Luxembourg has shown substantial improvement in addressing racism and intolerance, but several issues remain, according to a new report by the Council of Europe.

Areas of concern include increasing instances of hate speech, persistent discrimination against immigrants, and an absence of laws explicitly preventing non-essential surgeries on intersex children.

This information is part of the sixth monitoring report on Luxembourg, released by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI). Since 2018, several advancements have been made, like the introduction of a National Integration Plan, Luxembourg’s inaugural National LGBTI Action Plan, and numerous beneficial measures in the educational sector.

While the majority of Luxembourg's politicians refrain from hate speech, the ECRI emphasizes that hate speech, especially online, has surged in the past few years. Incidents motivated by racism, homophobia and transphobia are insufficiently tracked, with a scarcity of data. The support provided to victims of hate speech by authorities is inadequate, and regulatory bodies' strategies to tackle hate speech are disjointed.

The ECRI also highlighted persistent discrimination against immigrants, especially individuals of African origin and Portuguese nationals, in employment, education, and housing. Integrating asylum seekers and refugees into professional settings remains a significant hurdle. Additionally, there is a lack of language courses for migrants.

A positive development is the Centre for Equal Treatment (CET) which has seen its independence strengthened. However, the ECRI suggests that the legal clarity, mandate, and capabilities of CET need enhancement. The report also emphasizes the importance of safeguarding the rights of intersex children to bodily autonomy.