Answer given by Ms Jourová on behalf of the European Commission
21.6.2019
The Commission, within its competences, has always been strongly committed to ensuring the respect of the victims and the memory of the crimes committed by totalitarian regimes. It is primarily the responsibility of the Member States to deal with the sensitive and complex issue of atrocities and crimes that have occurred in the past.
The Europe for Citizens programme (2014-2020)[1] supports activities on the causes of totalitarian regimes and the commemoration of their victims. These actions aim at facilitating the reconciliation process by encouraging discussion, sharing of experiences and promoting best practices.
In its report on the memory of totalitarian crimes[2], the Commission also encouraged the Member States to examine the possibility to recognise the 23 August[3] as a Europe-wide Day of Remembrance of the crimes committed by totalitarian regimes, in the light of their own history and specificities.
- [1] http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/europe-for-citizens_en
- [2] ‘The memory of the crimes committed by totalitarian regimes in Europe’, COM (2010) 783 final.
- [3] European Parliament resolution of 2 April 2009 on European conscience and totalitarianism.