The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has published today its conclusions on the implementation by Bosnia and Herzegovina, Liechtenstein, Malta, San Marino and Serbia of its recommendations provided in 2024, for which priority follow-up was requested.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

In its conclusions on Bosnia and Herzegovina, ECRI acknowledges that a number of initiatives aimed at promoting inclusive education, including policy recommendations and roadmaps, curriculum development efforts and targeted measures to support groups vulnerable to discrimination and exclusion, including Roma children, have been taken after the publication of its 2024 report. However, these initiatives remain limited in scope, fragmented, largely project-based and unevenly implemented. They do not form part of a comprehensive, coordinated and enforceable framework capable of effectively eliminating all forms of discrimination in education, as recommended by ECRI as a matter of priority. ECRI also notes with concern that the practice of “two schools under one roof” continues to exist in several cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, despite binding domestic court decisions finding such practices discriminatory. Significant challenges also persist regarding the inclusiveness of the school environment in the Republika Srpska, including disputes concerning language rights, insufficiently inclusive curricula and structural obstacles to inter-ethnic understanding. In these circumstances, ECRI concludes that its first priority recommendation has not been implemented.

The second priority recommendation concerned determined action in the area of electoral law to comply with the 2009 judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Sejdić and Finci v. Bosnia and Herzegovina. ECRI takes note of the adoption of a revised action plan in July 2025 and the establishment of a working group in October 2025 to prepare draft amendments to the Constitution and the Election Law. However, ECRI considers that these measures remain largely procedural and preparatory and have not resulted in concrete legislative or constitutional reform. As the constitutional and electoral framework continues to exclude persons not belonging to the three constituent peoples from standing for election to key political institutions, ECRI concludes that the recommendation has so far not been implemented.

Liechtenstein

In its report on Liechtenstein published in 2024, ECRI recommended establishing an information and support centre or designating an office responsible for coordinating public authorities’ efforts to facilitate integration and serving as a one-stop information and service point for migrants.

ECRI is pleased to note in its conclusions on Liechtenstein that the Government established a consultation office for migrants in Schaan, where advice is available in several languages on matters including integration, permits and foreigners’ law, social insurance, employment and family issues. The office has been operational since 1 June 2024 and complements the integration.li webpage, which now provides information in German and five other languages. ECRI concludes that this recommendation has been fully implemented.

The second priority recommendation concerned preparations for a specific anti-discrimination act, with the support of the Human Rights Association and relevant civil society actors. In its conclusions, ECRI notes that the Government’s working group responsible for implementing recommendations by international human rights bodies met with the Human Rights Association in November 2025, when the Association presented its preparatory work for a possible anti-discrimination law. However, the meeting has not yet resulted in any follow-up action by the Government.

Against this background, ECRI remains convinced that specific anti-discrimination legislation would be key to filling legislative gaps beyond criminal and labour law and would provide a solid legal basis for the work of the Human Rights Association. It concludes that, in the present state of affairs, the recommendation has not yet been implemented.

Malta

In its conclusions on Malta, ECRI notes that the authorities informed it of the progress made towards establishing an independent and effective equality body in the form of a Human Rights and Equality Commission, which was ECRI’s first priority recommendation. A draft bill has been prepared which is intended to give the new body legal, operational and financial independence, as well as powers to conduct investigations, issue opinions and recommendations, facilitate mediation and assist victims of discrimination. However, ECRI notes in its conclusions that, at the time the information received by ECRI was reviewed, the draft bill had not yet been made available for consultation with civil society or submitted to Parliament. ECRI therefore concluded that this recommendation has only been partially implemented.

The second priority recommendation concerned the adoption of a comprehensive strategy for the integration and inclusion of migrants. In its conclusions, ECRI welcomes the Integration Strategy and Action Plan 2025–2030, which includes six policy goals and 41 measures covering education, employment, housing, healthcare and other areas. It also provides for annual reporting, monitoring and evaluation, financial support and the involvement of civil society. While taking note of concerns regarding the need for further clarification of indicators and benchmarks and for sustainable resources, ECRI considers that responsibility for addressing these issues has been allocated under the Strategy and trusts that they can be effectively tackled during its implementation. ECRI concludes that, overall, the recommendation has been implemented.

San Marino

In its conclusions on San Marino, ECRI notes that discussions are continuing on the establishment of a body dedicated to equal opportunities and to preventing and combating discrimination and intolerance, which was the subject of its first priority recommendation in its 2024 report on San Marino. It also takes note of the creation of the Technical and Administrative Secretariat Office for Equal Opportunities, Bioethics and Social Inclusion, as well as ongoing work on a draft law to establish an independent National Human Rights Defender with powers to combat racism, intolerance and discrimination. ECRI therefore considers that the recommendation on establishing an equality body has been partially implemented and takes note of the efforts made.

The second priority recommendation concerned measures to prevent and combat racist and LGBTI-phobic bullying, including cyberbullying, and violence in schools. In its conclusions, ECRI welcomes the adoption of legislation and a school protocol covering, among other grounds, ethnic origin, citizenship, skin colour, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as the establishment of cooperation frameworks in this area. Reporting, assessment and monitoring procedures have also been introduced, alongside awareness-raising, teaching staff training and activities for pupils. ECRI finds that this recommendation has been fully implemented.

Serbia

In its conclusions on Serbia, ECRI notes that a draft law on same-sex partnerships had been prepared before its 2023 visit and discussed with several civil society organisations but that no bill elaborated on that basis was submitted to the National Assembly, as recommended by ECRI as a matter of priority. The authorities indicated that political and social circumstances had not allowed the necessary consensus to be reached. Although the Action Plan for 2026 and 2027 provides for an analysis of possible solutions for the legal regulation of same-sex partnerships, ECRI considers that this represents a step away from the extensive work already carried out and risks causing further delays. It therefore concludes that the recommendation has not been implemented.

The second priority recommendation concerned the commissioning of a comprehensive study on the different forms of hate speech in Serbia, their sources and their impact on target groups. ECRI notes in its conclusions that the authorities included such a study in a project proposal for possible funding through European Union pre-accession funds and in the Action Plan for 2026 and 2027. However, at the time the information received by ECRI was reviewed, it remained unclear whether the necessary funding would be secured and whether the study would be commissioned. ECRI therefore concludes that the recommendation has not yet been implemented.