Source: European Parliament
The Commission is committed to ensure that there is no place for hate based on religion in the EU. Through its policy instruments to address hate speech and hate crime, the Commission is addressing and monitoring closely the situation on hate based on religion within the EU, including against Christians.
The Commission cooperates with the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe in the context of the Commission’s High Level Group[1]. The ODIHR provides regular data on hate crimes targeting Christians[2].
Places of worship have been targeted by acts of vandalism and terrorism in the EU, including Christian churches. Such acts are unacceptable and need to be prosecuted as hate crime by national authorities, who are solely responsible for investigations in the Member States.
The Commission supports strengthening the protection of places of worship[3] [4]. A quick guide to support the protection of places of worship has been published in 2021[5] to help assess the risks they face and implement measures that increase their protection, in particular against terrorism.
Moreover, under the 2023 PROTECT call[6] of the Internal Security Fund[7], the Commission will provide EUR 30 million of funding to support transnational and inter-religious projects conducting, among others, vulnerability assessments in places of worship and providing training to faith leaders and communities[8].
- [1] https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/combatting-discrimination/racism-and-xenophobia/combating-hate-speech-and-hate-crime_en#the-high-level-group-on-combating-hate-speech-and-hate-crime
- [2] see https://hatecrime.osce.org/
- [3] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52023JC0051
- [4] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52017DC0612
- [5] https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/whats-new/publications/eu-quick-guide-support-protection-places-worship_en#:~:text=This%20guide%20aims%20at%20helping%20smaller%20and%20medium-sized,altering%20the%20nature%20and%20purpose%20of%20the%20space
- [6] https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/isf/wp-call/2023-2025/call-fiche_isf-2024-tf2-ag-protect_en.pdf
- [7] https://commission.europa.eu/funding-tenders/find-funding/eu-funding-programmes/internal-security-fund_en
- [8] https://agenceurope.eu/en/bulletin/article/13598/36