EU has concrete plans to combat anti-Muslim hatred: Official

BRUSSELS/LONDON

The European Union has concrete plans to combat Islamophobia, Marion Lalisse, the new EU coordinator on combating anti-Muslim hatred, said Thursday.

Lalisse, who was appointed to the position on Feb. 2, held a press conference in Brussels and answered questions from journalists.

She highlighted that the Muslim community in Europe is the largest religious minority, with diverse numbers, percentages and origins among member countries of the Union.

"However, the key point is that the Muslim community in the EU is an integral part of our society," said Lalisse. "We proposed the preparation of a document by mapping the phenomenon of hatred against Muslims."

Asked about concrete plans to combat Islamophobia, referring to the Quran burning incidents in Sweden, she said that “firstly, we will mainstream policies to combat anti-Muslim hatred in various sectors such as education, security, migration and many employment areas.”

“We will maintain dialogue with various institutions, civil society, actors, citizens and international organizations. We will implement evidence-based policies and raise awareness among citizens and institutions about the phenomenon of Islamophobia,” she added.