EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 78/547

(2004/C 78 E/0582)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3437/03

by Philip Claeys (NI) to the Commission

(20 November 2003)

Subject: Anti-Semitism among North African and other Islamic immigrants in Europe

During the annual commemoration of Kristallnacht in Amsterdam on 9 November 2003, Commissioner Bolkestein drew attention to the fact that the vast majority of those who commit anti-Semitic offences are currently of North African origin. In many cases they are young people who sympathise with the Palestinian intifada and wish to express their identification with the Palestinian cause by attacking members of Jewish communities in Europe. This is not confined to verbal abuse but increasingly also involves physical violence. This phenomenon may be observed not only in the Netherlands but also (‘inter alia’) in France and Belgium.

Do the present campaigns and programmes against racism and discrimination which are organised and/or subsidised by the European Union include any specific measures to combat the growing hatred of Jews among Islamic and/or other North African immigrants?

As part of measures against racism, are there any plans to formulate a target group policy in the near future which will specifically tackle hatred of Jews among immigrants? Which approach does the Commission favour in this regard? What appropriations are allocated to this?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(16 January 2004)

The Community Action Programme to combat discrimination (1) is aimed at promoting measures to combat any direct or indirect, single or multiple discrimination based on racial or ethnic origin, religion or beliefs, disability, age or sexual orientation. Within the limits of the Community's powers, the programme with a budget of almost EUR 100 million for the period 2001-2006, supports and supplements the efforts made at Community level and in the Member States to encourage measures to prevent and combat discrimination. One of its objectives is to promote and disseminate the values and practices underlying the combating of discrimination, including by means of awareness-raising activities. Groups who are potential victims of discrimination are targeted through the full range of activities under the Programme, including of course, members of the Jewish community, Muslims and immigrants.

Concerns about reports of the rise of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in the Union led the Commission to organise, with the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia, a series of Round Tables on anti-Semitism and Islamophobia earlier in 2003.

The Monitoring Centre is, of course, responsible for monitoring racist and xenophobic incidents within the Union. The Centre is currently preparing a study on anti-Semitism in the Union which it plans to publish in the first quarter of 2004.

On the other hand, adequate criminal law measures form an important tool for combating racism and xenophobia. Apart from their punitive aspect, they have a significant dissuasive force. In this respect, the Commission tabled in November 2001 a proposal for a Council Framework Decision on combating racism and xenophobia (2).

The purpose of the proposed framework decision is twofold:

(1) to ensure that racism and xenophobia are punishable in all Member States by effective, proportionate and dissuasive criminal penalties, which can give rise to extradition or surrender and

(2) to improve and encourage judicial co-operation by removing potential obstacles.

This instrument, if adopted and implemented in national laws would obviously apply to individuals or legal persons who practice criminal behaviour regardless of whether they belong to any population group.

(1) Council Decision 2000/750/EC of 27 November 2000, OJ L 303, 2.12.2000.

(2) OJ C 75 E, 26.3.2002.