COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT National transposition measures and Data on application of the Framework Decision submitted by the Member States
Date: 2014-01-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU Member State, criminal liability, directive (EU), disclosure of information, judicial cooperation in criminal matters in the EU, national implementing measure, racism, xenophobia













EUR-Lex - 52014SC0027 - EN











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52014SC0027

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT National transposition measures and Data on application of the Framework Decision submitted by the Member States /* SWD/2014/027 final */









1. National transposition measures
 Member State || National transposition measures communicated to the Commission under Article 10 || Date of adoption 
 Belgium || Loi du 30 juillet 1981 tendant à réprimer certains actes inspirés par le racisme ou la xénophobie || 30/07/1981 
 Loi du 10 mai 2007 tendant à lutter contre certaines formes de discrimination || 10/05/2007 
 Loi du 23 mars 1995 tendant à réprimer la négation, la minimisation, la justification ou l'approbation du génocide commis par le régime national socialiste allemand pendant la seconde guerre mondiale || 23/03/1995 
 Loi du 15 février 1993 créant un Centre pour l'égalité des chances et la lutte contre le racisme || 15/02/1993 
 Code pénal || 08/06/1867 Amended through Act 1999-05-04/60; Act 2003-01-23/42; Act 2007-05-10/35 
 Titre préliminaire du Code de procédure pénale || 05/05/1878 (latest amendement 12/11/2013)   
 Code d'instruction criminelle || 17/11/1808 Amended through Act 10-07-1967; Act 1998-03-12/39; Act 1999-05-04/60; Act 2003-01-06/34; Act 2005-12-27/34;   
 Constitution || Coordinated on 17/02/1994 
 Bulgaria   || Наказателен кодекс на Република България || 27/05/2011 (entry into force) 
 Закон за административните нарушения и наказания || 27/05/2011 (entry into force) 
 Наказателно-процесуален кодекс || Effective 29/04/2006, last amended 23/12/2008 
 Czech Republic || Zákon čislo 40/2009 Sb. trestní zákoník ve znění zákona č. 306/2009 Sb. || 01/01/2010 (entry into force) 
 Zákon č. 141/1961 Sb., o trestním řízení soudním (trestní řád) ve znění zákona 306/2009 Sb. || 01/01/1962 (entry into force) 
 Zákon č. 40/1964 Sb., občanský zákoník  || 01/01/1965 (entry into force) 
 164/1947 Sb. Dohoda sjednaná vládou Spojeného království Velké Británie a Severního Irska, vládou Spojených států amerických, Prozatímní vládou Francouzské republiky a vládou Svazu sovětských socialistických republik o stíhání a potrestání hlavních válečných zločinců evropské osy || 08/08/1945 (entry into force) 
 Usnesení předsednictva České národní rady č. 2/1993 Sb., o vyhlášení Listiny základních práv a svobod jako součásti ústavního pořádku České republiky || 28/12/1992 (entry into force) 
 Zákon č. 418/2011 Sb., o trestní odpovědnosti právnických osob a řízení  proti nim nim || 01/01/2012 (entry into force) 
 Denmark   || Straffeloven || Consolidated version published by Order No 1034 of 29/10/2009 
 Lov om rettens pleje or retsplejeloven || Consolidated version published by Order No 1053 of 29/10/2009 
 Germany   || Strafgesetzbuch || 16/12/2010 
 Gesetz über Ordnungswidrigkeiten || 29/07/2009 
 Gesetz zur Regelung des öffentlichen Vereinsrechts || 21/12/2007 
 Ireland   || Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989 || 29/11/1989 
 Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1994 || 19/05/1997 
 Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act 1851 || 07/08/1851 
 Criminal Law Act 1997 || 22/04/1997 
 Interpretation Act 2005 || 17/10/2005 
 Estonia || Karistusseadustik || 06/06/2001 
 Kriminaalmenetluse seadustik || 12/02/2003 
 Eesti Vabariigi põhiseadus || 28/06/1992 
 Meediateenuste seadus || 16/12/2010 
 Greece   || Συντάγματος || Constitution 
 Νόμος 927/1979 || 25/28/06/1979 
 Νόμος 3304/2005 ||   
 Ποινικού Κώδικα || Criminal Code 
 Spain || Ley Orgànica 10/1995, de 23 de noviembre, del Código Penal y Ley Orgánica 5/2010 || 23/11/1995 
 Ley Orgánica 6/1985, de 1 de julio, del Poder Judicial || 01/07/1985 
 France   || Code pénal || 01/01/2014 (consolidated version) 
 Loi du 29 juillet 1881 sur la liberté de la presse || 29/07/1881 
 Croatia   || Kazneni zakon (KZ) (OG 125/11, 144/12 ) || 21/10/2011 (last amended 19/12/2012) 
 Zakon o kaznenom postupku (ZKP) || 15/12/2008 (last amended 04/12/2013) 
 Zakon o odgovornosti pravnih osoba za kaznena djela || 11/09/2003 (last amended 07/12/2012) 
 Italy || Legge 9 ottobre 1967, n. 962, Prevenzione e repressione del delitto di genocidio || 09/10/1967 
 Legge 13 ottobre 1975, n. 654, Ratifica ed esecuzione della convenzione internazionale sull’eliminazione di tutte le forme di discriminazione razziale || 13/10/1975 
 Decreto legge 26 aprile 1993, n. 122, Misure urgenti in materia di discriminazione razziale, etnica e religiosa || 26/04/1993 
 Codice penale || 19/10/1930 (last amended 15/10/2013) 
 Cyprus || ΝΟΜΟΣ ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΚΑΤΑΠΟΛΕΜΗΣΗ ΟΡΙΣΜΕΝΩΝ ΜΟΡΦΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΚΔΗΛΩΣΕΩΝ ΡΑΤΣΙΣΜΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΞΕΝΟΦΟΒΙΑΣ ΜΕΣΩ ΤΟΥ ΠΟΙΝΙΚΟΥ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ || 21/10/2011 (entry into force) 
 Latvia   || Law on Crime (Criminal Law) || 17/06/1998 
 Criminal Procedure Law || 21/04/2005 
 Lithuania || Lietuvos Respublikos Baudžiamasis Kodeksas || 26/09/2000 
 Luxembourg   || Code pénal || 19/07/1997 
 Code de procédure pénale || 09/12/1808 (last amended 29/03/2013) 
 Hungary || A Büntető Törvénykönyvről szóló1978. évi IV. törvény (Btk.) || 31/12/1978 (entry into force) 
 A Jogi személlyel szemben alkalmazható büntetőjogi intézkedésekről szóló 2001. évi CIV. törvény (Jszbt.) ||   
 A Büntetőeljárásról szóló 1998. évi XIX. törvény (Be.) || 10/03/1998 
 Malta || Kodiċi Kriminali || 10/06/1854 (amended by ACT No. XI of 17/07/2009) 
 Netherlands   || Wetboek van Strafrecht || 03/03/1881 (amended 09/12/2004) 
 Wetboek van Strafvordering ||   
 Burgerlijk Wetboek ||   
 Austria || Strafgesetzbuch || 23/01/1974 (latest relevant amendment 27/06/2012) 
 Verbandsverantwortlichkeitsgesetz || 28/09/2005 (latest relevant amendment 05/12/2007) 
 Verbotsgesetz 1947 || 08/05/1945 (latest relevant amendment 27/02/1992) 
 Austrian Code of Criminal Procedure || 30/05/1990 (latest 
 Poland   || Kodeks karny || 02/04/1997 
 Kodeks postępowania karnego || 06/06/1997 
 Ustawa z dnia 28 października 2002 r.o odpowiedzialności podmiotów zbiorowych za czyny zabronione pod groźbą kary || 28/10/2002 
 Portugal   || Codigo Penal Português || 15/02/1929 (latest amendment 19/04/2013) 
 Lei 109/2009 || 15/09/2009 
 Romania || Legea 286/2009 || 24/07/2009 
 Legea 187/2012 || 12/11/2012 
 Slovenia   || Kazenski zakonnik || 01/11/2008 (latest amendment 02/11/2011) 
 Zakon o odgovornosti pravnih oseb za kazniva dejanja || 21/11/2005 
 Zakon o kazenskem postopku || 01/01/1995 (entry into force) 
 Slovakia   || Trestný Zákon 300/2005 || 20/05/2005 (latest amendment 26/07/2012) 
 Zákon 262/2011 pozmeňujúci zákon 301/2005 || 13/07/2011 
 Finland || Rikoslaki || Last amendment 13/05/2011 
 Sweden || Den svenska brottsbalken || 01/01/1965 (entry into force) 
 Den svenska rättegångsbalken || 01/01/1948 (entry into force) 
 United Kingdom || Public Order Act 1986 || 07/11/1986 
 Accessories and Abettors Act 1861 || 06/08/1861 
 Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 || 08/11/ 1995 
 Crime and Disorder Act 1998 || 31/07/1998 
 Criminal Justice Act 2003 || 20/11/2003 
 Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 || 08/11/1995 
 Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003   || 20/02/2003 
 Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 || 30/06/2010 
 Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006 || 25/05/2006 
 Interpretation Act 1978 || 20/07/1978 
 Insolvency Act 1986 || 25/07/1986 
 Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 || 24/07/2002 
 Serious Crimes Act 2007 || 30/10/2007 
 Public Order (Northern Ireland) Order 1987 || 18/03/1987 
 Criminal Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 || 01/08/1967 
 Criminal Justice (No 2) (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 || 27/07/2004 
 Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 || 21/12/1954 
 Magistrates Court (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 || 24/11/1981 
 Crimes Act 2011 (Gibraltar) || 14/04/2011 
 Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act 2011 (Gibraltar) || 14/10/2011 
 Gibraltar Constitution Order 2006 || 14/12/2006 
 Transnational Organised Crime Act 2006 (Gibraltar) || 20/04/2006 
2. Data on
application of the Framework Decision 
submitted by the Member States
Information
on the number of incidents reported, cases prosecuted and cases sentenced is essential
in order to understand the practical application of the Framework Decision.
However, as recurrently reported, data collection on hate speech and hate crime
is not uniform in the EU and thus not sufficient for reliable cross-country
comparisons. 
Limited
data collection in a Member State (where few incidents are reported, recorded
and prosecuted) can be an indicator that hate crimes are not effectively
tackled. The Commission asked all Member States to provide it with figures
about the incidence of and the criminal response to hate speech and hate crime.
BE, CZ, DK, DE, IE, FR, LV, LU, HU, AT, PL, RO, SI, SK, FI, SE and UK have submitted these data:[1]
·               
In BE the police registered 860 cases of
incitement to discrimination, hatred or violence in 2011 and 432 cases in the
first half of 2012. A total of 726 cases of racism and xenophobia (including
hate speech, hate crime and discrimination) were reported to the prosecutor in
2012, and 66 judgments (49 of which were convictions, 4 acquittals and 8
suspensions) were passed. [2]
·               
In CZ, 4 persons were convicted in 2011
for ‘encouragement to hatred against a group of people or to restrict their
rights and freedoms’ and 2 persons were convicted for committing the same
offence in 2012. No figures were provided as regards cases reported or
prosecuted.
·               
DK registered 38 cases of hate speech
reported in 2011, 19 prosecutions, and 5 convictions. As for 2012, 36 cases
were reported, and there were 15 prosecutions and 6 convictions.[3]
·               
Police forces of the Länder registered a
total of 1605 cases of incitement to hatred or violence in 2011 in DE. Judgment
was passed in 400 cases, 265 individuals were convicted. 1733 cases were
registered by police forces in 2012 but there are no statistics available on
their criminal follow-up yet. [4]
·               
IE reports that there were 142 racially
motivated incidents in 2011 and 98 in 2012. It has not submitted data on
prosecutions or judgments passed.[5]
As regards specifically the offence of ‘incitement to hatred’, there were no
incidents recorded in 2011 and there were 11 recorded in 2012.
·               
FR reports an 82 % rate of criminal
response to incidents of racism, xenophobia and antisemitism in 2012, and 431
convictions in 2011 for offences related to racism, antisemitism and
discrimination.[6]
·               
In LV criminal prosecution was started
against 3 persons in 2011 and 2 persons in 2012 for ‘provocation of national,
ethnic or racial hatred’.[7]
For this crime a total of 11 persons were tried between 2011 and 2013. No
persons were tried for ‘incitement of religious hatred’.[8]
Information with regard to convictions/acquittals was not submitted.   
·               
LU refers to 3 judgments on cases of
hate speech in the period 2011-2013, 2 resulting in convictions and 1
acquittal.
·               
HU has reported that in 2011, 101
‘hatred crimes’ were registered and there were 40 prosecutions. In 2012, 105
‘hatred crimes’ were registered and there were 24 prosecutions. Most of the
prosecutions in the period 2011-2013 did not result in convictions.  
·               
AT registered in 2011, as regards the
offence of incitement, 10 prosecutions, 6 convictions, 1 acquittal and 1
pre-trial diversion. In 2012 there were 17 prosecutions, 2 acquittals, and 2
pre-trial diversions; a different source registered 10 convictions in cases
where this was the leading offence. As regards the offence of denying, grossly
trivialising, approving or justifying National Socialist genocide or other Nazi
crimes against humanity, in 2011 there were 78 prosecutions, 45 convictions, 7
acquittals and 10 pre-trial diversions. In 2012 there were 65 prosecutions, 9
acquittals and 5 pre-trial diversions. A different source registered 58
convictions where this was the leading offence.
·               
PL registered 323 criminal proceedings
on hate speech and hate crime, 40 prosecutions and 20 convictions. In 2012, 473
criminal proceedings were registered, 75 prosecutions and 34 convictions.
·               
RO registered 25 cases of ‘incitement to
racial / national hatred’ in 2011, leading to no prosecution. There were 66
cases registered in 2012, again leading to no prosecution. Four judgments were
rendered on this offence in 2012.
·               
SI reports that there were 5 prosecution
proposals and 4 convictions in 2011, as well as 17 prosecution proposals and 16
convictions in 2012, under the offence of ‘inciting or provoking to hatred,
violence or intolerance’.
·               
According to statistics submitted by SK,
there were 11 judgments in 2011 and 6 in 2012 on offences corresponding to
Article 1 of the Framework Decision. As regards crimes with a racist or
xenophobic motivation, the aggravating circumstance was applied in 16 cases in
2011 and a further 16 in 2012.
·               
FI registered 11 incidents ‘suspected’
of constituting ‘ethnic agitation’ in 2011, 3 prosecutions and 1 conviction. In
2012 there were 4 prosecutions and 6 convictions under this offence. The police
also registered 175 cases of defamation and 153 cases of menace ‘suspected’ of
having a racist motivation. However there are no statistics showing the level
of prosecution and judgments passed in cases of defamation and menace with a
racist motivation.[9]
The provision on racist and xenophobic motivation as an aggravating
circumstance has been applied so far in approximately ten cases per year.
·               
SE identified just over 5490 hate crimes
in 2011, 72 % of which had a racist or xenophobic motivation and 12 %
an anti-religious (Islamophobic, anti-Semitic, Christianophobic and others)
motive. In March 2012, 70 % of identified hate crimes (principal offence)
reported in 2010 had been cleared up. 7 % were personally cleared up, 63 %
of the cases were cleared up technically and 30 % were, at the end of
March 2012, unresolved.[10]
·               
UK:
- Cases where
incitement (‘stirring up hatred’) was the main offence:
a)      England
and Wales: in 2011/2012, the Crown Prosecution
Service (CPS) recorded 17 charges for this offence, resulting in 13 convictions
and 4 acquittals. The number of cases charged and reaching a first hearing in
the magistrates’ courts was 30 in 2011 and 23 in 2012 (excluding possession).
The Ministry of Justice recorded 9 persons convicted of this offence in 2010
and 6 in 2011 (excluding hatred on grounds of religion).[11] 
b)      Scotland:
0 proceedings were recorded in 2010/11 for this offence, and 1 proceeding in
2011/12, resulting in a conviction.
            - Cases where hate crime was
the main offence:
a)      England
and Wales: in 2010/2011, 31 486 racially and
religiously aggravated offences were recorded by the police. In 2011/2012 the
number of hate crime cases referred to the CPS by the police for a charging
decision was 14 781. The most commonly prosecuted crimes in 2011/2012 were
offences against the person (49.5 %) and public order offences (31.5 %).
In this period there were also 12 367 completed prosecutions; 10 412
convictions with 84.2 % successful outcomes; 12 357 racist hate crime
defendants referred to the CPS for charging decision by the police; 11 774
racist offences prosecuted, of which 84.4 % were successful, and 76.3 %
of all successful outcomes involved convictions; 415 cases motivated by
hostility on grounds of religion referred to the CPS by the police; 593 cases
involving religiously aggravated hostility prosecuted, of which 80.8 %
were successful, and 71.2 % of successful outcomes were due to
convictions; the principal offence categories for racial and religious hate
crimes are offences against the person (49.6 %) and public order offences
(32.5 %). The number of racially and religiously aggravated offences
charged and reaching a first hearing in the magistrates’ courts was 14 815
in 2011 and 24 535 in 2012. The Ministry of Justice recorded 2 731
judgments for racially and religiously aggravated offences in 2010 and 950 in
2011 (excluding the basic offences).
b)      Scotland:
for racially aggravated conduct, 1022 persons were prosecuted in 2010-2011
(with 839 convictions) and 1083 (with 898 convictions) in 2011-2012. However, a
different source recorded 759 persons prosecuted (with 614 convictions) in
2010-2011  and 797 (626 convictions) in 2011-2012.
c)       Northern
  Ireland: in 2010-2011, there were 298
prosecutions for offences with racial and religious hostility motivation, of
which 51 were for an indictable conviction and 247 for a summary conviction. In
2011-2012, 332 prosecutions were brought for offences with racial and religious
hostility motivation, of which 68 were for an indictable conviction and 264 for
a summary conviction. 
[1]               Each Member State uses different legal terms. In this
overview the terms used have the following definitions. Judgment means a
judicial decision taken by a court, Conviction means that the accused person
was found guilty of the crime. Acquittal means that the accused person was not
found guilty and was discharged. Prosecution means the conducting of
legal proceedings against someone.     
[2]
              Rapport Annuel 2011, ‘ Discrimination/Diversité’, Centre pour
l‘égalité des chances et la lutte contre le racisme. 
[3]               Statistics extracted from the police computer systems
(POLSAS).
[4]               These data are (partly) based on the ‘report on the
protection of the constitution’. The statistics refer to crimes against the
state and are not comparable to criminal prosecution statistics. 
[5]               Statistics can be found at the website of the Office
for the Promotion of Migrant Integration.
[6]
              Rapport 2012 sur la lutte contre le racisme, l‘antisémitisme et
la xénophobie, Commission nationale consultative des droits de l'homme.
[7]               Statistics provided by the Prosecutor’s office.
[8]               Statistics provided by the Court Administration.
[9]               These are the provisions used in FI for cases of hate
speech against individuals, whereas the offence of ‘ethnic agitation’ is
applied where the victim is a group. 
[10]             Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention
(Brottsförebygganderådet - Brå): Hate crime 2011 (Statistics on police-reported
offences with an identified hate crime motive. A summary of report no.
2012:7).  
[11]             Crown Prosecution Service (CPS): Annual Report on hate
crime and crimes against older people for 2011/2012 (October 2012). The CPS
data cannot be directly compared with the Ministry of Justice data, because
they relate to different time periods and because different cases progress through
the criminal justice systems at different rates.