We, Solidarity With OTHERS, as an international human rights NGO based in Brussels, working actively on issues of hate speech, hate crime, and discrimination we welcome the European Commission’s initiative to renew and strengthen its Anti-Racism Strategy for the 2026–2030 period. We respectfully submit the following observations and recommendations, drawn from first-hand accounts received from individuals and communities affected by racial and religious discrimination.

1. Everyday Discrimination Against Muslim Communities
   Discrimination against Muslim women wearing the hijab remains widespread in public life across Member States. We have received multiple complaints of:

• Disproportionate identity checks and public transportation ticket inspections targeting visibly Muslim women;
• Unequal treatment in municipal services, where hijab-wearing applicants experience longer waiting times and unexplained delays in administrative processes;
• Bullying in public spaces, such as an incident where a Muslim woman taking pictures of flowers in front of a house was harassed, while others engaging in the same activity were left undisturbed;
• Discriminatory practices in retail, where dark-haired, darker-skinned men are disproportionately asked to show their bags at checkouts on suspicion of shoplifting.

These forms of structural and interpersonal racism must be addressed not only through legislative safeguards but also through public awareness campaigns and targeted training for frontline public workers and service providers.

2. Racial Profiling by Law Enforcement
   We observe ongoing racial and ethnic profiling by police, particularly during ID checks in public places. Muslim women and people of African descent are disproportionately targeted, despite the EU’s commitments to equality before the law. Binding guidelines, regular audits, and accountability mechanisms must be integrated into Member States’ policing practices.
3. Political Hostility and Undermining of Anti-Racism Work
   We are increasingly concerned about some governments introducing funding cuts and other administrative barriers to institutions and civil society organisations that combat racism and discrimination. We call on the Commission to ensure safeguards and independent funding channels for anti-racism actors, protected from political interference.
4. Article 22 of the Digital Services Act

The Digital Services Act is a very important step in the fight against racist hate speech online. It does this by making content moderation stronger, requiring more openness, and allowing data collecting that can help shape anti-racism policy.  However, we want to point out a worry about the legal uncertainty surrounding the implementation of Article 22(3). Some national regulators interpret the DSA in a way that could leave out grassroots, multilingual, and community-based organizations, even though they play an important role in monitoring hate speech and giving early warning insights.  The Anti-Racism Strategy (2026–2030) that is coming up should ask for clear, inclusive, and consistent criteria for identifying stakeholders like Trusted Flaggers. This will make sure that civil society actors with field knowledge and digital literacy are not left out by limited legalistic filters.  To make sure that pluralistic oversight is in place and that the strategy’s aims of fairness, participation, and non-discrimination in the digital world are met, this kind of broad recognition is necessary.

Recommendations

• Establish clear indicators and enforcement mechanisms to monitor discrimination against Muslims, including hijab-related cases.
• Introduce EU-wide minimum standards against racial profiling, with particular attention to intersectional discrimination.
• Create a resilient funding mechanism for anti-racism and human rights defenders, particularly in Member States where political hostility endangers their work.
• Call for clear, inclusive, and harmonised criteria for designating stakeholders such as Trusted Flaggers