Equality

Equality, non-discrimination and racism

Equality is a core value of the EU. You have the right to fair treatment regardless of who you are, what you believe, or how you chose to live.

We carry out research and share expertise to help fight discrimination, inequality and racism in all its forms.

Highlights

  • Report / Paper / Summary
    27
    January
    2026
    This report looks at antisemitism in the EU, focusing on what can be done to address gaps in recording and inconsistencies in data collection. It highlights existing tools and guidance for Member States to improve their recording systems. The analysis is based on official administrative data and information from publicly available sources across EU Member States, as well as Albania, North Macedonia, and Serbia. Detailed country overviews are available for all countries covered. Antisemitism has been monitored by FRA since 2004. This report builds on the 2024 publication, ‘Jewish People’s Experiences and Perceptions of Antisemitism’.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    27
    November
    2025
    This report looks at the breadth and depth of violence and neglect faced by people with disabilities living in institutions. It highlights the shortcomings by EU Member States in preventing violence and protecting those who are at a higher risk of experiencing it, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Based on research across all EU Member States and FRA observer candidate countries, the report calls for better protection, stronger prevention of violence, and clear accountability. It urges the EU and its Member States to implement their obligations around equality and fundamental rights.
  • Data explorer
    FRA’s 2024 survey on Roma and Travellers in Albania, Bulgaria, Czechia, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, Serbia and Spain collected information from 10,126 respondents living in private households who self-identify as Roma or Traveller, are 16 or older and have lived in the survey countries for at least the 12 months before the survey.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    25
    October
    2024
    Racism towards Muslims is increasing in countries across the EU. Muslims face racial discrimination and racist harassment because of their religion, skin colour or ethnic background. This report shows a sharp rise since the last survey in 2016.
    Publications and data
    Fundamental Rights Report
    1
    August
    2007
    Unequal treatment continues in employment, housing and education, according to data collected by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). Figures for racist crime in 2005 and 2006 are up in a number of EU countries. While there are more signs that the EU's anti-discrimination legislation is having a positive impact, victims of discrimination still lack knowledge of the new rules.
    21
    July
    2011
    The 2003-2008 update on the exclusion and discrimination of migrants, minorities and employment in the 27 EU Member States provides a comparative overview and analysis of data and information documenting discrimination in the workplaces and labour markets across the European Union.
    Report / Paper / Summary
    29
    September
    2011
    This report examines what the Treaty of Lisbon means for the protection of minorities, and the policies the EU has recently adopted in this field. It provides evidence of the still persistent phenomenon of discrimination found in many areas of life, including employment, housing, healthcare and education.
    2
    June
    2009
    The FRA publishes its report "Homophobia and Discrimination on Grounds of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in the EU Member States: Part II - The Social Situation". The report finds that discrimination, harassment and violence against LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) persons are widespread throughout the EU. The FRA calls on political decision-makers to further improve equality legislation and ensure accurate reporting, in order to improve the situation.
    Report / Paper / Summary
    2
    March
    2009
    The Agency has published on 2nd March its new "Antisemitism Summary overview of the situation in the European Union 2001-2008". This publication is the 5th update of its 2004 report "Manifestations of antisemitism in the EU" with new statistical data.
    27
    October
    2010
    Social marginalisation and discrimination have severe consequences for any society – both need to be addressed as a priority, as they are directly linked to violent behaviour in young people. This research shows a high degree of overlap between three EU Member States when considering explanatory factors to violent attitudes or acts of violence committed by young people.
    Report / Paper / Summary
    9
    April
    2010
    The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) presents its 6th update of its 2004 report "Manifestations of Antisemitism in the EU".
    25
    January
    2012
    The Racial Equality Directive (2000/43/EC) is the key piece of EU legislation for combating discrimination on the grounds of racial or ethnic origin and for giving effect to the principle of equal treatment. The present report discusses the application of the directive through the laws and practices in the 27 EU Member States.
    11
    October
    2010
    EU-MIDIS Data in Focus report 4 focuses on the experiences of police stops of the 23 500 individuals with an ethnic minority or immigrant background interviewed as part of the survey. The report also contains results showing levels of trust in the police from the EU-MIDIS Survey.
    11
    October
    2010
    When a decision to stop an individual is motivated solely or mainly by virtue of a person's race, ethnicity or religion, this constitutes discriminatory ethnic profiling. Such practices can serve to alienate certain communities in the EU, and in turn can contribute to inefficient policing. The FRA guide aims to help the police address and avoid discriminatory ethnic profiling, and is designed to be used as a tool for more effective policing.
    1
    September
    2011
    The Fundamental Rights Conference, the flagship annual event of the FRA, focused in 2010 on ensuring justice and protection for all children, including those who are most vulnerable. This report summarises the speeches, discussion and common conclusions and issues identified during the conference.
    Report / Paper / Summary
    20
    October
    2011
    This handbook examines the role of Holocaust memorial sites and museums, drawing on findings from the FRA project 'Discover the past for the future - A study on the role of historical sites and museums in Holocaust education and human rights education in the EU'.
    9
    November
    2010
    To mark the 2010 anniversary of "the night of the broken glass", the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) publishes a handbook for teachers: Excursion to the past - teaching for the future. The handbook emphasises the link between teaching about the Holocaust and other Nazi crimes, and teaching about human rights and democracy.
    7
    May
    2010
    EU-MIDIS "Data in Focus" report 3 focuses on respondents' knowledge about their rights in the field of non-discrimination, including knowledge about Equality Bodies in Member States. This Data In Focus report on 'Rights Awareness and equality bodies' relates to Article 21, on 'non-discrimination', as enrshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
    Report / Paper / Summary
    20
    June
    2011
    The Agency's data collection work over recent years shows that few European Union (EU) Member States have official data and statistics on antisemitic incidents.
    23
    May
    2012
    Roma - Europe's largest minority of 10-12 million people - continue to experience discrimination and social exclusion; and they are not sufficiently aware of their rights guaranteed by EU law, such as the Racial Equality Directive. This report presents the first results of the FRA Roma pilot survey and the UNDP/World Bank/European Commission regional Roma survey carried out in 2011.
    7
    June
    2012
    This report, based on fieldwork in nine EU Member States, summarises the experiences of involuntary placement and involuntary treatment of persons with mental health problems.
    Report / Paper / Summary
    18
    June
    2012
    The update assembles statistical data covering the period 1 January 2001-31 December 2011 on antisemitic incidents collected by supranational, governmental and non-governmental sources.
    20
    June
    2012
    To secure and safeguard the fundamental rights of everyone in the European Union (EU), the EU and its 27 Member States pressed forward with a number of initiatives in 2011. This report chronicles the positive developments made in 2011 as well as the challenges facing the EU and its Member States in the field of fundamental rights.
    23
    May
    2012
    This factsheet presents the first results of the surveys based on an analysis of only part of the available data. The results presented are a first step in addressing the severe lack of data on the socio-economic situation of Roma in the EU and the fulfilment of their rights.
    A new report by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) identifies the specific barriers and experiences of unequal treatment in accessing healthcare that people may face because of a combination of their traits (e.g. ethnic origin, gender, age and disability).
    Hate crime is a daily reality throughout the European Union (EU), two new reports by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) confirm. Violence and offences motivated by racism, xenophobia, religious intolerance, or by a person’s disability, sexual orientation or gender identity are all examples of hate crime, which harm not only those targeted but also strike at the heart of EU commitments to democracy and the fundamental rights of equality and non-discrimination.
    STRASBOURG, VIENNA, WARSAW 21 March 2011 - In a joint statement on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Nils Muiznieks, Chair of the Council of Europe's European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), Morten Kjaerum, Director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), and Janez Lenarčič, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), strongly condemned manifestations of racism and related intolerance.
    Today the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) is publishing its findings on multiple discrimination at the European Union agencies exhibition "The way ahead", held at the European Parliament. The findings show that people belonging to 'visible' minorities, such as Roma and people of African origin, are more likely to suffer multiple discrimination – that is, being discriminated on more than one ground - than other minorities. Another relevant ground for discrimination that could increase the experience of multiple discrimination are socio-economic factors such as living with a low income.
    The FRA will today present its new report on racism, ethnic discrimination and the exclusion of migrants and minorities in sport in the European Union. Delegates at the 16th European Fair Play Congress in Prague will discuss the report's findings, including the need to make sport more inclusive and ways of addressing the underrepresentation of persons belonging to minorities in sport. The FRA report also highlights the lack of data available showing the occurrence of racist incidents in sport. It emphasises the need to develop effective ways of monitoring such incidents among players, referees and club officials, as well as between or by fans.
    The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) is publishing today, at a Symposium of the European Police College (CEPOL), results from the first ever EU-wide survey on police stops and minorities. The findings show that minorities who perceive they are stopped because of their minority background have a lower level of trust in the police. The results from the FRA's survey are launched together with the FRA Guide on discriminatory ethnic profiling.
    Protection mechanisms on paper do not yet fully function in practiceThe 2010 Annual Report of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) identifies challenges in the areas of data protection, extreme exploitation in the workplace, rights of the child, racism and discrimination, and LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) issues.
    Racism and xenophobia continue to affect the day to day lives of a significant number of people within the European Union warned the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights today in a joint statement with the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Council of Europe's European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI).
    On the 18 and 19 February, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) hosted a meeting to discuss its upcoming report on racism and ethnic discrimination in sport. The meeting brought together representatives from international sporting organisations such as UEFA, the European Basketball Federation (FIBA), the European Athletics Association and the European Olympic Committee, members of national sporting organisations and delegates from the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of Europe. The participants discussed the report's draft recommendations and suggested ways in which the recommendations should be prioritised and implemented.
    At a Ministerial Conference in Auschwitz on the 2010 International Remembrance Day for the Victims of the Holocaust, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) will release the findings of the first ever EU-wide study on the role of historical sites and museums in teaching about the Holocaust and human rights. The report reveals that at historical sites and in schools across the EU, teaching about the Holocaust rarely includes discussion of related human rights issues. Teachers and guides are regarded as key to ensuring interest in the subject, yet there is a lack of human rights training on behalf of both groups. Based on the findings of its study, the FRA encourages national governments to better integrate human rights education into their school curricula to reflect the significance of human rights for both the history and the future of the EU.
    EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) releases new data on anti-Semitic incidents in the EUThe EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) releases today its new report “Anti-Semitism. Summary overview of the situation in the European Union 2001-2008”.
    Today we commemorate the tragic events of 1960 in Sharpeville, which led to the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. (1) On this symbolic day, we - the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the Council of Europe's European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) - stand united in calling on political parties to combat racism. In the words of Nelson Mandela, we call on political leaders to build "a society of which all humanity will be proud".