In 2024 the Steering Committee on Media and Information Society (CDMSI) and the Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion (CDADI) Plenary members endorsed, respectively, the Compilation of promising practices on combating hate speech at national level and the Self-assessment tool to prevent and combat hate speech  focusing on the implementation of relevant aspects of CM/Rec(2022)16 on combating hate speech. The Compilation highlights a range of promising practices by member states and other key stakeholders consistent with the recommendation during its early implementation period, with a view to offering concrete guidance for further developing “good practices” that fulfil the document’s aims and objectives.

The self-assessment tool identifies actionable points across all key objectives relevant to the implementation of CM/Rec(2022)16. Intended to prompt reflective and critical conversations, it is organised according to the seven chapters in line with the Recommendation. Within the context of each chapter, a key objective and relevant action areas are identified, to be read in conjunction with the related part of the Recommendation and its accompanying Explanatory Memorandum. A series of reflective prompts under each action point is there to guide users towards a critical appraisal of their existing practice, with suggested follow-up measures highlighted beneath these.

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted a Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)16 on combating hate speech in May 2022 to assist member States and other relevant stakeholders in preventing and countering hate speech in a comprehensive way, including in the online environment. The Recommendation provides: a definition of hate speech, which builds on the European Convention on Human Rights as well as the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights; a broad set of measures – both legal and non-legal – to protect individuals and groups against hate speech within the framework of human rights, democracy and the rule of law; a carefully calibrated approach, requiring laws, policies, guidelines and other measures to effectively prevent and combat hate speech based on its severity, the harm it causes and its impact on members of particular groups in different contexts; guidance with respect to online hate speech, ensuring it is equally covered and effectively addressed. It encourages the involvement of several key actors which can play a key role in preventing and countering hate speech, including public officials, elected bodies, political parties; internet intermediaries; media; and civil society organisations.

The Recommendation counts to date several language versions including: Albanian | Armenian | Azerbaijani | Georgian | German | Italian | Macedonian | Romanian | Serbian | Spanish | Ukrainian 

A review report on the implementation of main aspects of the Recommendation will be carried out again jointly by the CDADI and CDMSI, to be delivered by the end of 2027.