REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Report on the implementation of the EU anti-racism action plan 2020-2025 and on national action plans against racism and discrimination
Date: 2024-09-25
Institutions: Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, European Commission
Subjects: EU action, European social policy, cultural pluralism, equal treatment, ethnic discrimination, fundamental rights, protection of minorities, racial discrimination, social integration, xenophobia

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 25.9.2024  COM(2024) 419 final  REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Report on the implementation of the EU anti-racism action plan 2020-2025 and on national action plans against racism and discrimination  
 
 
 
 
1.  Introduction: Living up to ‘United in Diversity’1  

The  first  EU  anti-racism  action  plan  2020-2025  (hereinafter  ‘the  action  plan’)  adopted  in 
September  20202  recalls  that  racial  discrimination  continues  to  be  a  scourge,  with  negative 
effects  on  the  whole  of  society.  For  the  European  Union  (EU),  discrimination  on  racial  or 
ethnic  grounds  is  not  only  explicitly  prohibited  by  legislation,  but  is  a  violation  of  our 
common values, our open and democratic society, and the rule of law. 

The action plan is a key initiative of the European Commission  to step up the fight against 
racism3  and  racial  discrimination  across  the  EU  and  beyond.  It  outlines  a  comprehensive 
framework for promoting non-discrimination, equality, diversity and pluralism in the EU 
Member States and   sets out a range of measures to tackle racism in various areas, including 
law  enforcement,  education,  employment,  housing,  and  health.  The  action  plan  emphasises 
the need to strengthen the EU legal framework on equality, non-discrimination and hate 
speech  including  effective  enforcement  mechanisms  and  highlights  the  importance  of 
awareness-raising  and  fighting  stereotypes  and  intolerance  in  cooperation  with  social  and 
traditional media.  
This  report4  provides  an  overview  of  the  progress  achieved  in  the  implementation  of  the 
action plan and offers guidance to Member States on the development and implementation of 
effective national action plans against racism, following the structure of the action plan. 

The  terrorist  attacks  across  Israel  on  7 October  2023,  with  the  subsequent  catastrophic 
humanitarian  situation  as  a  result  of  the  war  in  Gaza5  exacerbated  existing  racism  and  hate 
speech  and  has  led  to  a  sharp  increase  in  antisemitism  and  anti-Muslim  hatred  worldwide, 
including in the EU. The ensuing polarisation, disinformation and negative stereotyping pose 
challenges  for  the  fight  against  racism  and  hatred.  The  rise  of  hatred,  antisemitism  and  anti-
Muslim hatred was promptly addressed by the Commission, notably with the Communication 
‘No place for hate: a Europe united against hatred’6.  

1 This report refers to ‘racial and ethnic origin’ in line with the EU anti-racism action plan, as well as EU and 
international legal terminology. The Commission shares, however, the common understanding that ‘races’ 
are purely based on socially constructed ideas and it rejects the notion of biological ‘races’. Since reference 
to race does not always capture the social construct of racialisation and noting the concept of ‘racialisation’ 
adopted by the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), the Commission considers 
that the reference to ‘racialised groups’ captures more accurately the essence of racism as a societal problem. 

2 The EU anti-racism action plan 2020-2025 
3 According to the Council of Europe’s European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), racism 
“shall mean the belief that a ground such as “race”, colour, language, religion, nationality or national or 
ethnic origin justifies contempt for a person or a group of persons, or the notion of superiority of a person or 
a group of persons”. See General Recommendation No. 7 

4 The preparation of this report benefitted from several exchanges and consultations with Member States, civil 

society organisations (CSOs), and other stakeholders.  These included a call for evidence, a targeted 
stakeholder consultation and two questionnaires for Member States. The report also builds on data collected 
by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and by the special Eurobarometer on discrimination. 

5 European Council Conclusions 22. March 2024 
6 Communication on “No place for hate: a Europe united against hatred” 

1 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Being Black in the EU/Second European Union Minorities and Discrimination Survey’7 

In  2022,  the  FRA  conducted  its  third  EU  Survey  on  immigrants  and  descendants  of 
immigrants,  and  subsequently  published  in  October  2023  its  second  edition  of  the  ‘Being 
Black in Europe’ report.  

The  2022  survey  findings  do  not  show  any  progress.  Compared  to  2016,  respondents 
mentioned  higher  levels  of  racial  discrimination  in  all  areas  of  life.  Overall,  the  12-month 
prevalence  of  racial  discrimination  has  risen  from  24%  to  34%.  It  has  increased  when 
searching for accommodation, looking for a job, at work and in education. For example, the 
12-month prevalence of discrimination in the housing market has risen from 6% in 2016 to 
28% in 2022. There has been no progress when it comes to racist harassment or violence. As 
in 2016, 30% of respondents said they experienced racist harassment and 4% a racist attack in 
the five years before the survey.  

2. Racism by individuals – tackling the damage to people and society 

Share of European that say they 
would feel comfortable if one of 
their children was in a love 
relationship with a 

Roma Person: 51% 
Black Person: 68% 
Asian Person: 70% 

2.1 Tackling racism and racial discrimination through legislation  

A  strong  and  effective  legal  framework  that  promotes  equality  and  individual  rights  and 
protects people from discrimination is the prerequisite to combatting racism. The Commission 
continues to monitor the full implementation of the relevant legislation in Member States, 
and when necessary, launch infringement procedures. 

Racial Equality Directive and equality bodies 

Implementation  of  the  Racial  Equality  Directive  is  a  cornerstone  of  the  action  plan.  The 
Commission, therefore, has continued to monitor the implementation of the Directive by the 
Member  States.  Formal  infringement  procedures  are  ongoing  against  three  Member  States 
and  in  2023  the  Commission  referred  one  of  these  open  cases  to  the  European  Court  of 
Justice8.  

The Commission published a report on the application of the Directive in March 20219.  
This report identified a need for closer monitoring of the implementation of the Directive by 
Member States, particularly in relation to protection against victimisation and the application 
of effective, proportionate, and dissuasive sanctions. To support this work, the Commission 
launched  at  the  end of 2023  a study  to  analyse the legal  framework on sanctions in  all EU 
Member States and to look at its practical implementation.  

7 Being Black in the EU – Experiences of people of African descent 
8 Discriminating Roma children at school 
9 Report on the application of the Racial Equality Directive 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
In  addition,  the  Commission  published  a  study  on  possible  legal  and  non-legal  gaps  in 
protection  against  racial  or  ethnic  discrimination  in  202210,  which  gathered  data  on  the 
areas  where  incidents  of  discrimination  materialise,  including  where  law  enforcement 
authorities  are  involved.  The  study  identified  stop  and  search  activities  and  the  use  of 
force  by  the  police  as  areas  where  discrimination  was  perceived  to  occur.  It  advocates  for 
further  evidence-gathering  and  the  promotion  of  good  practices  in  this  area,  which  falls 
within  the  competences  of  Member  States.  Accordingly,  in  2024  the  FRA  published  the 
report ‘Addressing racism in policing’11.  

In  December  2022  the  Commission  proposed  measures  to  strengthen  the  role  and 
independence  of  national  equality  bodies.  The  proposed  Directives  were  adopted  by  the 
legislators in spring 2024 and entered into force in June 202412. The new binding standards 
reinforce the independence and resources of equality bodies and require Member States to 
provide  equality  bodies  with  stronger  powers  to  effectively  assist  victims  of 
discrimination and help enforce anti-discrimination rules in practice. The new rules also 
seek to develop the role of equality bodies in preventing discrimination from happening in the 
first  place,  taking  into  consideration  specific  situations  of  disadvantage  resulting  from 
intersectional  discrimination  and  focussing  on  groups  whose  access  to  information  can  be 
hindered.  

Framework  Decision  on  combating  racism  and  xenophobia  and  other  legal  means  to 
combat racism 

The action plan stresses the importance of a full and correct transposition by Member States 
of the Framework Decision on combating racism and xenophobia by means of criminal 
law13.  The  Framework  Decision  aims  to  ensure  that  serious  manifestations  of  racist  and 
xenophobic hate crime or hate speech are punished by effective, proportionate and dissuasive 
criminal penalties throughout the EU. Since 2020, the Commission has taken steps to ensure 
its correct and complete transposition and launched 13 infringement cases against Member 
States whose national laws did not fully and accurately transpose the Framework Decision14. 
Among  these,  six  Member  States  brought  their  legislation  into  full  compliance  with  the 
Framework Decision and the cases were closed. Another four have made progress and are in 
the process of amending their legislation. 

In December 2021 and with a view to address the limited grounds of hatred covered by the 
Framework  Decision  and to  ensure equal protection of all victims of hate, the Commission 
adopted a Communication which prompts a Council decision to extend the current list of “EU 
crimes” to hate speech and hate crimes15. If adopted, the Commission would be able to put 
forward legislation to harmonise substantive criminal law on hate speech and hate crime. 

Tackling hatred in society 

10 Racial Equality Directive; Study on possible gaps 
11 Addressing Racism in Policing 
12 Directive on standards for equality bodies in the field of employment, Directive on standards for equality 

bodies in the field of racial equality 

13 Council Framework Decision 2008/913/JHA of 28 November 2008, on combating certain forms and 

expressions of racism and xenophobia by means of criminal law 

14 December infringements package, January Infringements package, April Infringements package, March 

infringements package 

15 Extending EU crimes to hate speech and hate crime 

3 

 
 
 
 
 
 
To  face  the  challenge  of  increased  hate  speech  and  hate  crime,  in  December  2023,  the 
Commission and the High Representative adopted a Joint Communication on ‘No place for 
hate: a Europe united against hatred’. The Communication aims to step up EU efforts to fight 
hatred in all its forms, by reinforcing action across a variety of policies and through a whole-
of-society-approach.  As  a  direct  follow  up  of  the  Communication,  the  Commission  has 
organised a European Citizens Panel on tackling hatred in society16, where 150 citizens from 
all EU Member States discussed about  measures to  respond to  hatred and intolerance. This 
resulted in 21 recommendations on which the Commission has committed to follow up. Such 
recommendations  focus  also  on  measures  to  tackle  racism  and  discrimination  through 
education, awareness raising and in the digital space. 

2.2 Beyond EU legislation – doing more to tackle racism in everyday life 

•  61% of Europeans say that discrimination based on skin colour is 

widespread in their country 

•  Almost half of People of African Descent experience racial 

discrimination, an increase from 39% in 2016 to 45% in 2022 

•  Discrimination remains invisible, only 9% of victims report incidents 

Countering discrimination by law enforcement authorities 

Trust  in  public  officials,  law  enforcement,  police  and  security  forces  is  essential  for  a 
functioning  society  and  is  a  precondition  for  social  cohesion.  The  underreporting  of  hate 
crime, racial and ethnic discrimination and other related incidents is partly related to a lack of 
trust in the responsible authorities. This distrust increases when racial bias or harassment by 
police  officers  or  other  public  officials  occur.  Recognising  diversity  and  ensuring 
fundamental rights in law enforcement is therefore essential to fight racism. 
The  FRA’s  2024  report  ‘Addressing  racism  in  policing’17  is  the  first  EU-wide  study  that 
looks comprehensively at the legal frameworks, analyses the gaps in policy responses and in 
effective  oversight,  and  outlines  practices  aiming  to  combat  racism  in  policing.  The  report 
provides  data  on  racism  in  policing  and  documents  that  racism  in  policing  includes 
discriminatory  profiling  practices,  inappropriate  racist  communication  and  excessive  use  of 
force.  

The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) has been contributing 
to the fight against racism and discrimination by means of an annual training on hate crime 
and  on  victims  of  hate  crime,  and  in  addition  offers  every  year  several  webinars,  in 
cooperation  with  the  FRA,  on  hate  crime  with  a  focus  on  different  minorities.  Police  stops 
and  searches  and  racial  profiling  are  also  addressed.  Hate  crime  is  one  of  the  topics  which 
law enforcement officials can choose and exchange with a colleague in another Member State 
in the framework of CEPOL Exchange Programme. 

In addition, CEPOL offered a workshop on the impact of the terrorist attacks across Israel on 
7 October  2023,  with  the  subsequent  catastrophic  humanitarian  situation  in  Gaza  on  EU 
security with a specific focus on Jewish and Muslim communities.  

16 Tackling Hatred in Society Panel 
17 Addressing Racism in Policing 

4 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
During the consultation, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and equality bodies reported 
a surge of incidents of excessive use of force by law enforcement, in some Member States, 
even resulting in the tragic deaths of individuals from racial and ethnic minorities. Member 
States  are  therefore  encouraged  to  continue  and  step  up  their  efforts  to  prevent 
discriminatory  attitudes  among  law  enforcement  officials.  They  are  also  encouraged  to 
apply the international legal framework on the  use of force by law enforcement18 including 
by further developing with the input of national human rights institutions and equality bodies 
targeted trainings for police and law enforcement officers. 

Safety and security 

The Commission has addressed the threat posed by violent extremism stemming from racist 
ideologies  through  the  work  of  the  EU  Internet  Forum  (EUIF)19  and  the  Radicalisation 
Awareness Network (RAN)20. The newly established EU Knowledge Hub on Prevention of 
Radicalisation21 will build on the work of the RAN to increase EU support to face challenges 
posed by racism and xenophobia leading to radicalisation and violence. 

In  November  2021,  with  the  support  of  Member  States  and  Europol,  the  EUIF  created  a 
regularly  updated  knowledge  package  of  violent  right-wing  extremist  groups,  symbols 
and  manifestos  banned  in  EU  Member  States,  to  facilitate  tech  companies’  voluntary 
content  moderation  efforts.  Furthermore,  a  study  was  launched  to  examine  the  degree  to 
which algorithms amplify terrorist and violent extremist content to online users22. The study 
also examines the extent to which borderline content is amplified, such as some forms of hate 
speech,  disinformation  and  other  forms  of  legal  but  harmful  content  that  could  lead  to 
radicalisation and recruitment. 
In this context the EUIF has also developed a Handbook of Borderline Content23 which 
provides  examples  and  definitions  of  this  type  of  content  for  tech  platforms  in  content 
moderation  to  protect  users  from  racist,  antisemitic  and  anti-Muslim  borderline  content 
online.  

In  May  2024,  the  RAN  examined  the  impact  of  violent  right-wing  extremist  narratives  on 
social  debate.  To  combat  narratives  infiltrating  various  domains,  such  as  sports,  media, 
politics,  and  online  platforms,  integrating  critical  thinking  and  media  literacy  in  school 
curriculums  contributes 
ideologies.  Promoting 
understanding  of  diverse  viewpoints  and  media  responsibility  can  avoiding  the  uncritical 
spread of extremist content.  

to  reducing  susceptibility 

to  racist 

Addressing risks in new technologies 

18 International standards | OHCHR 
19 The EU Internet Forum provides a collaborative environment for governments in the EU, the internet 

industry, and other partners to discuss and address the challenges posed by the presence of malicious and 
illegal content online. European Union Internet Forum (EUIF) 

20 Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN) The Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN Practitioners) 

connects frontline practitioners from across Europe with one another, to exchange knowledge, first-hand 
experiences and approaches to preventing and countering violent extremism in all forms. 

21 The EU Knowledge Hub: Radicalisation Prevention 2.0 
22 Study on the role and use of algorithmic amplification 
23 EUIF Year in Review 2022 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
The  use  of  AI  may  negatively  affect  fundamental  rights  such  as  the  right  to  non-
discrimination, as algorithms can be biased or become biased over time potentially leading to 
discrimination in the fields of employment, education, social security and law enforcement24. 
AI tools in law enforcement might increase racial profiling. The European Union adopted the 
first  EU  regulatory  framework  for  AI  in  May  2024,  which  provides  for  an  analysis  and 
classification  of  AI  systems  in  different  applications  according  to  the  risk  they  pose  to 
users25.  AI  systems  considered  as  high-risk  must  comply  with  a  set  of  requirements  before 
they  can  be  put  on  the  market,  to  increase  transparency  and  minimise  risks  to  safety  and 
fundamental  rights.  This  includes  the  potential  bias  and  discrimination  in  high-risk  AI 
systems,  e.g.  those  used  by  law  enforcement,  recruitment,  education  and  healthcare. 
Moreover, the AI Act prohibits the use of AI for predictive policing based on profiling and 
systems that use biometric data to categorise people according to specific categories such as 
race, religion, or sexual orientation.  

The  Digital  Services  Act  (DSA)  addresses  illegal  content  and  disinformation  online, 
including  racist  hate  speech,  and  prevents  damage  that  the  dissemination  of  illegal  content 
may  cause.  Since  2016,  the  Commission  has  been  working  with  the  providers  of  major 
platforms under the Code of Conduct on countering illegal hate speech online26. One of the 
key  commitments  made  by  participating  platforms  is  to  assess  notices  about  alleged  illegal 
hate  speech  within  24  hours  in  most  cases,  and  to  swiftly  remove  the  content,  when 
necessary. The Code has achieved important results and attracted new platforms since it was 
launched,  including  TikTok,  LinkedIn,  Viber,  and  Twitch.  After  entry  into  force  of  the 
Digital Services Act, the Signatories have submitted a revised version of the Code of Conduct 
which  aims  to  strengthen  its  capacity  to  prevent  hate  speech  to  go  viral,  through  alert 
mechanisms. 

Employment, education, health and housing 

The EU has continued to use policy measures and funding programmes to combat racism and 
racial discrimination in access to mainstream employment, education and training, healthcare, 
social protection, and non-segregated housing. 

During the consultation process, civil society stakeholders pointed out that the quality of life 
for people  from  racial  and ethnic minorities has  not significantly improved in the last 
couple  of  years.  They  continue  to  face  challenges  in  accessing  affordable  and  adequate 
housing. The grave economic consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s war of 
aggression against Ukraine have disproportionately affected marginalised communities, who 
have been confronted with increases in rents, energy bills and the cost of living27.  

National  and local  authorities bear the primary responsibility for  preventing  and addressing 
social  inequality  and  combating  residential  and  educational  segregation,  it  is  essential  that 
Member States ensure that social inclusion policies and programmes effectively target and 
reach  people  with  a  minority  racial  or  ethnic  background  and  foster  their  access  to 
mainstream non-segregated services.  

24 Artificial intelligence act 
25 The Act Texts | EU Artificial Intelligence Act 
26 The EU Code of conduct on countering illegal hate speech online 
27 See for example: The impact of the COVID-19 crisis on vulnerable groups in the EU, The impact of COVID-

19 on households´ income in the EU 

6 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Employment  

People with a minority racial or ethnic background often face discrimination in  getting jobs 
or training. 

Through  their  unanimous  adoption  of  the  Council  Recommendation  on  Roma  equality, 
inclusion,  and  participation  in  March  202128,  Member  States  committed  to  designing 
measures to combat and eliminate discrimination. These include measures to raise awareness 
about  non-discriminatory  employment  and  access  to  employment  and  activation  measures, 
and training employers to tackle discrimination and its root causes. 
Furthermore,  the  action  plan  on  integration  and  inclusion  2021-2027  (APII)29  aims  at 
overcoming  challenges  faced  by  migrants  and  citizens  with  a  migrant  background.  This 
strategy addresses the main integration barriers that third country nationals face in key areas 
(housing, education, employment and healthcare).  

Education 

Unequal  access  to  quality  inclusive  mainstream  education  perpetuates  socioeconomic 
disparities across racial and ethnic lines.  People of African descent are more likely to leave 
school early and pursue less of tertiary education.30 Providing equal educational opportunities 
combined with targeted support to tackle group-specific barriers to access can help level the 
playing  field.  Furthermore,  education  can  challenge  biases  and  stereotypes  by  fostering 
critical thinking and promoting diversity in curricula and teaching materials.  

Improving  quality,  equity,  inclusion  and  success  for  all  is  the  first  priority  of  the  strategic 
framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the European 
Education  Area  (EEA)31.  The  EEA  strategic  framework  Working  Groups  (2021-2025)32, 
have  enabled  the  exchange  of  information  on  practices  that  tackle  different  forms  of 
discrimination  and  prejudice  in  and  through  education  and  training  -  including  racism, 
discrimination on the grounds of ethnic or racial origin, social and territorial inequalities and 
intersectional discrimination33.  
The  Council  Recommendation  on  Pathways  to  School  Success34  adopted  in  November 
2022 aims to empower all earners to realise their full potential, reducing early leaving from 
education  and  training,  improving  performance  in  basic  skills  and  promoting  well-being  at 
school for all learners, regardless of their socio-economic, cultural, or personal background. It 
includes  support  measures  for  groups  at  risk  of  exclusion  and  underachievement,  such  as 
racial and ethnic minorities and students with a migrant background.  

Health 

28 Council Recommendation on Roma equality, inclusion and participation, 12 March 2021.  
29 Action plan on integration and inclusion  
30 Being Black in the EU – Experiences of people of African descent 
31 Council Resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the 

European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030) 

32 Working groups of the EEA strategic framework 
33 Tackling different forms of discrimination in and through education and training 
34 Council Recommendation on Pathways to School Success 

7 

 
 
 
 
 
 
The COVID-19 pandemic aggravated existing health inequalities, especially for people with a 
minority racial or ethnic background35.  
Racism  can  affect  victims’  mental  health.36  The  Communication  on  a  Comprehensive 
Approach  to  Mental  Health37  emphasises  how  discrimination  on  different  grounds, 
including  on  racial  or  ethnic  origin,  has  an  impact  on  mental  health.  The  EU4Health 
Programme  supports  actions13  that  increase  awareness,  knowledge  sharing  and  capacity 
building  in  the  field  of  mental  health  taking  into  consideration  the  needs  of  vulnerable 
migrant populations and Roma communities.  

Housing  

People  with  a  minority  racial  or  ethnic  background  are  at  a  higher  risk  of  poor  housing 
conditions  and  residential  segregation.  Spatial  and  social  segregation  are  experienced 
especially  by  two  groups:  Roma  and  migrants.  These  challenges  can  then  have  a  knock-on 
effect  in  terms  of  education  or  employment  opportunities  and,  in  the  case  of  families  with 
children, significantly impair children’s development. Limited availability and poor quality of 
social housing are further limiting support to groups in vulnerable situations. 

With the Council Conclusions on measures to ensure equal access for Roma to adequate and 
desegregated  housing,  and  to  address  segregated  settlements,  adopted  in  October  202338, 
Member States have committed to making full use of EU funds to facilitate equal access to 
adequate and non-segregated housing. 

To  address  the  surge  in  house  prices  and  rents,  the  Political  Guidelines  of  the  European 
Commission announced the development of the Affordable Housing Plan39. 

35 For example: Exploring the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health and Well-Being of Migrant 
Populations in Europe, Emerging findings on the impact of COVID-19 on black and minority ethnic people, 
Disparities in COVID-19 Outcomes by Race, Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Status 

36 A meta-analysis and systematic review underlined that racism is significantly related to poor health, with the 
relationship being particularly strong for mental health and less robust for physical health. Several studies 
have highlighted the negative impact of racial discrimination on mental health, particularly in relation to the 
development of affective, psychotic, and substance use disorders. Schouler-Ocak etc (2021); Racism and 
mental health and the role of mental health professionals, in: European Psychiatry 64, pages 42-50 

37 Communication on a comprehensive approach to health 
38 Council Conclusions on measures to ensure equal access for Roma to adequate and desegregated housing, and 

to address segregated settlements 

39 Political Guidelines 2024-2029 

8 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3. Structural racism – tackling the underlying problem 

The  action  plan  tackles  structural  racism  that  perpetuates  barriers  that  people  face  solely 
due to their racial or ethnic origin. Racism, inequality and discrimination reduce equality of 
opportunity and lead to poorer outcomes in all areas throughout a person’s life starting from 
an  early  age.  This  can  be  seen  in  segregation  in  education,  less  time  in  education,  limited 
career  opportunities,  and  discrimination  in  the  housing  market  and  in  access  to  goods  and 
services.  The  cumulative  effects  of  structural  racism  on  any  individual  can  lead  to  living 
below the poverty line, and result in reduced social mobility.  

Racism can be combined with  discrimination  based on other grounds,  including religion  or 
belief,  gender,  sexual  orientation,  age  or  disability.  The  EU  has,  therefore,  pursued  an 
intersectional  approach  to  the  issue  that  pays  attention  to  the  combination  of  different 
grounds of discrimination to deepen the understanding of structural racism and to ensure that 
responses are more effective.  

3.1 Policies to turn the tide  

Combating stereotypes and raising awareness of history 

Revisiting previous events and building on the European Parliament’s Resolution on the anti-
racism protests following the death of George Floyd40 in Minneapolis, United States, in May 
2020,  the  Commission  has  continued  to  publicly  highlight  and  condemn  racism  and 
racial  discrimination,  e.g.  by  organising  high-level  political  events  and  observing  days  of 
remembrance.  

In November 2023, the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, in cooperation 
with the European Commission and the FRA organised a conference on ‘Anti-racism in the 
European  Union:  people  of  African  descent  -  recognition,  justice,  and  development’, 
aligned with the International UN Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024)41 and 
the 2001 Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.  

On 5 December 2023, the Commission, and the European Parliament jointly commemorated 
the  European  Day  on  the  Abolition  of  Slavery.  The  event  focused  on  the  importance  of 
acknowledging the historical roots of racism, and on exploring initiatives to tackle the legacy 
of colonialism and enslavement.  

The  Commission  also  highlighted  remembrance  as  an  important  aspect  of  encouraging 
inclusion and understanding, combatting stereotypes and raising awareness. The Commission 
has been supporting projects exploring the legacy of colonialism, both inside and outside the 
EU  in  the  field  of  European  remembrance  under  the  Citizens,  Equality,  Rights  and  Value 
Programme (CERV).  

The right data for informed policy choices 

Some  Member  States  do  not  allow  for  data  on  ethnicity  to  be  collected,  while  others  have 
made efforts to collect such data, e.g. with the assistance of community-based organisations. 
National equality data sets, where they exist, are difficult to compare. 

40 The Anti-racism protests following the death of George Floyd 
41 International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024) | UNESCO 

9 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Yet, data is key to capturing both structural aspects and subjective experiences of racism and 
discrimination. Through the action plan 2020-2025, the Commission has encouraged Member 
States  to  move  towards  a  harmonised  approach  to  the  collection  of  equality  data  that  is 
disaggregated based on racial or ethnic origin. Based on the subsequent work of the Subgroup 
on equality data, the Commission presented the Guidance note on the collection and use of 
equality data based on racial or ethnic origin42. 

Eurostat took the initiative to set up an ‘equality and non-discrimination statistics task 
force’43  to  work  with  the  Member  States,  main  users  and  other  data  producers  for  more 
comprehensive and comparable statistics on equality and non-discrimination. The task force 
is  expected  to  develop  guidelines  and  recommendations  for  an  improved  comparability  of 
equality  and  non-discrimination  statistics  across  Member  States;  to  propose  methodologies 
and  best  practices  for  extending  coverage  to  different  groups  at  risk  of  discrimination;  to 
identify complementarities and support the coordination with other data producers. The task 
force aims to complete its work by the end of 2026. 

3.2. A framework for delivery – harnessing EU tools to their full extent 

Action at local, regional, national and international level 

Combatting  racism  in  the  EU  is  a  shared  responsibility  and  requires  joint  efforts  with 
Member States.  That  is  why  the Commission has  also  encouraged all  Member States to 
adopt  national  action  plans  against  racism  and  racial  discrimination  and  has  provided 
guidance to support them in this process. The commitment to adopt dedicated national action 
plans against racism was emphasised in the Council conclusions on combating racism and 
antisemitism44 adopted in March 2022.  

National action plans 

According  to  the  consultation  informing  this  report,  dedicated  national  action  plans  are 
important  in  the  fight  against  racism  and  should  be  developed  and  implemented  in  all 
Member  States.  They  provide  a  comprehensive  public  policy  for  the  promotion  of  racial 
equality45  and  demonstrate  that  Member  States  have  resolved  to  tackle  the  challenges  they 
face  to  eliminate  racial  discrimination46.  They  also  help  Member  States  to  put  relevant 
international human rights obligations into practice.  

Already,  11  Member  States  –  Belgium,  Germany,  Ireland,  Greece,  Spain,  France,  Latvia, 
Malta,  Portugal,  Finland  and  Sweden  –  adopted  a  dedicated  national  action  plan  against 
racism,  with  furthermore  Denmark,  Italy,  Luxemburg,  Hungary  and  Austria  are  preparing 
one.  Currently,  Czechia,  Denmark,  Estonia,  Croatia,  Lithuania,  Luxemburg,  Hungary, 
Austria, Romania, and Slovakia have integrated anti-racism measures in other national action 
plans, e.g., on human rights or social integration.47 

42 Guidance Note on the collection and use of equality data based on racial or ethnic origin 
43 Eurostat’s Equality and Non-Discrimination Statistics Task Force meets 
44 Council adopts conclusions on combating racism and antisemitism 
45 OHCHR: National Action Plans Against Racism 
46 Developing national action plans against racial discrimination 
47 The information relies on the targeted stakeholder consultation of Member States, which was part of a broader 
consultation process. Bulgaria, Cyprus and the Netherlands did not participate in the targeted stakeholder 
consultation, while Poland and Slovenia have not yet nominated national delegates to the Subgroup, hence 
also did not participate in the consultation. 

10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The  consultation  with  Member  States  revealed  several  challenges  in  planning  anti-racism 
policy and implementation. In most Member States there is no budget specifically allocated 
for the implementation of the national  action plans.  In some Member States activities from 
the  national  action  plan  are  funded  by  ministries  according  to  their  portfolio  or  through 
project  funding  and  implemented  by  non-governmental  institutions.  While  most  Member 
States  appear  to  have  involved  numerous  different  stakeholders  in  coordination, 
consultative or advisory mechanisms, it remains unclear to what extent they have ensured 
the participation of affected communities and their representatives. 

Member  States  have  not  systematically  mapped  out  existing  data  sources  that  provide 
information  on  racial  or  ethnic  origin  and  used  unevenly  disaggregated  equality  data  to 
inform the development and the scope of action plans. The different approaches towards the 
use of data can be equally observed in the efforts to monitor the implementation of the action 
plans. 

The  understanding  and  the  interpretations  of  the  concept  of  structural  racism  varies  across 
Member  States,  which  led  most  of  them  to  adopt  rather  fragmented  measures,  with  some 
Member States having no provisions at all against structural racism. The same is true for the 
application  of  an  intersectional  approach  to  combating  racism.  When  intersectionality  is 
applied,  it  is  mostly  restricted  to  the  ground  of  gender.  The  Commission  will  continue  to 
work  with  Member  States  on  the  development  of  feasible  approaches  to  tackle  structural 
racism and has mandated the OECD to develop possible indicators. 

During  the  consultation  process,  stakeholders,  particularly  CSOs,  emphasised  the  relevance 
of  the  action  plan  for  challenges  faced  by  migrants  and  refugees.  Racism  and  xenophobia 
present additional obstacles to the inclusion of migrants in society and anti-migrant attitudes 
must be addressed as part of a national action plan against racism.  

To  assist  Member  States,  the  Commission  created  a  Subgroup  on  the  national 
implementation  of  the  EU  anti-racism  action  plan  consisting  of  experts  from  Member 
States and observers48 under the High-level Group on combating hate crime and hate speech49 
and  the  High-level  Group  on  non-discrimination,  equality,  and  diversity50.  The  Subgroup 
develops policy tools to help with all the phases of implementing an action plan at national, 
regional, or local level. It also organises multi-stakeholder meetings to share good practices 
and  have  discussions  to  improve  the  situation  of  people  with  a  minority  racial  or  ethnic 
background. Additionally, the Subgroup addresses crucial contemporary issues, including the 
rise in anti-Muslim hatred. 

In close collaboration with the Commission and the FRA the Subgroup published Common 
guiding principles for national action plans against racism and racial discrimination51 in 

In the EU anti-racism action plan reference is made to 15 Member States with national action plans. Those 

instruments, however, differ in titles and aspects covered. While some are clearly labelled as action plans 
against racism, others have a different reach or may not be considered full-fledged action plans. Hence, the 
overall number of this communication and the anti-racism action plans are not comparable. For a detailed 
analysis of ten Member States, see the conducted study by the European Parliament: Protection against 
racism, xenophobia and racial discrimination, and the EU Anti-racism Action Plan. 

48 Fundamental Rights Agency, European Commission Against Racism (Council of Europe), Norway 
49 High Level Group on combating hate speech and hate crime 
50 High Level Group on non-discrimination, equality and diversity 
51 Common guiding principles for national action plans against racism 

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
2021.  In  2022  the  Subgroup  produced  a  monitoring  checklist  on  applying  the  common 
guiding  principles  and  a  tool  for  reporting  on  the  implementation  of  national  action 
plans against racism52. Both policy tools have been endorsed by the Member States  in the 
two high-level groups mentioned above53.  

In  addition,  the  Commission  collected  and  is  about  to  publish  promising  practices  from 
Member States related to national action plan processes and actions to combat racism.  

Mobilising the regional and local levels for meaningful impact on the ground 

The Commission funds the European Coalition of Cities Against Racism (ECCAR) which is 
a  network  of  cities  sharing  experiences  to  improve  their  policies  to  fight  racism, 
discrimination  and  xenophobia.  ECCAR’s  work  supports  the  implementation  of  the  action 
plan specifically at the local level.  

The  European  Urban  Initiative,  managed  by  the  Commission  through  indirect  management 
supports  the  Urban  Agenda  for  the  EU  partnership  Cities  of  Equality54.  Launched  in  2024, 
this partnership aims to develop comprehensive and inclusive approaches to foster equality in 
urban areas. 

Towns, cities and regions also play an important role in building inclusive environments for 
their citizens. To highlight their efforts and commitments, the Commission launched in 2022 
a  designation  of  European  capital(s)  of  inclusion  and  diversity  -  the  annual  European 
Capitals  of  Inclusion  and  Diversity  Award55  which  covers  all  grounds  of  discrimination: 
sex,  racial  or  ethnic  origin,  religion  or  belief,  disability,  age,  sexual  orientation,  as  well  as 
intersectionality.   

Working with the private sector 
Since  2020,  the  EU  Diversity  Month56  has  raised  awareness  about  the  importance  of 
diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and more widely in society. In 2021, for example, 
the EU Diversity Month focused on racial and ethnic diversity  in the workplace and why it 
matters  for  business.  During  the  2023  EU  Diversity  Month,  the  European  Commission 
launched an EU diversity self-assessment tool57 for employers and organisations in the public 
and private sectors.  

In November 2021, the EU Platform of Diversity Charters held a virtual roundtable “Let’s 
talk about racism – the EU anti-racism action plan and its impact” to raise awareness of the 
EU’s work on anti-racism and engage with employers. This was followed by a workshop in 
May 2023 on “How to build anti-racist and religiously inclusive organisations?”. 

Mainstreaming 

The  Commission  has  mainstreamed  anti-racism  into  all  its  policy  areas  and  has  also 
invited Member States to assess their initiatives through an anti-racism lens and incorporate 

52 Monitoring checklist for the implementation of the common guiding principles and reporting tool for the 

implementation of national action plans against racism 

53 The common guiding principles were adopted in December 2021 and the monitoring checklist and reporting 

tool were endorsed in November 2022. 

54 Cities of Equality 
55 European Capitals of Inclusion and Diversity Award 2024   
56 European Diversity Month 
57 Assessing diversity and inclusion in your organisation 

12 

 
 
 
 
 
 
anti-racism  measures  into  all  their  policy  areas.  This  means  taking  into  consideration 
potential racial bias – conscious or unconscious – and patterns of discrimination in the rules, 
norms and processes that they apply, and in their attitudes, and behaviours.  

Structures  are  essential  to  ensure  and  support  the  institutionalisation,  coherence  and 
sustainability of the Commission’s anti-racism policy work. 
The  Commission’s  Task  Force  on  Equality58,  comprised  of  representatives  (‘equality 
coordinators’)  of  all  Directorates-General  of  the  Commission  and  the  European  External 
Action Service, continues to play a key role in ensuring that the objectives of the action plan 
are reflected in all EU policies. The Task Force enabled consistent mainstreaming of equality 
grounds,  including  racial  or  ethnic  origin,  in  policy  initiatives  and  internal  action  of  the 
Commission.  Working  on  different  equality  grounds  as  part  of  a  joint  approach  has  also 
paved the way for intersectionality to be implemented in policy making and legislation. 

Examples for mainstreaming anti-racism into EU policies include: 
Children’s rights - The EU strategy on the rights of the child, adopted on 24 March 202159, 
and  the  Commission  Recommendation  on  integrated  child  protection  systems60,  encourage 
Member States to further develop and strengthen their child protection systems, making them 
more integrated and inclusive to address the diversity of children’s needs for protection from 
any form of violence. The Recommendation highlights that promoting equality and inclusion 
in our societies is an important tool for the prevention of violence.  

Transport - The Commission has set up a network of Diversity Ambassadors in Transport to 
support the Commission’s agenda on promoting equality and diversity in transport, following 
the  objectives  under  the  Sustainable  and  Smart  Mobility  Strategy61.  The  network  seeks  to 
raise  awareness  on  and  spearheads  measures,  initiatives  or  actions  that  promote  equality, 
diversity  and  inclusiveness  in  transport,  both  with  regards  to  the  transport  workforce  and 
transport  users62.  The  Commission  has  developed  a  practical  Handbook  for  equality 
mainstreaming in mobility and transport63 to help staff apply equality mainstreaming in their 
daily  work,  and,  hence,  to  comply  with  their  obligations  to  promote  equality  and  fight 
discrimination.  
Research and Innovation - The 2021 Pact for Research and Innovation in Europe64, one of 
the  key  pillars  of  the  new  European  Research  Areas  (ERA)65,  clearly  affirms  equal 
opportunities and inclusiveness as core values and principles, and underlines as priorities for 
joint action the removal of inequalities, including those related to  racial or ethnic origin. In 
2023, the Council’s recommendation on a European framework to attract and retain research, 
innovation66,  and  entrepreneurial  talents  in  Europe  introduced  the  European  Charter  for 

58 The Task Force on Equality of the European Commission  
59 The EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child and the European Child Guarantee 
60 Commission Recommendation on developing and strengthening integrated child protection systems 
61 Mobility Strategy 
62Ambassadors for diversity in transport 
63 Handbook for equality mainstreaming 
64 Pact for Research and Innovation in Europe 
65 A new ERA for research and innovation 
66 Council Recommendation on a European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and 

entrepreneurial talents in Europe 

13 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Researchers67, further addressed inequalities by making ‘Embracing Diversity’ one of its core 
principles. It emphasises the importance of recognising and combating discrimination on all 
grounds,  including  racial  or  ethnic  origin,  and  highlights  the  need  to  acknowledge  and 
mitigate unconscious biases in hiring, promotion, and review processes. 

Mobilising EU funds  

Different EU programmes provide funding opportunities for projects promoting the values of 
anti-racism and non-discrimination. Dedicated funding is available under the EU’s Citizens, 
Equality,  Rights  and  Values  (CERV)  programme68,  the  objectives  of  which  include  to 
combat  and  prevent  discrimination,  racism,  xenophobia  and  anti-migrant  intolerance  at  all 
levels in society, including by building trust between individuals, communities, and national 
authorities. In 2023, a new priority on migration, de-colonisation and multicultural European 
societies has been successfully introduced.  
In  the  2021-2027  period,  cohesion  policy  funds69  are  available  to  support  Member  States’ 
efforts  to  promote  social  inclusion  by  fostering  equal  access  to  mainstream  services  for 
marginalised groups, such as Roma and people with a migrant background. 

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) supports infrastructure development, 
equipment,  and  access  to  mainstream  services  in  employment,  healthcare,  social  care,  non-
segregated  housing  and  education.  These  investments  should  also  benefit  marginalised 
groups, including Roma and people with a migrant background, and dedicated actions should 
be  programmed  to  foster  their  access  to  the  mainstream  non-segregated  infrastructure  and 
services.  

In  2021,  the  Commission  published  the  updated  Toolkit  on  the  use  of  EU  funds  for  the 
integration of people with a migrant background for the 2021-2027 period70, which aims 
at  fostering  a  complementary  use  of  EU  funds,  in  particular  the  ERDF,  the  ESF+  and  the 
Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF). 

The  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility  (RRF)71  supports  reforms  and  investments  to 
improve  equal  opportunities  and  inclusion  of  people  belonging  to  vulnerable  groups.  For 
instance, the RRF helps Member States tackling intolerance and discrimination by investing 
in  the  personal  development  of  young  people  from  minority  groups,  e.g.  Roma  in  Bulgaria 
and  Greece,  creating  education  and  day  service  facilities  in  communities  with  a  significant 
Roma  population,  and  promote  access  to  vocational  education  and  the  labour  market 
integration of parents (e.g. Romania, Slovakia).  

Horizon  Europe72,  the  EU  funding  programme  for  research  and  innovation,  also  funds 
initiatives  to  combat  racism,  discrimination,  and  xenophobia  by  supporting  research  and 
projects that promote inclusivity, tolerance, and democratic values or that address racism as a 
civil security issue. This includes funding under the thematic cluster ‘Culture, Creativity, and 
Inclusive  Society’  to  strengthen  racial,  ethnic,  and  religious  equality,  as  well  under  cluster 
‘Digital, Industry and Space’, specifically tackling gender, race and other biases in AI. The 

67 European Charter for Researchers 
68 Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme overview 
69 In particular the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+). 
70 Toolkit on the use of EU funds for the integration of people with a migrant background 
71 Recovery and Resilience Facility 
72 Horizon Europe the EU’s funding programme for research and innovation 

14 

 
 
 
 
 
 
cluster “Civil Security for Society” funds for instance research on the fight against abuse of 
online gaming culture by extremist or combating hate speech. 
The  first-ever  framework  for  inclusion  measures  in  the  Erasmus+  Programme73  and  the 
European  Solidarity  Corps74  was  introduced  in  2021,  as  well  as  an  Inclusion  and  Diversity 
Strategy, to facilitate the access for people with fewer opportunities. In addition to projects in 
the areas of education and youth, the sport actions of the Erasmus+ programme promote 
social  inclusion  and  equality  in  and  through  sport.  Nevertheless,  racism  and  hate  speech 
continue  to  be  issues  within  sport,  from  elite  to  grassroot  level.  This  is  why  the  European 
Commission  co-funds  a  project  with  the  Council  of  Europe  on  ‘Combating  Hate  speech  in 
Sport’.  

Projects that address the issue of racism and discrimination are also eligible for funding under 
the Creative Europe programme75, under the ‘inclusion’ priority, which aims to strengthen 
society  and  improve  social  inclusion  in  and  through  culture  for  people  belonging  to 
minorities and socially marginalised groups.  
The Technical Support Instrument (TSI)76 tackles racism and discrimination by supporting 
vulnerable  groups  and  enhancing  the  capacity  of  public  administrations  to  address  equality 
concerns.  For  instance,  it  funds  projects  in  Estonia,  Portugal  and  Malta  focused  on  victim 
support, aiming to implement measures to better protect victims of crimes, including racially 
motivated hate crimes.  

As of 2024, the TSI will further support Equality Bodies in Belgium, Portugal and Finland to 
develop, supervise and deploy Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions, and assess the impact of 
AI on equality issues, in line with the implementation of the EU AI Act.  

Combating racism and discrimination in external policies 

Racism  is  a  global  problem,  and  it  is  important  that  actions  within  and  outside  the  EU  to 
prevent  and  combat  racism  are  coherent  and  mutually  reinforce  each  other.  To  ensure  a 
coherent approach  against  racism and strong  international  alliances, the  Commission  works 
closely  with  relevant  international  organisations77,  such  as  the  OHCHR,  ECRI  and  the 
OECD.  The  International  Convention  on  the  Elimination  of  all  Forms  of  Racial 

73 Home - Erasmus+ 
74 European Solidarity Corps 
75 Creative Europe - Culture and Creativity 
76 Technical Support Instrument (TSI)  
77 Through its Regional Office for Europe, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) 

supported the Commission in drawing up common guiding principles on national action plans. 

European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) of the Council of Europe, has been one of the 

main interlocutors of the EU anti-racism coordinator. As a member of the subgroup on the national 
implementation of the EU anti-racism action plan ECRI has contributed to the development of the policy 
tools produced by the subgroup.  

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an active member of the subgroup 
and is developing indicators to help monitor structural racism in the areas of education, employment, 
housing and law enforcement. The project is one of several anti-racism projects financed by the Citizens, 
Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme.  

The EU anti-racism coordinator has worked with various human rights mechanisms and participated in UN 

initiatives such as the UN Intergovernmental Working Group on the effective implementation of the Durban 
Declaration and programme of Action (Working Group), the ongoing work related to the International 
Decade of People of African Descent and the Agenda towards transformative change. 

15 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Discrimination  (ICERD)  remains  the  basis  of  efforts  by  the  EU  to  prevent,  combat  and 
eradicate  racism  at  global,  regional  and  country  level.  In  multilateral  fora,  as  well  as  in 
political and human rights dialogues with partner countries. The EU continues to advocate for 
universal ratification of the ICERD and its full and effective implementation. 

Combatting all forms of discrimination on any ground, including the fight against racism is a 
key priority of the EU’s human rights policy in external action as reflected in the EU Action 
Plan  on  Human  Rights  and  Democracy78.  In  September  2022,  the  European  External 
Action  Service  (EEAS)  and  the  Commission  services  organised  an  online  event  with 
colleagues in multilateral delegations79 to discuss the main challenges and opportunities for 
a  more  effective  and  visible  EU  approach  to  anti-racism,  as  well  as  to  strengthen  the 
collaboration  with  the  Commission  to  ensure  anti-racism  can  be  effectively  addressed  in 
multilateral fora. 

The Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI)80 
supports activities preventing or combatting all forms of racism, through programmes in the 
broad  areas  of  human  rights,  equality  and  non-discrimination,  governance  and  justice.  In 
many countries, prevention and response to racism is also part of human rights dialogues and 
regularly monitored. There are NDICI funds at regional and global level available, which also 
aim  to  reinforce  civil  society  capacity  to  respond  to  racism.  In  2023,  the  Commission 
allocated  funds  for  global  projects  combatting  discrimination  and  various  forms  of  racism, 
including  5.5  million  EUR  for  the  support  of  freedom  of  religion  or  beliefs  throughout  the 
world. 

3.3. Positive action by the EU – listening and acting 

Inclusive democracies 

CSOs and human rights defenders should effectively contribute to the public policy decision 
making  process  which  requires  necessary  infrastructures,  capacity  and  resources,  following 
the principles of accessibility, transparency, and inclusiveness. In the  Recommendation on 
civic engagement81, adopted within the Defence of Democracy package, the Commission 
encouraged Member States to promote the effective participation of civil society at every 
stage from the design to implementation, to develop, support and carry out their effective and 
meaningful participation, including by dedicating specific funding. The recommendation on 
civic engagement is of particular relevance for the cooperation with anti-racism civil society 
organisations.  

New structures to listen and learn: a permanent framework for exchange 

In  2021  the  Commission  appointed  its  first  ever  Coordinator  on  combating  racism82,  to 
ensure  the  overall  monitoring  and  implementation  of  the  action  plan,  to  facilitate 
mainstreaming  of  anti-racism  measures  and  to  act  as  the  main  contact  point  Commission’s 
anti-racism policy.  The Coordinator works closely  with  the Coordinator on combating  anti-
Muslim hatred, the Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life and the 

78 EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy  
79 EEAS Strasbourg, Paris, Vienna, Geneva and New York 
80 Global Europe: Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument  
81 Commission Recommendation on promoting the engagement and effective participation of citizens and civil 

society organisations 

82 The Commission's Coordinator on combating racism 

16 

 
 
 
 
 
 
team  coordinating  Roma  equality,  inclusion  and  participation.  The  appointment  of  the 
Coordinator  on  combating  racism  improved  cooperation  with  CSO  and  community-based 
organisations. 

To  engage  with  and  learn  from  people  who  experience  racism  and  racial  discrimination 
and  to  strengthen  the  participation  of  CSOs  that  work  with  and  represent  people  with  a 
minority  racial  or  ethnic  background,  the  Commission  established  the  Permanent  Anti-
Racism Civil Society Forum83 in June 2021. The Forum has been consulted for the common 
guiding  principles  for  national  action  plans  against  racism  as  well  as  for  the  monitoring 
checklist and reporting tool. 

As  announced  in  the  action  plan,  the  Commission  organised  an  European  Anti-racism 
Summit in 2021 with the close involvement of civil society and equality bodies. In 2022 the 
European Commission organised in cooperation with the European Parliament’s Anti-racism 
and  Diversity  Intergroup  and  with  the  Council  of  Europe’s  European  Commission  against 
Racism  and  Intolerance 
the  second  European  Anti-racism  Summit.  The  Summit 
commemorated  the  International  Day  for  the  Elimination  of  Racial  Discrimination  and 
focused  on  preparation  and  adoption  of  national  action  plans  against  racism  and  racial 
discrimination  and the important  role of young people,  especially  young people from  racial 
and ethnic minorities in combating racism and discrimination.  

While  in  the  public  consultation  civil  society  stakeholders  welcomed  the  creation  of  the 
Permanent  Forum, they  also  considered  further  action necessary to  ensure that  civic spaces 
are safe and inclusive for all communities and minorities.  

The  Coordinator  on  combating  racism  works  closely  with  civil  society  organisations  and 
with Member States, supporting the adoption of national action plans against racism. The 
coordinator  also  collaborates  with  institutions  and  other  stakeholders  including  the 
European Parliament,  equality  bodies, academia,  and international  organisations to  improve 
policy responses.  

83 Members of the Permanent Anti-racism CSOs Forum 

17 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4. The EU’s own human resources 

The action plan underlined that as an employer, the European Commission is committed to 
leading  by  example  and  to  ensuring  that  its  workforce  is  representative  of  the  diversity  of 
Europe’s  population.  It  is  also  committed  to  an  inclusive  work  culture  where  all  can  thrive 
and  reach  their  full  potential,  regardless  of  background  or  personal  characteristics.  In  2020 
the Commission set up a Diversity and Inclusion Office84 within its Directorate-General 
for Human Resources and Security to oversee the development and implementation of 
relevant initiatives. This started with an extensive diversity and inclusion survey of its staff 
conducted in March 202185. The results of the survey were used to inform the Commission’s 
new  Human  Resources  Strategy  adopted  in  2022  as  well  as  to  form  an  evidence-base  for 
developing an updated Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan 2023-202486. 

The  Commission  is  well-advanced  in  implementing  the  action  plan  which  focuses  on  cross 
cutting  actions  in  support  of  managers,  a  structured  learning  and  development  programme, 
awareness raising activities, communication and improved data collection and benchmarking.  
In addition, the action plan contains targeted actions in support of specific groups of staff. For 
example,  the  Diversity  and  Inclusion  Office  organises  internal  staff  events  or  awareness 
raising activities to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, 
focusing on staff experiences with racism in the workplace. It has also engaged closely with 
Diversité Europe, an EU  staff association,  created in  2021, representing the interests and 
concerns of staff belonging to a minority racial or ethnic background. 

The Commission  has also promoted diversity in its  Blue Book traineeship programme:  it 
published on its website a diversity and inclusion strategy87 for the traineeship in September 
2022, which focused both on outreach and a review of selection criteria to broaden the appeal 
of the programme and make it more accessible to underrepresented groups. 

In  2023,  the  Commission  also  renewed  its  policy  on  combating  harassment  and 
established  a  new  function  (Chief  Confidential  Counsellor)  that  will  oversee  the 
implementation  and  further  development  of  this  policy  in  the  Commission.  The  renewed 
policy recognises that discrimination may manifest itself through harassment. 

To  attract  a  more  diverse  pool  of  talent  to  the  EU  civil  services,  the  European  Personnel 
Selection Office (EPSO) launched a call for cooperation to all EU diversity organisations in 
2020,  inviting  them  to  join  a  database  of  partner  organisations,  which  it  keeps  up  to  date. 
EPSO  carried  out  two  equality  and  diversity  surveys  to  collect  data  on  the  diversity  of  its 
candidate  pool  and  adopted  an  Equality  and  Diversity  Action  Plan  in  May  2022,  for 
enhanced  outreach  to  attract  a  diverse  pool  of  candidates.  In  parallel,  EPSO  engaged 
organisations representing people from a minority racial or ethnic background to identify and 
address possible blocking factors preventing them from applying to EU Careers88. 

84 People first - Diversity and inclusion 
85 EPSO’s Diversity pilot survey – Main findings (2022) 
86 Diversity and inclusion in the workplace 
87 Diversity and Inclusion strategy - European Commission’s Blue Book traineeships scheme 
88 Identifying potential blocking factors to EU careers 

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5. Conclusion 

Stakeholders  strongly  welcomed  the  adoption  of  the  EU’s  first  anti-racism  action plan, 
which is considered to have triggered the adoption of national action plans against racism and 
advanced  the  debate  on  the  tackling  of  racism  in  all  its  forms,  including  its  structural 
dimension.  

The  action  plan  encouraged  Member  States  to  develop  and  implement  their  national 
action plans against racism. Good cooperation with and between Member States, with the 
support  of  the  Commission,  facilitated  the  adoption  of  shared  methodologies  through 
common policy tools, the exchange of promising practices and mutual learning.  

In  adopting  and  implementing  national  action  plans,  Member  States  aim  to  foster  the 
meaningful participation of affected communities, to recognise and tackle structural racism, 
to  include  an  intersectional  perspective,  and  to  allocate  sufficient  funding for  efforts  at 
national, regional, and local level to fight racism.     

Since the adoption of the action plan, several crises lead to increased racism, xenophobia and 
hatred against different groups. Available data, which is still scarce, shows the prevalence of 
individual  and  structural  racism  still  today.  Stakeholders  confirmed  that  the  situation  of 
people facing racism has not improved. To foster a society free from racism, discrimination 
and  inequality,  the  Commission,  in  a  joint  effort  with  Member  States  and  other  relevant 
stakeholders, must step up efforts to tackle all forms of racism. 

The collection of reliable and comparable data on equality including indicators on racial 
and  ethnic  origin  is  key  to  shedding  light  on  racist  and  discriminatory  patterns,  and 
structures.  It  is  therefore  important  that  Member  States  further improve  the  collection  of 
equality  data  at  all  territorial  levels  and  urge  all  stakeholders  to  cooperate  in  the 
collection  of  data  for  equality  and  non-discrimination  purposes by  emphasising  that 
safeguards are in place when collecting sensitive data and that such data is solely collected in 
the interest of improving the situation of people impacted by racial and ethnic discrimination.  

The Commission  will  continue to  engage with  CEPOL, FRA and  the European Border  and 
Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) to develop and offer training for law enforcement officials on 
unconscious bias and will work closely with Member States to support national efforts to 
guarantee fair and non-discriminatory policing.   

The  progress  achieved  so  far  serves  as  a  foundation  upon  which  the  EU  and  its  Member 
States  must  build  to  fully  implement  the  action  plan.  It  is  imperative  to  carry  forward  the 
momentum and continue to strengthen the policies, practices, and initiatives that have proven 
effective, notably in light of the worsening incidence of racial discrimination.  

The  fight  against  racism  requires  determination  and 
long-term  commitment. 
Advancements are achieved by mainstreaming anti-racism across different policies and by 
creating dedicated structures  and mechanisms  to  tackle racism.  The action plan emphasised 
close  collaboration  between  the  Commission and  all  stakeholders.  The  regular  dialogue 
with civil society has proven to be a key partnership. Through this meaningful engagement, 
the  Commission  has  gained  invaluable  insights  from  civil  society  organisations  at  the 
forefront of the fight against racism.  

As pronounced in the political guidelines for the new mandate 2024-2029 the Commission 
remains  firmly  committed  to  fostering  a  society  free  from  racism,  discrimination  and 

19 

 
 
 
 
 
inequality, and to assisting national efforts to achieve a Union of Equality where everyone 
has equal opportunities by developing an anti-racism strategy. 

20