December
2013

Fundamental Rights Conference 2013 "Combating hate crime in the EU" : Conference conclusions

The Fundamental Rights Conference 2013 was organised by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) in cooperation with the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU. The focus of the conference was on the issue of ‘Combating hate crime in the EU’.

The conference featured thematic working groups that addressed the issues most pertinent for policy making in the field of hate crime, including (1) evidence on the extent of hate crime, (2) underreporting, (3) gaps in monitoring and recording, (4) legal instruments pertaining to hate crime in the EU, (5) victim support services, (6) effective practices of investigation and prosecution, (7) the discriminatory aspects of hate crime, (8) human rights education and remembrance, (9) capacity building for law enforcement and criminal justice systems, and (10) the challenges of cyberhate.

The conference discussions resulted in a variety of concrete suggestions by conference participants. These conference conclusions are reflected in the Council conclusions on combating hate crime in the European Union adopted at the Home Affairs Council adopted at the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting on 6 December 2013.