EU report: Muslims in Europe are well integrated and believe in the democratic institutions

Some days ago, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights announced the results of its survey on the discrimination among Muslims in Europe.

In it participated 10 527 people who identified themselves as Muslims. The survey was held in 15 member-states of the European Union – Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

The survey included information about the experiences of Muslims and their children who were born on the EU territory.

According to the report of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights the vast majority of Muslims in the EU have a high sense of trust in democratic institutions despite experiencing widespread discrimination and harassment.

"I am encouraged by the confidence of Europe's Muslim communities in our public institutions and rule of law, despite the individual challenges of discrimination which they attest to,” says European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans. But he added that he is disheartened by the EU Fundamental Rights Agency's report which shows that over the past five years almost one in three Muslims feel that they have been discriminated against when looking for work, but that only 12% of Muslims have reported the latest cases of discrimination.

“I want to assure our Muslim citizens that the European Commission will not tolerate intolerance. It goes against our values and our laws." – Timmermans added in a press release.

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights is the EU’s independent body for delivering fundamental rights assistance and expertise to the EU and its Member States.