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Fight against racism and xenophobia

Article 10 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union requires the European Union (EU), in defining and implementing its policies, to combat discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.

Article 21 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights prohibits discrimination based on any grounds, such as sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation.

EU measures in the field of racism and xenophobia include:

  • a framework decision on combating racism and xenophobia that addresses, by means of criminal law, public incitement to racial violence or hatred, along with racist motivation;
  • a victims’ rights directive that sets minimum standards on crime victims’ rights, support and protection, paying particular attention to those who have suffered a crime committed with a bias or with a discriminatory motive;
  • a race equality directive that prohibits discrimination on the basis of racial or ethnic origin;
  • an employment equality directive that prohibits discrimination in employment, for example on the grounds of religion;
  • legislation prohibiting discrimination at border controls;
  • an audiovisual media services law that bans incitement to hatred in audiovisual media services and the promotion of discrimination in advertising.

Funding is available under the EU’s citizens, equality, rights and values programme (2021-2027) for projects promoting the effective implementation of the principles of non-discrimination on the grounds of racial or ethnic origin.

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