EU leaders, who ended Friday a two-day meeting in Brussels to discuss a series of topics, welcomed the EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life presented by the European Commission.
In their meeting conclusions, they said that last week’s Malmö International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism ‘’is a reminder that no effort must be spared in fighting all forms of antisemitism, racism and xenophobia.’’
They also recalled the EU Council declaration of 6 December 2018 on the fight against antisemitism and the development of a common security approach to better protect Jewish communities and institutions in Europe and the Council declaration of 2 December 2020 on mainstreaming the fight against antisemitism across policy areas.
With antisemitism worryingly on the rise, in Europe and beyond, the first-ever EU strategy sets out a series of measures articulated around three pillars: to prevent all forms of antisemitism; to protect and foster Jewish life and to promote research, education and Holocaust remembrance.
The strategy proposes measures to step up cooperation with online companies to curb antisemitism online, better protect public spaces and places of worship, set up a European research hub on contemporary antisemitism and create a network of sites where the Holocaust happened. These measures will be reinforced by the EU’s international efforts to lead the global fight against antisemitism.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, has described the strategy as ‘’a step change in how we respond to antisemitism.’’ ‘’Europe can only prosper when its Jewish communities feel safe and prosper,” she said.