21 June 2019

Widespread racism continues to plague Europe

Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Ethnic minorities and migrants continue to face harassment and discrimination across the EU,
despite longstanding EU laws against racism.

Everyday racism

  • 1/3 black people experience racial harassment
  • 4 in 10 say nothing would have changed by reporting it
  • 4/10 Jews consider emigrating because they do not feel safe as Jews
  • Political hate speech and right-wing extremism targeting Muslims and refugees have become mainstream across the EU
  • Racist harassment and violence is common in the EU but remains invisible in official statistics
  • Discriminatory racial profiling remains a concern 4/10 black people stopped by the police say it was because of their skin colour

Responses lacking

  • Only 15 out of the 28 EU Member States have dedicated action plans and strategies to combat racism and ethnic discrimination
  • Gaps persist in national laws criminalising racism
  • Equality bodies must do more outreach to let minorities know more about the anti-discrimination rules that can help them