Antisemitism is a test of the European idea

*The European Union has an obligation to defend and emphasise our
fundamental values, including respect for human dignity, freedom, equality,
and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to
minorities. For these reasons, the European Economic and Social Committee
(EESC) strongly supported the establishment of the European Commission's
Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life at its March
plenary.*

Any form of antisemitism is incompatible with European values and norms and
poses a threat to the future of a democratic Europe. "*The EESC firmly
believes that antisemitism is a test of the European idea, the rule of law,
fundamental rights, and democracy*," explains rapporteur *Ákos Topolánszky*.

To more effectively implement the strategy, the Committee recommends that a
permanent unit be established at Council level to monitor and combat
antisemitism, reinforcing the work of the European Commission and the
European Parliament. In addition, the EESC endorses the working definition
of antisemitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance
(IHRA) and strongly encourages all Member States to adopt it and use it as
the foundation for their policy action.

*Fostering Jewish life*

The Committee applauds the strategy for seeking not only to address
antisemitism but also to foster Jewish life, and work towards public
policies and community cooperation promoting mutual acceptance.

The EESC deems it essential to understand the roots and causes of all forms
of violence against Jewish individuals and communities in order to be able
to take effective action, not only through criminal justice, but also
through a more effective system of action at community and societal level.
This includes support for awareness-raising campaigns on
non-discrimination, support for training target groups on recognising and
responding to hate speech and hate crime, and support and funding for
monitoring, data collection and reporting activities.

Moreover, as an integral part of the European identity, Jewish culture must
be made more accessible to citizens and the general public. The Committee
calls on the EU institutions, the Member States, the social partners and
civil society organisations to properly present and celebrate the Jewish
community's role in the EU as an essential and inalienable part of a common
culture.

*Social media*

The Committee believes that all constitutional and EU legal instruments
should be consistently used to tackle antisemitic content in the media,
while improving knowledge and understanding of Jewish life through more
balanced and sensitive reporting.

In most cases, the representation of Jewish communities and their members
in traditional and social media is very limited, focusing primarily on the
impact of antisemitic violence and terrorism, as well as the collective
memory of the Holocaust in Europe. However, there is a need to also present
positive content beyond this as recognition of the importance of social
coexistence.
*International aspects*

As a final point, the EESC encourages the European Commission to give the
fight against antisemitism and the strategic agenda for the promotion of
Jewish life a strong external dimension in all aspects of the cooperation
with third countries and international organisations. The Committee points
to the instruments of our neighbourhood policy and development cooperation,
as well as the instruments for bringing EU candidate countries closer to
the EU, as appropriate mechanisms for combating antisemitism and promoting
Jewish life.