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European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Speech by Commissioner Lahbib at the European Anti-Racism Conference Brussels, 17 March 2026 Let me start with a simple idea: openness is not a weakness. It is a strength. If we look around the world today, it may not feel that way. In many places, the trend seems to be building walls, closing doors, turning inward. But Europe will not follow that path. We are goi...
European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Speech by Commissioner Lahbib at the European Anti-Racism Conference Brussels, 17 March 2026 Let me start with a simple idea: openness is not a weakness. It is a strength. If we look around the world today, it may not feel that way. In many places, the trend seems to be building walls, closing doors, turning inward. But Europe will not follow that path. We are going the other way, toward more openness and cooperation, not less. Open to ideas. Open to cultures. And most importantly, open to other people, all people. It is exactly what we mean when we say “united in diversity.” But the challenge is that racism rarely announces itself openly. It doesn't stand up in the town square and scream: “I'm a racist!” Rather, it whispers. More often, it tiptoes quietly from room to room. It hides in habits, in assumptions, in systems we no longer question. That is when it is most dangerous because when discrimination becomes invisible, it slowly starts to feel normal. And when it feels normal, barriers quietly go up in the school playground, in trying to rent an apartment, in looking for a job. It becomes structural racism. That is why we must bring these realities into the light and confront them. That is what this Anti- Racism Strategy is about. It is both a choice and a necessity. The consequences of racism are real. Roma communities in Europe live on average eight years less than the rest of the population. Nearly half of people of African descent working in the EU are overqualified for their jobs. Racism not only hurts people. It also weakens our economies. Racial and ethnic discrimination costs Europe almost 13 billion euros every year in lost growth. That is an enormous amount of talent left untapped, and Europe simply cannot afford that. We are addressing racism in all its forms: anti-Black racism, antigypsyism, antisemitism, anti-Asian racism, and anti-Muslim hatred. We are confronting it where it hides: in institutions and in everyday decisions that shut people out. In January, we adopted the EU's first Anti-Racism Strategy, another brick in our Union of Equality. It builds on the work already done in recent years, but now we are going further. Our strategy focuses on three priorities: enforcing the law, removing barriers, and building partnerships. First, our laws must work in real life, not just on paper. For 25 years, the Racial Equality Directive has fought discrimination in schools, housing, hospitals, and at work. But a law is only as strong as its enforcement. Too often sanctions are outdated, too often discrimination goes unpunished. That must change. We are reviewing how Member States apply sanctions under the Directive and, where necessary, we will strengthen them. We are also looking at how anti-discrimination rules apply to algorithmic discrimination. Artificial intelligence brings huge opportunities, but it also carries risks. Old prejudices must not be coded into new technologies. Today we already see hiring software repeating past discrimination and filtering out qualified candidates, and credit algorithms refusing loans based on a person's postcode, not because of real financial risk. These technologies are often complex and opaque which makes discrimination harder to detect and harder to punish. Technology must never become a loophole for injustice. That is why our anti- discrimination laws must apply to algorithms too. Our second focus is tackling racism in everyday life. Racism does not flash in big red headlines. It is more subtle than that. A child told, “this path is not for you.” A CV never opened because of a name. A family rejected again and again while looking for a home. These moments may seem small, but together they create a system of exclusion. We need to cut the tentacles of racism that spread across society, and it must start early. Later this year, we will launch a partnership with UNESCO to reinforce anti-racism education. Teachers will receive training to spot bias, stereotypes, harassment, and hate. We will promote inclusive education through Erasmus+. We will also work with businesses through the EU Diversity Charters to promote fair recruitment and inclusive workplaces, and we will propose a Council recommendation on housing exclusion and homelessness. Our third focus is building partnerships because the fight against racism cannot be led from Brussels alone. It must happen everywhere: globally, across Europe, in Member States, and in local communities. We are working with Member States to develop strong national and local anti-racism action plans. Today 14 Member States already have them, double the number since 2020, but we want all 27. Civil society also plays a vital role. Those working on the front lines see discrimination first and respond first. That is why we are strengthening the Anti-Racism Civil Society Forum, a space for dialogue and evidence-based policymaking between the Commission and civil society organisations. In the next EU budget, we are proposing to double funding for equality, up to €3.6 billion. This will support projects that promote equality and fight discrimination across Europe. Europe moves forward when we are honest with ourselves, when we recognise where we fall short and decide to do better. This Anti-Racism Strategy is our commitment to do better for all Europeans and to build a Europe where no child ever hears the words: “This is not possible for someone like you.” Let's bring this strategy to life starting today. SPEECH/26/627
Speech Brief