Parliamentary question - E-005599/2015Parliamentary question
E-005599/2015

Implementation of the Council framework decision (2008/913/JHA) on combating certain forms and expressions of racism and xenophobia by means of criminal law

Question for written answer E-005599-15
to the Commission
Rule 130
Soraya Post (S&D) , Benedek Jávor (Verts/ALE) , Anna Hedh (S&D) , Nicola Caputo (S&D) , Jutta Steinruck (S&D) , Marc Tarabella (S&D) , Péter Niedermüller (S&D) , Nessa Childers (S&D) , Tibor Szanyi (S&D) , Christine Revault D'Allonnes Bonnefoy (S&D) , Michela Giuffrida (S&D) , Eider Gardiazabal Rubial (S&D) , Kashetu Kyenge (S&D) , Tanja Fajon (S&D) , Juan Fernando López Aguilar (NI) , Brando Benifei (S&D) , Maria Noichl (S&D) , José Blanco López (S&D) , Krystyna Łybacka (S&D) , Kathleen Van Brempt (S&D) , Eric Andrieu (S&D) , Afzal Khan (S&D) , Damian Drăghici (S&D) , Malin Björk (GUE/NGL) , Bodil Ceballos (Verts/ALE) , Cecilia Wikström (ALDE) , Cornelia Ernst (GUE/NGL) , Marie-Christine Vergiat (GUE/NGL) , Dennis de Jong (GUE/NGL) , Iratxe García Pérez (S&D) , Julie Ward (S&D) , Georgi Pirinski (S&D) , Victor Negrescu (S&D) , Marju Lauristin (S&D) , Sylvie Guillaume (S&D) , Liisa Jaakonsaari (S&D) , Jörg Leichtfried (S&D) , Kostas Chrysogonos (GUE/NGL) , Laurențiu Rebega (S&D) , Iris Hoffmann (S&D) , Ana Gomes (S&D) , Terry Reintke (Verts/ALE) , Karima Delli (Verts/ALE) , Anneliese Dodds (S&D) , Elena Gentile (S&D) , Pina Picierno (S&D)

In 2015 we are commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Holocaust, in which more than six million innocent people were murdered, many because of their faith, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. At the same time history is repeating itself in Europe with the rise of extreme right parties, and xenophobic and racist rhetoric resulting in a general increase in hate speech and hate crime.

In its report of 21 January 2014 on the implementation of the Council framework decision (2008/913/JHA) on combating certain forms and expressions of racism and xenophobia by means of criminal law, the Commission concluded that it was not fully or correctly transposed in all Member States at the time. Although the Council has not yet assessed whether Member States have complied with the provisions of the framework decision in accordance with Article 10 thereof, the Commission has been able to initiate infringement proceedings based on the decision since 1 December 2014.

1. How and when will the Commission take action against Member States that have not transposed the framework decision and/or are otherwise not complying with the decision?

2. What action will the Commission take to ensure that hate speech and hate crime on the grounds of sex, sexual orientation or gender identity are criminalised in the Member States?