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EU agrees new racial hatred law EU agrees new racial hatred law
(10 minutes later)
European interior ministers have agreed to make incitement racism an EU-wide crime, but have stopped short of a blanket ban on Holocaust denial. European interior ministers have agreed to make incitement to racism an EU-wide crime, but have stopped short of a blanket ban on Holocaust denial.
The agreement makes it an offence to condone or grossly trivialise crimes of genocide - but only if the effect is incitement to violence or hatred.The agreement makes it an offence to condone or grossly trivialise crimes of genocide - but only if the effect is incitement to violence or hatred.
The deal follows six years of talks, and will disappoint Germany, which pushed hard for a Holocaust-denial law.The deal follows six years of talks, and will disappoint Germany, which pushed hard for a Holocaust-denial law.
Berlin has also had to drop a proposal for an EU-wide ban on Nazi symbols.Berlin has also had to drop a proposal for an EU-wide ban on Nazi symbols.
The European Network Against Racism said most European countries already had laws against incitement to racism, and the "weak text" would enable many of them to leave their legal codes unchanged. The European Network Against Racism said most European countries already had laws against incitement to racism, and the "weak text" would leave many national legal codes unchanged.
Films and playsFilms and plays
Under the agreement, incitement to hatred or violence against a group or a person based on colour, race, national or ethnic origin must be punishable by at least a year in jail.Under the agreement, incitement to hatred or violence against a group or a person based on colour, race, national or ethnic origin must be punishable by at least a year in jail.
However, member states can choose to limit prosecutions to cases likely to disturb public order. STATES WITH HOLOCAUST DENIAL LAWS AustriaBelgiumCzech RepublicFranceGermanyLithuaniaPolandRomaniaSlovakia class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/6336513.stm">Banning the freedom to deny However, member states can choose to limit prosecutions to cases likely to disturb public order.
Officials said the wording of the agreement was designed to avoid criminalising films or plays about genocide, or discouraging academic research. Some member states will have to put the agreement to parliamentary vote, before it becomes final.
They added that the difficulty agreeing common rules resulted from member states' different approaches to balancing freedom of expression against the protection of citizens. Officials said the wording was designed to avoid criminalising films or plays about genocide, or discouraging academic research.
They added that the difficulty of agreeing common rules resulted from member states' different approaches to balancing freedom of expression against the protection of citizens.
Countries where it is already a crime to deny the Holocaust will stick to their existing rules.Countries where it is already a crime to deny the Holocaust will stick to their existing rules.