Highlights

EU Anti-Racism Body Publishes Reports on Anti-Semitism in Europe


Today, the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC), an independent agency of the European Union (EU), released two major reports on Anti-Semitism in Europe, the largest ever studies of their kind.

The main report "Manifestations of Anti-Semitism in the EU 2002 - 2003" details incidents of anti-Semitism in the EU over a two-year period, and proposes policies to counter it. The second, "Perceptions of Anti-Semitism in the European Union" , provides snapshot interviews with members of the Jewish community.

According to the main report, there has been an increase in anti-Semitic incidents in five EU countries - Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK - ranging from hate mail to arson. In some other Member States, there has been little evidence of rising anti-Semitism.

Although difficult to generalize, the report says that the largest group of perpetrators of these activities appears to be young, disaffected white Europeans. A further source in some countries: young Muslims of North African or Asian extraction. Traditionally anti-Semitic groups on the extreme right also have played a part in stirring opinion.

The report also indicates the tremendous variability among Member States in their practices of monitoring and collecting data on anti-Semitic acts. Some have well established structures, producing reliable annual statistics, but others have nothing at all in place.


For more information, please visit
http://www.eu-un.europa.eu/articles/en/article_3341_en.htm

for the complete reports please go to
http://eumc.eu.int .

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