European Union: Adopted Council of the EU Declaration on Antisemitism

On 15 October 2024, the Council of the European Union adopted a declaration aimed at combating antisemitism across the European Union. The declaration calls on Member states to adopt national strategies to combat antisemitism and the appointment of special envoys or coordinators for this cause. The Council declaration notes the spread of antisemitic hate speech, including Holocaust denial and distortion, is increasingly prevalent online, often without repercussions. The declaration notes that online hate crimes should be prosecuted similarly to offline offences, adhering to relevant legal frameworks. Additionally, the declaration specifies that internet service providers must remove illegal hate speech and terrorist content in compliance with the law. National authorities are encouraged to prosecute antisemitic hate speech and hate crimes following both EU and national regulations. Additionally, large online platforms and search engines must identify and mitigate risks of illegal content dissemination, as required by the Digital Services Act and the Code of Conduct on countering illegal hate speech online.