On 14 October, the European Commission published its first advancement study on the implementation of the alleged European Union strategy for the period 2021-2030 to combat anti-Semitism and support judaic life. As of 2021, EU countries began implementing comprehensive anti-Semitism strategies.
In total, as stated in the report, 23 EU associate States have developed national anti-Semitism strategies and 20 associate States have appointed a peculiar envoy or national anti-Semitism coordinator.
The fight against alleged anti-Semitism was undertaken by referring to the working definition of anti-Semitism of the global Alliance for Holocaust Memory (IHRA), as there is no legal definition of this phenomenon. Hence, it is doubtful at all to enact penalties in the penal code in order to prosecute “anti-Semitism”.
Using the non-legally working definition of anti-Semitism, most associate States are to apply the approach "based on human rights and victims to combat anti-Semitism". The strategies include 90 concrete actions that are being implemented.
The Commission states that "modern anti-Semitism can be found in extremist and utmost groups advocating right-wing, left-wing or muslim extremism, it can hide behind anti-Zionism, but it can besides be found at the centre of society".
It was added that "according to a 3rd survey by the EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) on the anti-Semitic experiences of the judaic population carried out in the first half of 2023, almost all Jews (96%) in Europe encountered anti-Semitism online or offline. 8 out of 10 Jews claim that anti-Semitism has increased in fresh years, and 76% avoid wearing or exposing public objects in places that would make them recognisable as Jews. The 484 Eurobarometer shows that as early as 2019, on average more than 1 in 2 Europeans (54%) stated that the conflict in the mediate East has an impact on the perception of the judaic population in their country."
After the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 and with the Israeli response, Europe was to increase “hate-whide-whide and force against Jews”. These included arson of judaic premises, physical attacks on judaic persons and property, acts of vandalism.
The European Commission recalls that "anti-Semitism is incompatible with our core values" and "represents a threat, above all to Jews, but besides to democracy and safety in Europe", and "the fight against anti-Semitism in the EU is more crucial than ever".
The first advancement study on the implementation of the EU strategy on combating anti-Semitism and supporting judaic life with just over 20 pages shows that the EC adopted the first always strategy to combat anti-Semitism and support judaic life (2021-2030) on 5 October 2021 and is simply 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 lifestyle".
The EU strategy is based on 3 pillars: 1) preventing all forms of anti-Semitism; 2) protecting and supporting judaic life; and 3) promoting research, education and memory of the Holocaust. The EU is to lead the global fight against anti-Semitism. The EC undertook to print reports on the advancement of the strategy in the years 2024 and 2029.
The study is based on data from NGOs and state responses on advancement "in building sustainable EU and national structures to prevent and combat anti-Semitism and guarantee a future for judaic life in Europe".
The EC encourages "the fight against anti-Semitic hatred crimes and hatred speech". It was pointed out that the Commission has late accelerated the implementation of the EU strategy, made available funds to guarantee the safety of judaic premises, collaborates with Europol and national law enforcement authorities to “take care of the vast amount of terrorist and extremist content circulating on the Internet” after Hamas attacks and “start networking to tackle anti-Semitism on the Internet”. It calls upon national authorities to analyse and prosecute and to justice cases of alleged hate-motivated crimes or statements, including public approval, denial and gross trivialisation of the Holocaust.
On 16 and 17 November 2022. The Commission organised its first civilian Society Forum in Brussels on combating anti-Semitism and supporting judaic life, involving more than 200 representatives of judaic organisations and another civilian society organisations. The EU strategy is designed to mainstream anti-Semitism in all applicable policy areas.
For example, in Sweden, a government task force on judaic life formed in January 2023 conducts a dialog on preventive measures and initiatives to facilitate judaic life and to prevent and combat anti-Semitism. It is composed of State Secretaries from six ministries and is headed by the Secretary of State of the Prime Minister. The task force is besides co-operating with police and Swedish judaic civilian society organisations specified as the Live past Forum.
The Commission has encouraged associate States to appoint peculiar envoys or national coordinators against anti-Semitism and to adopt and apply a non-legal working definition of IHRA anti-Semitism.
So far, 23 EU countries have developed national anti-Semitism strategies, of which 14 have developed a stand-alone anti-Semitism strategy, and 9 have included peculiar measures in wider strategies against racism, extremism or to advance human rights.
20 countries appointed a peculiar envoy or national coordinator to combat anti-Semitism and 25 countries, including Poland, adopted and/or supported the IHRA's working definition of anti-Semitism. More than half of the associate States have implemented ‘self-contained’ strategies specifically targeting anti-Semitism.
Despite the deficiency of a legal (legal) definition of anti-Semitism, the EC seeks criminal prosecution of "anti-Semitic hatred speech and hatred crimes". It has taken a Framework Decision on combating racism and xenophobia through criminal law, which provides a "strong legal framework to combat, inter alia, anti-Semitic hatred crimes and hatred speech, including public consent, negation or flagrant trivialisation of the Holocaust, erstwhile carried out in a way that can incite force or hatred".
The Commission has taken steps to guarantee that the Framework Decision is full and correctly transposed. Brussels initiated 13 infringement proceedings against associate States due to incomplete or incorrect transposition between October 2020 and August 2024 of the abovementioned provisions. As a result, six associate States have aligned their rules full with the Framework Decision and the cases have been closed. another countries have made advancement and changed their laws.
To strengthen the legal framework across the EU, "The Commission adopted on 9 December 2021. Communication on "A more inclusive and protective Europe: extending the list of EU crimes to hatred speech and hatred crime" aimed at calling for a Council decision extending the list of "EU offences" set out in Article 83 TFEU to hatred crimes and hatred speech".
The study states that "There is no place for hatred: a united Europe against hatred" of 6 December 2023. The Commission and the advanced typical for abroad Affairs and safety Policy have stepped up efforts to combat hatred in all its forms. As a follow-up, the Commission organised the European Citizens' Panel on the fight against hatred in society in April and May 2024 to look at the root causes of hatred, specified as anti-Semitism, and to draw up concrete recommendations on EU action." A proposal for a revision of the Victims' Rights Directive was besides adopted in July 2023, with "the aim of further strengthening the rights of all victims of crime in the EU", including through criminal law measures
There are ongoing proceedings against Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden to implement reforms to comply with the Framework Decision. In Germany, most national states have appointed anti-Semitism commissioners in the offices of the lawyer General, who are pursuing "anti-Semitic crimes". It was pointed out that "the speech of hatred against anti-Semitic and hatred crimes must be pursued effectively and the perpetrators must be convicted".
New standards and guidelines are being promoted for collecting data on hatred crimes, hatred crime training and support for hatred crime victims. "By means of the Justice Programme, the Commission supports the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) with an operational grant, including the organisation of seminars on non-discrimination and the fight against anti-Semitism".
Law enforcement training (CEPOL) is being developed. crucial seminars are held in the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum. Close monitoring is conducted, for example, in May 2021. Austria has set up a European Conference on Anti-Semitism as part of a "group of leaders" now made up of 15 associate States, which have signed a "Viennese Declaration on stepping up cooperation in combating anti-Semitism and encouraging reporting of anti-Semitic incidents".
In April 2024, the European Anti-Semitism Monitoring Network was launched and 2 years earlier, the EU was the first region in the planet to adopt a legal framework governing how online platforms can operate in the EU. The Digital Services Act (DSA), which has been full in force since February of this year, imposes fresh obligations on online platforms to prevent illegal content, including "illegal anti-Semitic hatred speech". net platforms and search engines, which have more than 45 million users in the EU, must "assess and mitigate the risks associated with the usage of their services", specified as limiting the dissemination of anti-Semitic content. For this reason, the Commission may impose advanced financial penalties. A number of proceedings have already been taken. The reinforced Code of Conduct for combating illegal hatred speech on the net is besides intended to aid remove certain messages before they become viral.
In Luxembourg, the authorities call on the delinquents who have committed themselves to “anti-Semitic content” on the net to participate in the “Dialog alternatively of hate” programme, where they are “witting about the harmful effects of their hatred speech”. In utmost cases, prison sentences are foreseen.
In the Netherlands, "National Anti-Semitism Coordinator (NCAB) and the Bol.com online store agreed on 8 November 2022 an initiative supplementing criminal law in order to better and more effective approach to guarantee that anti-Semitic content is not sold online. The aim is to address the business model behind anti-Semitism and conspiracy theories and share cognition and experience with another companies. Amazon joined the initiative in June 2024."
On 7 March 2024, the Commission and Europol organised an exercise to test the implementation of the EU Voluntary Crisis Protocol, together with applicable operational obligations and procedures under the TCO Regulation, taking into account fresh challenges in preventing the dissemination of terrorist content on the net as a consequence of attacks."
She has intensified her work The Network of cognition on Radicalization of Empositions (RAN), assuming that “anti-Semitism” is “part of almost all extremist ideologies and narratives”.
In June 2024, an EU cognition Centre on preventing radicalisation was established, replacing RAN. In early 2024, the Commission, under the joint leadership of Germany and Austria, launched a cooperation task on anti-Semitism in preventing and combating violent extremism with 12 associate States to address the problem of increased radicalisation. 72 events were organised in Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ireland, Italy, North Macedonia and Moldova.
EU IRU Europol has provided an improved "Internet terrorist content detection package" to "support voluntary content moderation by companies, in peculiar for smaller platforms". Best practices are mapped to support the improvement of judaic life in EU countries through public celebration of judaic holidays in offices, training of officials, support of ritual slaughter, many cultural, sporting, social initiatives, etc.
The working definition of IHRA anti-Semitism can be read Here.and the EC study Here..
Source: commission.europa.eu
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