In 2025, 36 ECCAR member cities used the Online City Reporting Tool to report on their local work, significantly expanding ECCAR's data pool on current issues and challenges in European municipalities in the field of anti-racism work. As part of the reporting feedback mechanism, each city received an individual feedback letter from ECCAR's Scientific Advisory Council, including UNESCO. This feedback letter contains feedback specific to the respective city, in which individual municipal measures are evaluated and recommendations are made by ECCAR's Scientific Advisory Council. There is also a General Feedback, which summarises the most important findings from the overall evaluation of all reports:
General observations of ECCAR's Scientific Advisory Council (SAC)
Based on the 36 reports, the SAC agreed on seven observations which are of interest to the reporting cities, the members of the coalition and ECCAR as a network of cities and local governments.
1 – Cities from all over Europe report that ideologies of inequality propagated by political movements are on the rise and able to gain an increasing number of followers which presents a challenge for local authorities. Reported measures increasingly have a specific focus on racism as well as on the intersectionality between race and other markers of inequality such as gender, class and body or age. If administrations clearly address racism and intersectional discrimination this strengthens trust in local authorities. The SAC notes that these local policies are an important cornerstone of the resistance against politically fuelled racism. However, local authorities still need to strengthen their resilience against such ideologies by detecting and counteracting structural and personal discrimination. Safeguards against the abolishment of antiracist structures and the introduction of discriminatory instruments in decision-making, financing or services must be established.
2 – Based on the reports of ECCAR member cities, the SAC observes that the European Commission’s Action Plan “A Union of Equality: EU Anti-Racism Action Plan 2020-2025” does have an impact. It can be seen directly through funding and local implementation of measures proposed in the action plan. Furthermore, the impact can be observed indirectly through the effects of multi-level-governance measures. The SAC specifically observes increased awareness of and implementation of actions against structural racism. In addition, the SAC observes more and better action plans, and a high interest in developing them.
3 – The SAC also notes the growing number of small cities and rural areas joining ECCAR. These members not only show commitment through their actions, but also a motivation to provide detailed reporting. In doing so, they make an important contribution to exchanging practices, and more importantly, as laboratories of political action, they contribute to the development of new and promising practices.
4 – In respect to the specific fields of action of ECCAR’s 10 Points Plan of Action, the SAC observes a trend toward strengthening measures of vigilance and monitoring concerning the cooperation between local authorities and civil society organisations which are related to commitment 1 (Greater Vigilance Concerning Racism) of the 10 Points Plan of Action. The SAC observes substantial interest and efforts in doing research and collecting and monitoring data, including the establishment of equality observatories related to commitment 2 (Assessing Racism and Discrimination and Monitoring Municipal Policies). The reports reveal the trend to introducing or strengthening complaint and redress mechanisms for victims of discrimination related to commitment 3 (Better Support for the Victims of Racism and Discrimination) of the plan. Diversity management is increasingly acknowledged by local authorities as an important instrument for the protection of city staff as well as residents receiving services provided by the city. The health sector as a place where structural and personal racism in their intersecting forms occur receives growing attention. Both observations relate to commitment 6 (The City as an Equal Opportunities Employer and Service Provider) of the action plan framework. In relation to commitment 7 (Fair Access to Housing), housing is considered a common issue for all ECCAR members. Housing is scarce everywhere, and discrimination in the selection process is all too common.
5 – Cities try to design their measures and initiatives in a more participatory way and increasingly seek to include those affected by racism as well as civil society members from the beginning of the respective processes. More and more institutionalised forms of cooperation are emerging, anchoring the perspective of those affected in municipal decision-making processes.
6 – The SAC notes that the equality, inclusion and participation of Sinti, Roma, Yenish and traveller communities in society is receiving greater attention by local authorities. The reported measures contribute to the implementation of the EU Roma Strategic Framework (2020-2030).
7 – Cities are placing more emphasis on the evaluation of their implemented measures. Increasingly, external agencies are being hired to provide professional evaluations.
Global Report 2025
The Global Report 2025, compiled by the European Training and Research Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (ETC), summarises the key findings of the Online City Reporting 2025 and expands on them with further data analysis. It can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.
