ECRI held its 93^rd plenary meeting in Strasbourg, which took place from 5 to 8 December 2023.

On 7 December, ECRI adopted a statement on the rise of antisemitism in Europe as a result of the current conflict in the Middle East. The text of the statement is available here.

Earlier, on 5 and 6 December, ECRI held two separate exchanges of views with Maija Innola, Chair of the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on Education (CDEDU), and with Alexandre Guessel, Special Representative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe (SRSG) on antisemitic, anti-Muslim and other forms of religious intolerance and hate crimes.

On 6 December, a reinforced delegation of ECRI led by Maria Daniella Marouda, Chair of ECRI, participated in an exchange of views on antisemitism and other forms of intolerance and hatred based on religion organised by the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and inclusion (CDADI).

As part of its sixth country monitoring cycle, ECRI examined its preliminary draft reports on Bosnia and Herzegovina, Malta, San Marino and Serbia, and adopted its final report on Liechtenstein.

ECRI also held discussions on the basis of the report made by its working group on relations with civil society and equality bodies.

In the context of Bureau elections, ECRI elected Bertil Cottier (member in respect of Switzerland) as its Chair, Domenica Ghidei Biidu (member in respect of the Netherlands) as 1^st Vice-Chair and Irena Ilieva (member in respect of Bulgaria) as 2^nd Vice-Chair. Nihal Eminoğlu (member in respect of Türkiye), Els Keytsman (member in respect of Belgium), Tena Šimonović Einwalter (member in respect of Croatia) and Jens Vedsted-Hansen (member in respect of Denmark) were elected as Bureau members. The terms of office of the newly elected Chair (two years), Vice-Chairs (one year) and Bureau members (two years) will begin on 1 January 2024.

In the course of the plenary meeting, ECRI also took note of the statement made by Clarence Lusane, observer in respect of the United States of America.

Exchange of views with Maija Innola, Chair of the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on Education.

Current and future members of the ECRI Bureau (from left to right): Tena Šimonović Einwalter, Nihal Eminoğlu, Michael Farrell, Domenica Ghidei Biidu (newly elected Vice-Chair), Els Keytsman, Bertil Cottier (newly elected Chair), Maria Marouda (current Chair), Reetta Toivanen (current Vice-Chair), Irena Ilieva (newly elected Vice-Chair) and Cristian Jura. (NB: Jens Vedsted-Hansen does not appear on this photograph).