The Council of Europe is pleased to announce the full composition of its new Expert Committee on Combating Hate Speech tasked with preparing comprehensive guidance for member States on how to tackle hate speech more effectively. The Committee’s first meeting will take place on 29 September 2020.

This inter-disciplinary group is composed of 16 leading specialists - ten member State representatives elected by the Steering Committee on Media and Information Society (CDMSI)) and the Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion (CDADI) and six independent experts appointed by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

At the first meeting on 29 September 2020, the Expert Committee will discuss the structure and main issues that should be addressed in the draft recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member States on a comprehensive approach to addressing hate speech within a human rights framework, which it is expected to deliver in completion of its mandate by the end of 2021.