Racism and prejudice in Europe - Statistics & Facts
Racism is a form of discrimination and prejudice directed at individuals or groups based on their race, ethnicity, or cultural background. It can manifest in social attitudes, individual behaviors, or institutional practices that contribute to unequal treatment and limited opportunities for certain groups. To confront these injustices, the international community enshrined the right to be free from discrimination in theÌýUniversal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, later reinforcing this principle with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) in 1965, which obliges states to take action against racial hatred and inequality.ÌýBut even though European countries have recognized the importance of eliminating racism and the EU has established binding anti-discrimination laws since the 2000s, an average of 34 percent of people worldwide see racism as a major problem in their country, and 30 percent report being concerned aboutÌýencountering racial hatred online.
The increase of racial discrimination in Europe
Racial tensions have long existed in Western societies, but in recent years they have become an increasing threat to social stability within the European Union. Instances of racial discrimination have reached alarming levels: nearly half of people of African descent in Europe reported experiencing racial discrimination, up from 39 percent in 2016 to 45 percent in 2022. This trend is particularly pronounced in countries such as Germany, Italy, and Spain.
In the United Kingdom, the share of respondents admitting to being at least somewhat prejudiced toward people of other races has also risen in recent years. In 2024 alone, London recorded more than 27,000 racially motivated hate crimes. Similarly, France saw the number of recorded racial offenses nearly double in two years—from 1,636 cases in 2022 to 3,144 in 2024—while Spain reported an increase in racism-related incidents from 397 in 2013 to 569 in 2023.
Across the EU, roughly one in three people reported feeling racially discriminated against when seeking employment over the past five years. Such discrimination often manifests structurally: people of African descent are disproportionately employed on temporary contracts compared to the rest of the population. This inequality is also reflected in economic hardship, with 32 percent of people of African descent reported having great difficulty making ends meet, compared to 18 percent among the general population.Ìý
EU anti-racism action plan 2020-2025
Prompted by the Black Lives Matter movement and a rise in racist violence, the European Commission launched the EU Anti-Racism Action Plan 2020–2025, its first initiative acknowledging structural and institutional racism. The plan urges member states to develop national strategies against racism, following shared EU guidelines. So far, 11 member states — Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Finland, and Sweden — have adopted such plans, with five more currently drafting their own.Ìý
