France

In 2023, the French government presented two national action plans. The National Action Plan to Combat Racism, Anti-Semitism and Discrimination on Grounds of Origin, 2023-2026, was developed jointly by the relevant ministries in consultation with independent administrative authorities (such as the National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH), or the Defender of Rights), civil society organizations (CSOs) and memorial sites. 

The Plan is divided into five main lines of action, including 1) affirming the reality of racism, 2) measuring racism, anti-Semitism, and discrimination, 3) improving education for young people and training for adults, 4) strengthening penalties for offenders, and 5) supporting victims more effectively. Each of these lines of action is divided into strategic objectives accompanied by indicators that will be examined by a monitoring committee set up in March 2023 and made up of the relevant ministries and CSOs.

The National Action Plan for Equality, Against Anti-LGBT+ Hatred and Discrimination, 2023-2026, was developed jointly by the relevant ministries following consultations with independent administrative authorities, CSOs, and LGBT+ centres. It is also divided into five main lines of action, including 1) naming the reality of LGBT-phobia, 2) improving monitoring of such acts, 3) guaranteeing effectiveness of rights, 4) sanctioning LGBT-phobic perpetrators, and 5) developing a European and international strategy. The implementation of this plan will also be exanimated by a monitoring committee.

In 2023, a network of relay trainers led by the Central Office for Combating Crimes against Humanity and Hate Crimes (OCLCH) was created within the gendarmerie. The network consists of around 100 gendarmes (judicial police officers) trained as investigators, with one gendarme representing each departmental gendarmerie group or overseas gendarmerie. The network gendarmes are responsible for the following: raising awareness among their colleagues of hate crime litigation (to date they have reached 18,000 gendarmes); supporting field units in terms of legal qualification and conducting hearings to help identify the motive; and supporting the group commander or representing them on local operational committees to combat racism, anti-Semitism and anti-LGBT hatred.

In December 2023, OCLCH organized a two-day seminar attended by officers from all French departments, including overseas, to create relay trainers in the fight against hate crimes.

In 2023, the "NeoHaine" application was implemented by the OCLCH as a tool to support French gendarmes when deciding how to record crimes. In April 2024, it was presented to all EU internal security forces, which have been brought together under the aegis of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) and the European Commission's High Level Group on Combating Hate Crime and Hate Speech.