSION

Antisemitism is a threat to European democracy and the security of the European Union. Antisemitic conspiracy myths, hate speech and disinformation attacking the Jewish community are polarising, with a negative effect on the public debate. This ultimately affects the democratic sphere altogether. It is essential that attacks against Jews are not left unaddressed and that hate crimes are investigated and justice served, in accordance with the rule of law. In line with the 2020 European Democracy Action Plan, the EU Security Union Strategy (2020-25) and the Defense of Democracy package adopted in 2023, the European Commission is determined to protect the EU democratic sphere and ensure the security of all its citizens, including Jews. In the face of the current challenges, the European Union action is driven by the determination and commitment to bring an end to antisemitism, and to ensure that Jews in Europe can go about their lives in line with their cultural and religious traditions and free from security concerns.

This progress report shows that since the adoption of the EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life in 2021 across Europe structures have been created and a wide-range of EU-led or EU-funded initiatives across Member States and civil society have been taken to address antisemitism, to foster Jewish life and to ensure Holocaust remembrance. To address the challenges in an effective and needs-based manner, the Commission maintains a regular dialogue with representatives of Jewish communities and Jewish organisations.

The report shows that awareness about the danger of antisemitism has increased among state actors. This has led to the adoption of national strategies against antisemitism in 23 EU Member States, to the appointment of 20 national envoys or coordinators on combating antisemitism and the EU-wide establishment of the non-legally binding working definition of antisemitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance as a useful tool for the fight against antisemitism. In many EU countries their ambitious strategies have led to impactful initiatives.

The European Commission has engaged in an effective platform for the continuous exchange of best practices among special envoys in Europe and globally to create synergies and initiate joint action, such as the Joint Statement of Special Envoys and Coordinators Combating Antisemitism and the Global Guidelines on countering antisemitism of July 2024.

Besides implementing the 90 initiatives of the EU Antisemitism Strategy, the aim of the European Commission has been to address Europe-wide challenges such as antisemitism online and ensuring Holocaust remembrance and provide added value for the Member States and civil society actors. The Commission is also supporting actions in Member States and for civil society actors, including through significantly increased funding, and relies on close cooperation with EU Institutions and Member States to drive the agenda on European level. This led to a strengthening of structures and support within EU Member States, not only addressing antisemitism but in addition pursuing a positive agenda of fostering Jewish life.

Yet, following 7 October 2023, European Jews are faced with unprecedented threats and violent acts. The everyday life of Jews in Europe has been impacted deeply. Faced with an unprecedented surge in hate speech and violent incidents, security measures had to be significantly upscaled and public manifestations of Jewish life were severely disrupted. Such intimidation is not only a threat to safety and security. It constitutes a threat to EU values and to democracy.

Therefore, the determination to fight antisemitism in the EU is more relevant than ever. The EU antisemitism strategy runs until 2030, yet the recent aggravation of the situation calls for further efforts for its effective implementation and update, as necessary. The European Commission is determined to use all available legal and policy tools to ensure that Jewish life can prosper across the EU and Jews can go about their lives free from security concerns and fully benefit from their democratic rights.

(1)

  EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life

(2)

  Council Conclusions on combating racism and antisemitism on 4 March 2022 ; European Council, 14-15 December 2023

(3)

  EU Strategy on combating antisemitism – first progress report

(4)

  IHRA working definition of antisemitism

(5)

  EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life

(6)

  Eurobarometer 484, Perceptions of antisemitism, 2019

(7)

  EU Agency for Fundamental Rights: Jewish People’s Experiences and Perceptions of Antisemitism

(8)

Hamas has been on the EU list of terrorist organisations since 2003.

(9)

On 7 October 2024.

(10)

  See European Council Conclusions of 27 June 2024 . At the same time, the Commission condemned the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the fact that many civilians, in particular children and women, lost their lives as a result of Israel's response to Hamas' brutal terror, leading to an increase of the EU humanitarian aid to those populations, while working on a much larger multi-year package to support an effective Palestinian Authority.

(11)

  Statement 7 October 2023 (europa.eu) .

(12)

Institute for Jewish Policy Research: Antisemitism in the aftermath of October 7: What do the data tell us, and what more do we still need to know?’ | JPR , 1 October 2024.

(13)

  Service de Protection de la Communauté Juive (SPCJ)

(14)

According to the third FRA survey on discrimination and hate crime against Jews, the overall reporting rate of antisemitic discrimination by Jews is only 11%, hence the reported incidents are only the tip of the iceberg. Not all EU Member States record antisemitic incidents in a desegregated manner.

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  Centrum Informatie en Documentatie Israël

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  Antisemitic cases 2023 in Austria

(17)

  Politisch motivierte Kriminalität in Deutschland erreicht neuen Höchststand

(18)

  European Jewish Congress calls on Europe’s university rectors to protect Jewish students

(19)

  The rise of antisemitism at European Universities as a result of the 7 October Massacre, 1 February 2024 . Spread of reported incident: Vandalism (19,5%); Cyberbullying (19,5%), Incitement to violence, discrimination, exclusion (28,3%), Verbal harassment, slurs, physical violence (32,7%)

(20)

  Institute for Strategic Dialogue , Rise in antisemitism on both mainstream and fringe social media platforms following Hamas’ terrorist attack, 7 February 2024.

(21)

  Ecosystems of hate speech online in the EU related to the Israel-Hamas conflict, 2024 .

(22)

  Communication on “No place for hate: a Europe united against hatred” | European Commission , 6 December 2023.

(23)

Vice-President Schinas made it a priority to visit Jewish communities in the EU, including in Greece, France, Germany or Belgium and when travelling abroad like in Australia or Brazil.

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For example, the EC Coordinator on combatting antisemitism and fostering Jewish life spoke at the demonstration against antisemitism in Brussels on 10 December 2023.

(25)

  Speech by the President at the lighting of the Euro-Chanukah , 10 December 2023, Brussels.

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  Communication on “No place for hate: a Europe united against hatred” | European Commission , 6 December 2023.

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  Aspects of the implementation of the EU strategy were discussed at meetings of the Working Group on 14-15 December 2021 in Brussels, 1-2 June 2022 in Brussels, 6-7 December 2022 in The Hague, 2-4 May 2023 in Bucharest, and in Brussels on 22-23 January 2024.

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  Civil Society Forum on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life

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Luxembourg adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism without its 11 examples.

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Sweden’s Action programme to combat antisemitism is a complement to the National plan against racism, similar forms of hostility and hate crime that was adopted in 2016.

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Slovenia adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism without its 11 examples.

(32)

  Pledges presented at the Malmö International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism on 13 October 2021.

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  WJC: An assessment after 17 months , 2023.

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  EU Agency for Fundamental Rights: Jewish People’s Experiences and Perceptions of Antisemitism , 2023.

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Under the current multi-annual financial framework for 2021-2027.

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  Technical Support Instrument (TSI)  

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  Council Framework Decision 2008/913/JHA of 28 November 2008 on combating certain forms and expressions of racism and xenophobia by means of criminal law  

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Procedures against Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden are ongoing. Procedures against Belgium, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Romania were started and have been closed following these Member States’ necessary legislative reforms to comply with the Framework Decision.

(39)

  Extending EU crimes to hate speech and hate crime  

(40)

  EU Agency for Fundamental Rights: Jewish People’s Experiences and Perceptions of Antisemitism , 2023.

(41)

  Final Recommendations of the European Citizens Panel on Tackling Hatred in Society , 20 May 2024.

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  Proposal for a Directive amending the 2012 Victims' Rights Directive  

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  EU Victims’ Rights Platform

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  Combating hate speech and hate crime - European Commission (europa.eu)

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One of the European Judicial Training Network flagship activities, carried out in cooperation with the Memorial and Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau, is the annual seminar on Antisemitism and Hate Crimes hosted in Krakow and Oswiecim (Auschwitz). Training materials on anti-discrimination, including antisemitism, are available on the European training platform.

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The Vienna Declaration has been signed by Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Romania and Slovakia. 

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  European Network Monitoring Antisemitism , launched in April 2024.

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  EU Agency for Fundamental Rights: Jewish People’s Experiences and Perceptions of Antisemitism , 2023.

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 The Commission acknowledges Meta’s approach to ‘Zionist’ as a proxy for hate speech . Meta will remove content that targets "Zionists" with dehumanizing comparisons, calls for harm, or denials of existence on the basis that “Zionist” in those instances often appears to be a proxy for Jewish or Israeli people.

(50)

  Rise in antisemitism on both mainstream and fringe social media platforms following Hamas’ terrorist attack , Institute for Strategic Dialogue, 7.2.2024.

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  Digital Services Act

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  Questions and answers on the Digital Services Act

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  Supervision of the designated very large online platforms and search engines under DSA

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  The 2022 Code of Practice on Disinformation

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  EDMO – Preliminary analysis of the Israel/Hamas conflict-related disinformation  

(56)

  Defence of Democracy Package

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  Regulation on the transparency and targeting of political advertising  

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  East Stratcom Task Force

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  EUvsDisinfo  

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  EU Agency for Fundamental Rights: Jewish People’s Experiences and Perceptions of Antisemitism

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 The Racial Equality Directive offers protection for Jewish people against discrimination (including harassment) based on ‘racial or ethnic origin’ in certain areas of life and the Employment Equality Directive offers protection for Jewish people against discrimination (including harassment and instructions to discriminate) on the grounds of religion or belief in the area of employment and occupation. The existing legal gap in the protection against discrimination based, among other on grounds, of religion or belief could be closed by extending the protection beyond the current area of employment as foreseen in the proposal for the Equal Treatment Directive .

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  The legal framework to combat antisemitism in the EU

(63)

  Strengthening the role of equality bodies across the EU: Council adopts two directives ; Council Directive (EU) 2024/1499; Directive (EU) 2024/1500

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Webinar on 10 March 2022.

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Webinar on 30 May 2023.

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  Special Eurobarometer SP535: Discrimination in the European Union  

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  People first – Diversity and inclusion

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  EU Agency for Fundamental Rights: Jewish People’s Experiences and Perceptions of Antisemitism

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Under the ISF call of 2022 the Commission provided EUR 8.3 million to support projects dedicated to increasing the protection of religious sites, while under the 2020 call it had provided EUR 14.5 million. An example of a project funded is Safer and Stronger Communities in Europe (SASCE), implemented by the Security and Crisis Center (SACC) of the European Jewish Congress (EJC). This project of EUR 2.5 million, enabled to equip 1000 places of worships in Europe with emergency tablets. ISF-2024-TF2-AG-PROTECT-jewish-places-worship  

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Missions took place to Sweden and Poland in 2022 based on the Commission’s Quick Guide to Support the Protection of Places of Worship

(71)

  EU Quick Guide to Support the Protection of Places of Worship  

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Events were organised in Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ireland, Italy, North Macedonia and Moldova.

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  List of members of the EU Internet Forum and additional information  

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The Commission shared an information package to support the detection of terrorist content and informed about the tools available for Member States to prevent dissemination of violent extremist and terrorist content, including antisemitic content. Europol’s EU IRU provided an upgraded “Terrorist content online detect package” to support voluntary content moderation by companies, in particular for smaller platforms.

(75)

  Europol concluded a Referral Action Day aimed at identifying and combatting antisemitic content online

(76)

  Report on the effective implementation of the TCO Regulation

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Following Hamas’ attacks on 7 October 2023, the German competent authority has sent 249 removal orders, mostly to Telegram until 31 December 2023. In addition, as of 13 May 2024, 24 Member States have appointed competent authorities to issue removal orders and more than 350 removal orders have been issued.

(78)

  RAN C&N Antisemitism as a part of almost all extremist ideologies and narratives, online meeting 29-30 March 2022  

(79)

  Approaches to addressing antisemitism in European P/CVE , published 22 March 2023.

(80)

In RAN Practitioners Update 117

(81)

  EU Knowledge Hub on prevention of radicalisation

(82)

Bologna, Brussels and Nice.

(83)

  President von der Leyen lights Euro-Chanukah candle, accompanied by Vice-President Schinas, 2023

(84)

  EU Agency for Fundamental Rights: Jewish People’s Experiences and Perceptions of Antisemitism

(85)

Judgement in Case C 336/19 Centraal Israëlitisch Consistorie van Belgie and Others.

(86)

  Summary report - Freedom of religion with regard to religious slaughter , 20 October 2022

(87)

 See survey by the EU-funded project Building Bridges: Insights on Combating Antisemitism Through Football 6cea.pdf (whatmatters.de)

(88)

  European Commission and UEFA sign third cooperation agreement  

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  European Heritage – Europa Nostra Awards: TISH Jewish food festival  

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  DiscoverEU | European Youth Portal

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  Jewish Digital Recovery Project

(92)

  The European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative

(93)

  EEA strategic framework working groups  

(94)

  Promoting diversity and inclusion in schools in Europe  

(95)

  UNESCO and the European Commission launch project to address rising antisemitism through education

(96)

  The field of research on contemporary antisemitism and Jewish life: Working towards a European research hub

(97)

  Erasmus+ project results

(98)

  Antisemitism in 2022 - Overview of Antisemitic incidents recorded in the EU

(99)

  2023 Holocaust Remembrance Conference: Remembering the past. Shaping the future

2024 Holocaust remembrance conference: Remembering the past. Shaping the future

(100)

  Establishment of a secretariat to develop and support the operations of the European Network of Places where the Holocaust happened

(101)

  EHRI

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  IHRA Charter for Safeguarding Sites

(103)

  EU Agency for Fundamental Rights: Jewish People’s Experiences and Perceptions of Antisemitism

(104)

Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden.

(105)

  IHRA Toolkit Against Holocaust Distortion  

(106)

  IHRA Recommendations for Policy and Decision Makers  

(107)

  Joint Statement of Special Envoys and Coordinators Combating Antisemitism , 6 Nov 2023.

(108)

  Global Guidelines on countering antisemitism , 17 July 2024

(109)

Hosted at UN New York, 15 June 2023.

(110)

Side Event at the 54th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, Geneva, on 4 September 2024.

(111)

Malta (2024), North Macedonia 2023, and Poland 2022.

(112)

  Conclusions on EU priorities for cooperation with the Council of Europe 2023-2024  

(113)

  ECRI revised General Policy Recommendation No. 9 on preventing and combating Antisemitism

(114)

  UN General Assembly approves resolution condemning Holocaust denial  

(115)

  Statement HRVP IHRD 2022 , Statement HRVP IHRD 2023 , and Statement HRVP IHRD 2024 .

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 14.10.2024

COM(2024) 476 final

ANNEX

to the

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL
First progress report of the EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life

Overview table on the implementation of actions in the EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life

NUMBER	ACTION IN THE STRATEGY		PROGRESS		SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTION
1.1. Fighting antisemitism across policy areas and mobilising EU funds
1.	Targeted actions will be pursued through a wide variety of EU funding programmes, in particular, the citizens, equality, rights and values (CERV) programme, the Justice programme, Horizon Europe, Creative Europe, Erasmus+, the Internal Security Fund, the cohesion policy funds, the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), and the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA).		In progress		Funding has significantly increased across the various programmes. To find relevant projects searches can be performed on keywords such as ‘antisemitism’, ‘anti-Semitism’, ‘Jew’, ‘Holocaust’, ‘Shoah’, ‘Remembrance’, ‘Synagogue’ etc. at the EU funded projects at the EU Funding & Tenders portal .
2.	To support the implementation of this strategy and help coordinate Member States’ efforts, the Commission will formalise the ad hoc Working group on combating antisemitism as a permanent structure that brings together Member States, Jewish communities’ representatives and other stakeholders.		Implemented		The working group was renamed into  Working group on the implementation of the EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life . It meets twice per year.
3.	Organise an annual civil society forum on combating antisemitism, bringing together representatives from the Commission and Jewish communities, civil society and other stakeholders to create links and maximise the effect of joint actions and EU funding.		In progress		The first Civil society forum on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life was organised on 16 – 17 November 2022 and brought together 250 participants. It will be organised every two years instead of annually.
1.2. Combating antisemitic hate speech and hate crime
4.	The EU Framework Decision on combating racism and xenophobia by means of criminal law provides a strong legal framework to combat antisemitic hate crimes and hate speech, including public condoning, denial or gross trivialisation of the Holocaust in a manner likely to incite to violence or hatred. Its full and correct transposition is a priority for the Commission.		In progress		The Commission has taken steps to ensure the complete and correct transposition of the Framework Decision and launched 13 infringement procedures against Member States for incomplete or incorrect transposition between October 2020 and August 2024
5.	Enhance support to training programmes and capacity-building activities on tackling antisemitism for justice and law enforcement professionals, including through the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) and the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL).		In progress		One of the EJTN flagship activities, in cooperation with the Memorial and Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau, is the annual seminar on Antisemitism and Hate Crimes hosted in Krakow and Oswiecim (Auschwitz). CEPOL addressed the effects of the 7 October attacks on the EU internal security from an antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred perspective in a seminar on 8-9 February 2024. It cooperates closely with the European Jewish Congress to regularly co-organise webinars on antisemitism.
6.	Support organisations and projects to combat and record antisemitic hate speech and hate crime through the CERV programme.		In progress		The European Network Monitoring Antisemitism (ENMA)  is being supported through the CERV programme to develop a scientific methodology to monitor antisemitic incidents across Europe. To find other relevant projects searches can be performed on keywords such as ‘antisemitism’ and ‘anti-Semitism’ at the EU funded projects at the EU Funding & Tenders portal .
7.	Support the development of trainings as well as materials on antisemitism and make them available on the ‘European Training Platform’ of the European e-Justice Portal.		In progress		Training materials on anti-discrimination, including antisemitism, are available on the European training platform . Developing trainings and materials to support justice professionals recognise and prosecute antisemitism is one of the priorities of the annual call for proposals for action grants under the Justice programme.
8.	Assist Member States in ensuring that integrated and targeted support services are available and accessible to victims of antisemitic hate crime, including through EU funding.		In progress		The Commission continues to promote integrated and targeted support services to victims of hate crime, including antisemitic hate crime. The Commission is also committed to providing funding opportunities, notably under the Justice Programme to support Member States and non-governmental organisations in the application of EU rules on victims’ rights in line with the priorities set up by the EU Strategy on victims' rights, including the strengthening of victim support services.
9.	The Commission will continue to monitor the implementation of the Victims’ Rights Directive, which ensures that all victims of crime have rights, including access to specialist support services and protection measures that correspond to their individual needs and vulnerability.		In progress		On 12 July 2023, the Commission adopted a proposal for the revision of the Victims’ Rights Directive , which aims to further strengthen the rights of all victims of crime in the EU, including victims of antisemitic hate crime. Particularly relevant are the proposed provisions: to improve individual assessment of victims’ needs, to strengthen support for the most vulnerable victims by adding victims’ physical protection measures, and to improve victims’ participation in criminal proceedings.
10.	To further strengthen the legal framework, in 2021 the Commission will introduce an initiative to extend the list of ‘EU crimes’ to cover hate crime and hate speech.		In progress		The Commission adopted on 9 December 2021 a Communication on 'A more inclusive and protective Europe: extending the list of EU crimes to hate speech and hate crime' .
11.	Mainstream children’s rights across EU policies, to better protect children who are victims of discrimination, including based on religion or belief.		In progress		The EU and EU countries must respect, protect and promote children's rights. The EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child and the European Child Guarantee are major policy initiatives put forward by the European Commission to better protect all children, to help them enjoy their rights and placing them right at the centre of EU policy making.
12.	Within the High Level Group on combating hate speech and hate crime, the FRA will help Member States improve and align their methodologies for recording and collecting data on hate crime, including on antisemitism.		In progress		The FRA leads the working group for recording and collecting data on hate crime under the High Level Group. 15 Member States signed the Vienna Declaration , in which they aim to develop a common methodology for quantifying and qualifying antisemitic incidents and comparing them over time and between Member States.
1.3. Tackling antisemitism online
13.	Address antisemitic hate speech in the upcoming updated Better internet for kids strategy.		In progress		Under the European strategy for a better internet for kids BIK+), the Commission co-funds safer internet centres in Member States with: -helplines which assist the public, in particular children, when confronted with harmful and illegal content. -hotlines to report child sexual abuse material. They might be granted the status of ‘trusted flaggers’ under the DSA, obliging platforms to prioritise their reports of illegal content, and process these without delay. Under national arrangements some also process reports of racist and xenophobic hate speech, including antisemitism.
14.	The Code of Practice on Disinformation is being strengthened, also contributing to better fighting antisemitism online.		Implemented		The  strengthened Code of Practice on Disinformation  was signed and presented on 16 June 2022 by 34  signatories who have joined  the revision process of the 2018 code. Ten more signatories have since joined.
15.	It will also support the European Digital Media Observatory and its national hubs to increase the capacity of their fact-checkers on disinformation and will work with independent organisations to develop counter- narratives, including in non-EU languages.		In progress		The European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) has conducted a preliminary analysis of Israel/Hamas conflict-related disinformation, and contributes to detecting and analysing disinformation campaigns, including as regards racist and antisemitic disinformation. Since 2023, 14 national or regional hubs funded by the EU have been operational and cover all 27 EU Member States as well as Norway, in the EEA.
16.	The Digital Services Act introduced new obligations for online platforms to act against illegal content, such illegal antisemitic hate speech. These include notice and action obligations, transparency of content moderation practices, trusted flaggers, and risk assessment and mitigation.		In progress		Under the Digital Services Act, the Commission has opened formal proceedings to assess whether X, TikTok, AliExpress and Meta may have breached the DSA, among others concerning the dissemination of illegal content such as illegal hate speech.
17.	Under the action plan on disinformation and the European democracy action plan the Commission and the EEAS will continue to pay specific attention to analysing and responding to campaigns of disinformation, hate speech, incitement to violence and extremist rhetoric, including through the EEAS East StratCom Task Force.		In progress		In the framework of the Action Plan on disinformation  (adopted on 5 December 2018) antisemitism is paid specific attention to, including through the East StratCom Task Force and EUvsDisinfo . On 12 December 2023 the Commission adopted the Defence of Democracy package , ahead of the 2024 European elections. The key element of this package is a legislative proposal that will enhance transparency and democratic accountability of interest representation activities on behalf of third countries which are aimed at influencing policies, decision making and the democratic space. This proposal is currently being discussed by the co-legislators.
18.	Strengthen the fight against online antisemitism by supporting the establishment of a Europe-wide network of trusted flaggers and Jewish organisations, in line with the Code of conduct.		In progress		A revised   Code of Conduct on countering illegal hate speech online will be in place in 2024. The Commission is developing a network of monitoring reporters, specialised on detecting incitement to violence and hatred online, to support the implementation of the future Code. This includes a dedicated network of monitoring reporters and fact checkers that will decern antisemitic content made available in the EU.
19.	Organise a Hackathon to facilitate exchanges between experts to develop new innovative ways to address antisemitism in the online and digital environment.		In progress		A project funded by the Commission is in preparation and will include the organisation of this hackathon.
20.	The political ads regulation will introduce harmonised high standard of transparency for the provision of political advertising services and stronger protections for the use of personal data to target political advertising. This will empower citizens, support accountability in the use of political advertising and deter its misuse, including as a vector for disinformation and hate speech.		In progress		The regulation on the transparency and targeting of political advertising , aimed at countering information manipulation and foreign interference in elections was adopted on 11 March 2024.
21.	Cooperate with industry and IT companies to prevent the illegal display and sale of Nazi-related symbols, memorabilia and literature online.		In progress		The Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union organised on 24 November 2022 an expert meeting on Nazi Memorabilia and their misuse to antisemitic ends.
22.	Conduct a comprehensive data analysis to better understand the spread of antisemitism online, how it travels and expands.		In progress		A project funded by the Commission is in preparation and will include the development of this comprehensive data analysis.
1.4. Combating antisemitic discrimination
23.	National equality bodies promote, analyse, monitor and support equal treatment. By 2022, the Commission will propose new legislation (binding standards for equality bodies) to strengthen their role.		In progress		To strengthen the mandate, powers, independence and resources of equality bodies the Commission adopted on 8 December 2022 two proposals for Directives on standards for equality bodies .
24.	Cooperate with Equinet and equality bodies to increase their knowledge about antisemitism.		In progress		The Commission has started to closer cooperate with Equinet on increasing knowledge about antisemitism, including through a webinar for national equality bodies on 10 March 2022.
25.	The EU Platform of Diversity Charters has been set up to allow existing charters to exchange and share experience and good practices. They should also systematically address the specific challenges of identifying and combating antisemitism at the workplace.		In progress		On 30 May 2023 the EU Platform of Diversity Charters  organised a webinar on how to build inclusive organisations with a specific focus on antisemitism, anti-Muslim hatred, and racism.
26.	Carry out a series of actions to address racial and ethnic stereotypes with the media, civil society and representatives of people with a minority racial or ethnic background.
27.	Include data related to antisemitism and Jewish people in the EU into the collection and use of equality data on the grounds of racial or ethnic origin and religion or belief. The Commission will launch an action to ensure a consistent approach to equality data collection, in particular as regards data disaggregated by racial or ethnic origin.		In progress		Eurostat has set up an Equality Task Force to improve collection of equality data, including based on racial or ethnic origin. This will also aim to provide guidelines and recommendations for a better coverage of statistics on antisemitism and the Jewish population.
28.	Support Member States in designing and implementing reforms aimed at tackling discrimination in schools in general – and antisemitism in particular – within the Technical Support Instrument, including on a multi-country basis in order to facilitate stronger cooperation and build on best practices.		In progress		The Technical Support Instrument (TSI) offers tailored assistance to Member States in their fight against racism and antisemitism.
1.5. The European Commission leading by example
29.	The Commission will continue to mark the Holocaust with internal staff events and awareness raising initiatives. It will continue to raise awareness among its staff on antisemitism and how to combat it, and increase understanding of Jewish life and culture, including as part of a general focus on core European values such as respect for minority groups. Training will also cover unconscious biases including those based on perceptions of religion or belief.		In progress		The Commission annually organises the training ‘Unmasking modern antisemitism’ for staff. International Holocaust Remembrance Day is promoted on the Commissions internal website annually and staff is invited to participate to the #WeRemember campaign, initiated by the World Jewish Congress.
30.	Continue to host the annual Euro-Chanukah to recognise diversity among staff.		In progress		The Commission annually participates in Euro-Chanukah hosted by the European Jewish Community Centre and the European Jewish Association, including high level participation, for example by  President von der Leyen  and Vice-President Schinas .
31.	Invite the European schools to ensure that all pupils learn about Jewish life in Europe, the Holocaust and antisemitism, and mark the annual International Holocaust Remembrance Day, including by potential visits to memorial sites.
32.	Organise study visits when relevant, for instance to Israel.		Implemented		A study visit to Israel for EU staff took place on 18–22 September 2022.
33.	Continue to pursue a zero tolerance approach to incidents of antisemitism within the institution, using the IHRA definition as reference. Provide training for targeted staff such as human resources professionals to recognise antisemitism based on the IHRA definition.		In progress		The Commission adopted the diversity and inclusion action plan and the renewed anti-harassment policy to ensure a safe and inclusive working place for all. The Commission offers training to all newcomers, staff, managers and human resources professionals, including dedicated sessions on Holocaust remembrance, and organises an annual training ‘Unmasking modern antisemitism’.
34.	Encourage the use of flexible working arrangements to accommodate a religious holiday observance for all its staff.		In progress		The Commission encourages the use of flexible working arrangements to accommodate the religious holiday observance for all its staff and is currently preparing to expand the existing flexibility.
2.1. Combating violent extremism and terrorism targeted against Jews
35.	Closely cooperate with Europol, including its EU Internet Referral Unit, to combat online antisemitic terrorism and violent extremism, by taking action against groups and individuals spreading terrorist content online.		In progress		The EU Internet Forum (EUIF) convened an extraordinary meeting directly after the 7 October attacks, to address with Europol’s EU Internet Referral Unit (IRU), Member States and its internet industry members, the vast amounts of terrorist, violent extremist, and harmful content, including antisemitic content circulating online. Europol’s EU IRU provided operational support packages and coordinated action between EU Member States law enforcement authorities. On 27 June 2024, Europol concluded a Referral Action Day aimed at identifying and combatting antisemitic content online.
36.	The Commission will also organise a high-level conference on the protection of Jewish communities in the EU.
37.	The Commission, together with the European Union Intelligence and Situation Centre, will explore the possibility of regular EU assessments of the specific threats to Jewish people, communities and places of worship, in order to better understand, prevent, protect and respond to specific security risks.		In progress		The Commission, together with the European Union Intelligence and Situation Centre, has started to make assessments of the specific threats to Jewish people, communities and places of worship, to be able to respond to specific security risks.
38.	Provide EU funding in support of projects focused on the protection of public spaces and places of worship		In progress		Under the ISF call of 2022 the Commission provided EUR 8.3 million to support projects dedicated to increasing the protection of religious sites. Under the 2020 call it had provided EUR 14.5 million. On 21 December 2023 the Commission launched a call EUR of 30 mio, including a dedicated priority of EUR 5.0 million for the protection of Jewish places of worship, schools, and community gatherings .
39.	Map, in cooperation with Member States, the existing national security and protection measures.		In progress		In December 2023, the High-Risk Security Network (HRSN) initiated a mapping exercise of the measures taken by Member States to better protect the Jewish communities.
40.	Step up its operational support for Member States and Jewish communities by providing training on security measures. This will include EU protective security advisors’ visits to Member States to set up a network of trainers on the protection of places of worship.		In progress		EU Protective Security Advisory (PSA) missions to Jewish communities in Sweden and Poland took place in 2022, based on the Commission’s Quick Guide to Support the Protection of Places of Worship. Together with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the World Jewish Congress, the Commission organised events between national law enforcement and security institutions and Jewish communities in Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ireland, Italy, North Macedonia and Moldova.
41.	Identify through the Radicalisation Awareness Network the specific relevance and implications of antisemitism in its work on preventing and countering violent extremism.		In progress		The Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN) organised several activities and published research papers, including on 29 and 30 March 2022 a workshop on ‘Antisemitism as a part of almost all extremist ideologies and narratives’ and on 22 March 2023 the report ‘ Approaches to addressing antisemitism in European P/CVE ’. The EU Knowledge Hub replacing RAN, continues to assess the extremist narratives emanating from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Europe in 2024. Beginning in 2024, the Commission, under the co-leadership of Germany and Austria launched a project-based collaboration on antisemitism in P/CVE (Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism) with interested Member States.
42.	Ensure swift implementation of the terrorist content online Regulation.		In progress		The Terrorist Content Online Regulation applies since 7 June 2022 and on 14 February 2024 the Commission adopted a report on its implementation . 24 Member States have appointed competent authorities to issue removal orders by September 2024 and more than 1000 removal orders were issued between June 2022 and end of August 2024.
43.	Continue to finance research and innovation activities, primarily via the Horizon Europe programme, aiming at understanding the contemporary radicalisation trends, as well as the means and patterns to effectively prevent and respond to them.		In progress		The calls for proposals in the 2022 Work Programme of Horizon Europe included “ Evolution of political extremism and its influence on contemporary social and political dialogue ” and “ Strengthening racial, ethnic and religious equality ”, enabling the funding of six research projects for an amount of EUR 3 million each.
44.	Support the commemoration of victims of terrorist attacks, including through a digital victims’ wall.
2.2. Fostering Jewish life and freedom of religion or belief
45.	Facilitate, the exchange of practices between public authorities and Jewish and Muslim communities regarding slaughter based on religious traditions, drawing on the experience of international organisations such as the UN, OSCE-ODIHR and the Council of Europe.		Implemented		The Commission facilitated an exchange between Member States and Jewish and Muslim representatives about the impact bans of religious slaughter can have on communities in the  Conference – Freedom of religion with regard to religious slaughter on 20 October 2022.
46.	Take action to combat antisemitism and foster Jewish life at regional and local level, including by mapping and developing a guide of good practices and training for organisations that operate at regional and local levels.		In progress		A study was launched to map good practices to combat antisemitism at regional and local level and to develop a guide of best practices. Three trainings for civil servants in different cities were held in 2023.
47.	Increase knowledge and understanding about Jewish life among the general public through an awareness-raising campaign in close cooperation with Jewish communities, including through intercultural and interreligious dialogue and activities.		In progress		The Commission started the preparatory work to develop an awareness raising campaign to increase knowledge about Jewish life and the fight against antisemitism and hatred among the general public.
48.	Support the exchange through the European Integration Network of good practices on informing migrants on EU values, including on combating antisemitism, for example by working with migrants as ambassadors for EU values.
49.	Foster links between the Jewish tradition of planting trees on the holiday of TuBishvat, including by school children, and the EU pledge to plant 3 billion additional trees under the biodiversity and forest strategy for 2030, thereby raising mutual awareness and visibility.
50.	The Commission will support training for journalists on recognising all forms of antisemitism and uncovering antisemitic biases in reporting.
2.3. Safeguarding Jewish heritage
51.	Invite cities to address the history of their minorities, including Jewish community history, when applying for the title of European Capital of Culture.		In progress		In 2022 the Jewish festival was part of the official activities organised in Kaunas as European Capital of Culture, and Kaunas included a number of other projects addressing the tragic fate of its Jewish community during the Second World War. In 2024, Bad Ischl will also use its European Capital of Culture year to present the flourishing life of its Jewish community in the 1920s and the 30s and its disappearance due to the Nazi’s.
52.	Promote visits of young people travelling around Europe to Jewish heritage sites in the context of DiscoverEU.		In progress		Since July 2022, young people travelling with DiscoverEU receive a discount card giving them discounts on cultural/historic visits across Europe. This includes Jewish heritage sites.
53.	Use the European Heritage Days, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the Commission, to draw attention to Jewish heritage across Europe.		In progress		The European Heritage Days 2022-2023 integrate actions to promote Jewish heritage, collaborating with the European Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Jewish Culture and Heritage (AEPJ). In 2024 , religious tolerance and intercultural dialogue have been highlighted, including Jewish cultural heritage through various media channels.
54.	Pursue the Jewish digital cultural recovery project, which aims at developing a comprehensive database of information on Jewish-owned cultural assets that were plundered by the Nazis, collecting good practices and proposing awareness-raising activities.		In progress		The project aims to develop a comprehensive database of information on Jewish-owned cultural assets that were plundered by the Nazis, collecting good practices and proposing awareness raising activities. The project runs until May 2025.
55.	Launch a preparatory action on protecting the Jewish cemeteries of Europe, capitalising on the results of two previous European Parliament pilot projects on this topic and fostering links between groups interested in the preservation of Jewish burial sites.		Implemented		This preparatory action was a continuation of the previous two pilot projects. It lasted 18 months, until June 2023. The action covered Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Czechia. Around 256 cemeteries were identified and protected, and several educational materials were produced and disseminated.
3.1. Education and research on antisemitism and Jewish life
56.	Support activities, through Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps, aimed at promoting European values and combating all forms of discrimination and intolerance, including antisemitism, by fostering civic education and youth participation in democratic life.		In progress		The programmes are fully compliant with this objective and support these activities.
57.	European Heritage Award/Europa Nostra Award		In progress		The awards emphasize the importance of preserving, restoring and remembering Jewish cultural heritage and traditions, with a dedicated commitment to raising awareness and remembrance of Holocaust victims.  In December 2023, President Ursula von der Leyen, announced the Commission's intention to create an award to celebrate Jewish cultural heritage in Europe. This new award aims to raise awareness and create a new momentum for broader knowledge and recognition of Jewish culture which has shaped our shared European history.
58.	Support Member States in stepping up their efforts to promote common values and inclusive education and implement the Council Recommendation on promoting common values, inclusive education, and the European dimension of teaching through the new Working Group on equality and values in education and training, including on Jewish life and traditions.		In progress		At the meeting of the Working group on equality and values in education and training on 9 June 2023 the topic of antisemitism was addressed. On 10 October 2023, the Commission published the report ‘ Promoting diversity and inclusion in Schools in Europe ’, which includes policies to combat antisemitism in education.
59.	Support educational professionals’ training in cooperation with UNESCO and OSCE-ODIHR, based on their guidance on ‘Addressing antisemitism through education’, respectively for policymakers and teacher-training institutions.		In progress		Funded by the European Commission and supported by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, on 3 April 2023 UNESCO launched a 2-year joint project to address rising antisemitism through education in Europe , taking place in 12 Member States.
60.	Support Member States, through the Technical Support Instrument, in designing and implementing reforms in schools aimed at tackling discrimination in general, and antisemitism in particular.		In progress		The Technical Support Instrument (TSI) now offers tailored assistance to Member States in their fight against racism and antisemitism.
61.	Foster, in cooperation with the Member States and the research community, the creation of a European research hub on contemporary antisemitism and Jewish life and culture fostering multidisciplinary research across Europe and fund research through Horizon Europe, on various structural forms of racism and xenophobia, taking into account national specificities and intersectionality.		In progress		To support the creation of a European research hub on contemporary antisemitism and Jewish life, on 31 March 2023 the Commission published the report ‘ The field of research on contemporary antisemitism and Jewish life ’. The Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025-2027 foresees that funded actions will aim to support the creation of a European research hub on contemporary antisemitism and Jewish life and culture.
62.	The FRA survey on Jewish people’s experiences of antisemitism will be repeated in 2023 and at regular intervals thereafter.		In progress		The fieldwork of the third FRA survey on Jewish people’s experiences of antisemitism took place in 2023 and the results were published on 11 July 2024.
63.	Support the development of a network of Young European Ambassadors to promote Holocaust remembrance in schools, universities and vocational and education training institutions		In progress		The network was launched at the Civil Society Forum on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life in Brussels on 17-18 November 2022. It will train young Europeans to access and share accurate information about the Holocaust, initiate Holocaust commemoration in their local environment, like schools and universities and recognize and counter Holocaust distortion online.
64.	Fund an EU-wide survey on antisemitic prejudices in the general population of all Member States, including among young people.		In progress		The preparatory work for the survey has started.
3.2. Holocaust education, research and remembrance
65.		Continue its presence in and support for Holocaust commemoration days and events, at both EU level and national level, in cooperation with the Commission Representations in Member States and EU delegations	In progress	Together with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), and respectively in 2023 the Swedish and in 2024 the Belgian EU Presidencies, the Commission organised around International Holocaust Remembrance Day (IHRD) on 27 January, the ‘Holocaust remembrance conference: Remembering the past, shaping the future’.
66.		Support, also financially, the creation of a network of sites ‘where the Holocaust happened’, in cooperation with local communities.	In progress	On the occasion of the 2024 Holocaust remembrance conference the Commission announced the launch of an open call for tender for the amount of EUR 3.0 million to establish a secretariat and develop the Europe-wide Network of places where the Holocaust happened. This had been developed based on a consultation process that was launched at the conference a year earlier.
67.		EHRI will expand its research focus on manifestations of antisemitism that led to the Holocaust.	In progress	EHRI has expanded its scientific scope to also include research on antisemitism in its relationship to the Holocaust.
68.		The Commission will also foster public debate (online or town hall) on the significance of the Holocaust in a diverse EU and support the creation of a participatory European Holocaust Monument in Brussels, linked with pieces of arts in EU capitals.	In progress	A first preliminary discussion on the monument took place at the Civil society forum on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life taking place in Brussels on 17-18 November 2022.
69.		Make project funding available through the Remembrance strand of the CERV programme to commemorate the Holocaust also through the digitalisations of archives and testimonies of Holocaust survivors.	In progress	To find relevant projects searches can be performed on keywords such as ‘Holocaust’, ‘Shoah’, and ‘Remembrance’ at the EU funded projects at the EU Funding & Tenders portal .
3.3. Holocaust denial, distortion and trivialisation
70.		Promote the use of the IHRA definition of Holocaust denial and distortion for education and for awareness-raising purposes.	In progress	The definition is published on the Commission website and referred to at events and in communication related to the topic, where relevant.
71.		Develop a handbook on best practices in fighting Holocaust denial, distortion and trivialisation.	Cancelled	The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance published itself a toolkit against Holocaust distortion and recommendations for policy and decision makers . The Commission has therefore decided to not develop a separate handbook itself.
72.		In partnership with the IHRA and UNESCO, the Commission will further develop other initiatives based on the ‘IHRA recommendation on recognising and Countering Holocaust distortion’. Support and strengthen social media campaigns together with UNESCO, the IHRA and other international partners and civil society groups to raise awareness of Holocaust denial and distortion and actively combat it.	In progress	Through the CERV programme, the EU provides support worth EUR 200.000 for UNESCO to organise training for the media and education professionals, publish guidelines and support the #ProtectTheFacts awareness raising campaign on countering Holocaust distortion.
73.		The EU will use all available tools to call on partner countries to actively combat antisemitism, taking into account the IHRA definition of antisemitism, in political and human rights dialogues and in its broader cooperation with partner countries	In progress	Concerns regarding Freedom of Religion or Belief were raised in more than 20 human rights dialogues every year. In dialogues with MENA countries (Middle East and North Africa), on several occasions the EEAS raised the need to introduce school curricula programmes about the Holocaust.
4.1. Use all instruments to address antisemitism through the EU’s external action
74.		The EU will actively cooperate with international organisations, in particular the United Nations, the Council of Europe and the OSCE, as well as with regional organisations in joint actions to fight discrimination and antisemitism	In progress	On 15 June 2023, the EU and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) organised an event, which explored ways to outline an UN wide approach to combat antisemitism. The EU actively participated in the OSCE Conferences on Combating Anti-Semitism and raised antisemitism in the context of the OSCE Warsaw Human Dimension Conferences. In line with the Council Conclusions on the EU priorities for cooperation with the CoE in 2023-2024 , the EU strives to enhance its exchanges and communication with the Council of Europe on policies and initiatives to combat racism and antisemitism. Following the 7 of October attacks, the Commission co-signed the joint statement by SECCA calling on governments to provide the necessary security for Jewish communities, ensuring safety for Jews on campus, encouraging solidarity with Jews from civil society and calling social media platforms to action. The Commission joint 42 countries in endorsing the Global Guidelines for countering antisemitism which summarize necessary actions in the fight against antisemitism.
75.		The EU will step up actions in the education sector and continue to promote full compliance of education material with UNESCO standards of peace, tolerance, coexistence and non-violence, in its cooperation on education with partner countries.
76.		The EU will include as part of its training on human rights for staff at delegations and headquarters specific sessions on freedom of religion or belief, including on combating antisemitism	In progress	Annual Trainings on Religion and Foreign Policy for EEAS staff that includes modules on Freedom of Religion or Belief.
77.		Promote the fight against religious and ethnic discrimination, including antisemitism in political and human rights dialogues and in broader cooperation with partner countries outside the EU.	In progress	Concerns regarding Freedom of Religion or Belief were raised in more than 20 human rights dialogues every year. In dialogues with MENA countries, the EEAS raised on several occasions the need to introduce school curricula programs about the Holocaust.
78.		Ensure training on fundamental rights and undertaking of intercultural dialogue for relevant actors, including teachers from outside the EU.
79.		Strengthen engagement with Jewish civil society and religious organisations to address antisemitic acts and limitations on freedom of religion or belief, through the network of EU delegations and headquarters.	In progress	EU delegations meet with faith-based organisations including Jewish civil society and religious organisations, when relevant or requested.
80.		Encourage the EU delegations to include reporting of antisemitic incidents in non-EU countries, in their regular political reporting.	In progress	Several EU Delegations include in their reports to headquarters violations of freedom of religion or belief, including antisemitic incidents and Holocaust denial.
81.		In addition, the EU will strengthen the global cooperation of special envoys and coordinators on combating antisemitism	In progress	Convened by the World Jewish Congress, the Commission co-chairs meetings of the Special Envoys and Coordinators on Combating Antisemitism (SECCA) twice a year. The Commission endorsed on 6 November 2023 the joint statement by SECCA condemning the rise of antisemitism following 7 of October attacks. On 17 July 2024, the Commission joint special envoys of 42 countries and international organisations in signing the Global Guidelines for countering antisemitism .
82.		Reinforce the EU-Israel seminar to further strengthen EU-Israel cooperation in the fight against antisemitism.	In progress	The EU-Israel seminar has been upgraded. The EU-Israel high-level seminar on combating racism, xenophobia and antisemitism was co-organised on 12 June 2023 in Jerusalem and on 7-8 May in Brussels. Vice-President Schinas and the Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs participated in the seminars.
83.		Consider new EU-funded projects in the EU’s neighbourhood and beyond to prevent and counter antisemitism and foster Jewish life. Actions aiming to combat antisemitism can be supported through the NDICI Global Europe programme on human rights and democracy initiatives addressing non-discrimination.	In progress	A call for proposals on combating discrimination financed under the NDICI Global Europe/Thematic Programme on Human Rights and Democracy was launched in early 2023. One of the lots in the call focuses on Freedom of Religion or Belief: promoting respect for all and intercultural and interreligious understanding.
84.		Ensure that EU external funds, in compliance with existing measures, may not be misallocated to activities that incite hatred and violence, including against Jewish people.	In progress	According to EU procedures, EU external funds should not support activities that incite hatred and violence, including against Jewish people.
4.2. Safeguarding Jewish cultural heritage and commemorating the Holocaust
85.		The EU will continue to promote Holocaust remembrance at international level and to publicly call out Holocaust denial, distortion and trivialisation in non-EU countries, including in international for a. Continue to organise and participate in high-level events around the remembrance of Shoah victims (commemorations, Holocaust Remembrance Day).	In progress	On 20 January 2022 the UN General Assembly approved, with support of all EU Member States, a resolution condemning Holocaust denial . HRVP Borrel issued statements on the occasion of Holocaust Remembrance Day in 2022 , 2023 and 2024 . EU Delegations regularly participate in high-level events around the remembrance of Shoah victims. The High Representative called out Russia’s misuse of the Holocaust.
86.		Intercultural and interfaith dialogue will be supported by the EU to reinforce cultural heritage protections through work on shared history and memory, building the basis for communities to live together peacefully in a multicultural context.	In progress	Between September 2021 and August 2022 three interfaith dialogue projects to promote social cohesion and tolerance concluded their activities. The projects took place in 1) Niger and Nigeria, 2) Burundi, Egypt, Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, 3) Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria.
87.		Promote and support the safeguarding, rehabilitation, and revitalisation of all heritage, tangible and intangible, including Jewish heritage, in line with its policies for international cultural relations and cultural heritage.	In progress	Between September 2021 and August 2022, the EC supported safeguarding, rehabilitation and revitalisation of all heritage, tangible and intangible, including religious heritage, in Yemen, Iraq, Mali, Central Asia, and Iran (among other countries), for a total of EUR 39million.
88.		Integrate intercultural and interfaith dialogue in cultural heritage interventions.	In progress	As an example, the Commission funded “Cash for Work: Promoting Livelihood Opportunities for Urban Youth in Yemen” project implemented by UNESCO (EUR 9.7 EUR million, September 2018 to August 2022) involved 86 young Yemeni artists and cultural programmers in peacebuilding dialogue, including with the UN Special Envoy to Yemen.
89.		Seek opportunities to include maintenance of Jewish heritage in programming in the neighbourhood and beyond.	In progress	A specific ‘Lot for projects’ under the IPA aimed at fostering Jewish Life and Jewish Cultural heritage, with a total allocation of EUR 1.5 million, was included in a regional call for proposals for civil society organisations from the Western Balkans and Türkiye. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Commission allocated under IPA EUR 260 000 for the Sarajevo Holocaust Museum. Under the NDICI the Commission has earmarked EUR 7 million for fighting antisemitism and preserving Jewish heritage in Ukraine and EUR 3 million for management and preservation of Jewish-Moroccan cultural sites and intangible heritage in Morocco.
Conclusion
90.		Comprehensive implementation reports will be published in 2024 and 2029. These will be based on the input from Member States, also with regard to the implementation of their national strategies and policies. With the support of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, these reports will include monitoring of progress at national level, taking into account the commitments made in the Council Declarations on antisemitism of 2018 and 2020.	In progress	First progress report presented in 2024.