A delegation of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) visited Luxembourg from 19 to 23 September 2022 as the first step in the preparation of a monitoring report. The visit was preceded by online meetings on 15 September 2022. During the visit, ECRI’s delegation gathered information on effective equality and access to rights; hate speech and hate-motivated violence; and integration and inclusion.
In Luxembourg City, the delegation held meetings with representatives of the government and other authorities, Members of Parliament and civil society actors. It visited the “House of Human Rights” (Mënscherechtshaus) where it met with representatives of equality bodies. It also visited the safe space LGBTIQ+ Centre CIGALE, the “Saint-Antoine” accommodation facility for applicants for international protection and the “T Building” facility set up for people fleeing the war in Ukraine. In addition, the delegation carried out a field visit to the town of Esch-sur-Alzette where it met with local authorities and civil society.
Following this visit, ECRI will adopt a report in 2023 in which it will make a new set of recommendations on measures to be taken by the authorities to address racism and intolerance in the country. The implementation of two priority recommendations will be reviewed in two years’ time after publication of the report as part of ECRI’s interim follow-up procedure.
In its 2017 report on Luxembourg, among other recommendations, ECRI recommended that the authorities give the Centre for Equal Treatment (the “CET”) the right to receive complaints and the necessary powers to conduct effective investigations and participate in court proceedings.
It also asked the Luxembourgish authorities to initiate a debate and conduct an information campaign on the subject of intersex persons.