European Jewish Congress
Brussels-based umbrella body of European Jewish communities and European affiliate of the World Jewish Congress
| European Jewish Congress
| |
|---|---|
| Logo | 
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| Type | Umbrella body of national Jewish community organisations |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Headquarters | Brussels |
| Area served | Europe (over 40 countries) |
| Key people | Moshe Kantor (president) |
| Website | eurojewcong.org |
European Jewish Congress (EJC) is the Brussels-based umbrella organisation of national Jewish community bodies in more than 40 European countries. By its own account it represents 2.5 million Jews. It was set up as an independent body in 1986, taking over from the European branch of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), and is now the WJC's European regional affiliate.[1] It describes itself as "the representative political organisation of Europe's Jewish communities". It works with European Union institutions, the Council of Europe, the OSCE and UNESCO, and with national governments and parliaments.[1]
Support for 'Israel' is part of the EJC's stated purpose. Its mission includes "Promoting Balanced Decision-Making with regard to Israel": "to promote a balanced policy towards Israel from a European perspective, to counter the unfair vilification of Israel in Europe".[2] Its president, Moshe Kantor, was re-elected at a General Assembly held in Jerusalem in 2025. According to the EJC, he "reiterated that solidarity with the state of Israel was an absolute fundamental for the EJC", and he pledged: "We will never criticise Israel in international media."[3]
Aims
The EJC's stated mission has two strands:[2]
- "Combating Antisemitism": "To combat the resurgence of antisemitism and xenophobia through education, justice and security, in cooperation with national governments and European Union institutions", and to promote interreligious dialogue.
- "Promoting Balanced Decision-Making with regard to Israel": "to promote a balanced policy towards Israel from a European perspective, to counter the unfair vilification of Israel in Europe, and to assist in the development of a constructive dialogue between Europeans and Israelis".
Presidents
| Term | President |
|---|---|
| 1986–1988 | Théo Klein |
| 1988–1991 | Lionel Kopelowiz |
| 1991–1995 | Jean Kahn |
| 1996–1998 | Eldred Tabachnik |
| 1998–1999 | Ignatz Bubis |
| 2000–2001 | Henri Hajdenberg |
| 2001–2003 | Michel Friedman |
| 2003–2005 | Cobi Benatoff |
| 2005–2007 | Pierre Besnainou |
| 2007–2022 | Moshe Kantor |
| 2022–2025 | Ariel Muzicant |
| 2025– | Moshe Kantor |
Moshe Kantor and sanctions
On 6 April 2022 the UK government sanctioned Viatcheslav (Moshe) Kantor, describing him as "the largest shareholder of fertilizer company Acron with vital strategic significance for the Russian government".[4] The Guardian reported that Kantor was "one of eight Russian oligarchs targeted in the latest round of UK government sanctions", and that he was the largest shareholder in the fertiliser company Acron, "which the Foreign Office said had vital strategic significance for the Russian government".[5] The same day the EJC said it was "deeply shocked and appalled" by the decision, which it called "misguided". It announced that Kantor would step back "with immediate effect" as president. At the time he was also president of the World Holocaust Forum Foundation and the European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation.[6] Ariel Muzicant led the EJC as interim president from 2022 to 2025.[3][1]
In March 2025 EUobserver reported that Kantor and three other Russians were to be taken off the European Union's sanctions list in a last-minute deal with Hungary. Hungary had pushed for further delistings under a threat to veto the whole list.[7] On 21 May 2025, at its General Assembly in Jerusalem, the EJC elected Kantor to a fifth term as president with almost two-thirds of the vote, against Muzicant. Kantor said:
"After October 7, every Jew in Europe knows that his or her destiny is absolutely tied to the destiny of the Jewish State. ... We will never criticise Israel in international media. We may have concerns, like any true friend. But we express them respectfully, privately and always with care."[3]
Kantor remains under sanctions in the UK and several other countries. The UK Sanctions List entry, last updated on 17 March 2026, shows him as designated under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 since 6 April 2022, subject to an asset freeze, a travel ban, trust services sanctions, a director disqualification sanction and transport sanctions. Its statement of reasons says that he "is or has been involved in obtaining a benefit from or supporting the Government of Russia" by owning, controlling or directing PJSC Acron, "an entity carrying on business in sectors of strategic significance to the Government of Russia, namely the Russian chemicals and extractives sectors".[8] According to Companies House, the director disqualification began on 9 April 2025, under section 3A of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, which provides for the "disqualification of persons designated under sanctions legislation".[9] Poland's Ministry of the Interior and Administration added him to its sanctions list on 26 April 2022. The measures include freezing his funds and economic resources and entering him in the register of foreigners whose stay in Poland is undesirable.[10] In Ukraine, Presidential Decree No. 726/2022 of 19 October 2022 brought into force a National Security and Defence Council decision imposing sanctions on him for ten years, including the blocking of his assets.[11] Lithuania's Migration Department lists him among foreigners banned from entering the country, until 7 April 2030, under Article 133(4) of the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens.[12] OpenSanctions records the Lithuanian ban as a listing under the country's Magnitsky amendments.[13]
See also
- World Jewish Congress
- Zionist movement: EU
- Board of Deputies of British Jews
- Jewish, Zionist and Israeli connections to Cyprus
External links
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 European Jewish Congress, Our History, accessed 23 October 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 European Jewish Congress, Our Mission, accessed 23 October 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 European Jewish Congress, Dr Moshe Kantor elected President of the European Jewish Congress, 21 May 2025, accessed 23 October 2026.
- ↑ UK Government, UK imposes sweeping new sanctions to starve Putin's war machine, 6 April 2022, accessed 23 October 2026.
- ↑ Jessica Elgot and Jasper Jolly, Moshe Kantor: UK sanctions Russian billionaire over ties to Putin, The Guardian, 6 April 2022, accessed 23 October 2026.
- ↑ European Jewish Congress, EJC is deeply shocked and appalled by UK decision to sanction Dr Moshe Kantor, 6 April 2022, accessed 23 October 2026.
- ↑ Andrew Rettman, Russian fertiliser baron Kantor delisted in EU sanctions deal, EUobserver, 14 March 2025, accessed 23 October 2026.
- ↑ Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Sanctions Notice, Russia: 17 March 2026, entry for Viatcheslav KANTOR (RUS1127); see also the UK Sanctions List entry RUS1127, accessed 23 October 2026.
- ↑ Companies House, Viatcheslav KANTOR – Disqualification Details, accessed 23 October 2026.
- ↑ Ministerstwo Spraw Wewnętrznych i Administracji, Lista osób i podmiotów objętych sankcjami, entry for KANTOR Wiaczesław Mosze, accessed 23 October 2026.
- ↑ National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 726/2022 of 19 October 2022, bringing into force the National Security and Defence Council decision of 19 October 2022, annex 1 (annex 1), accessed 23 October 2026.
- ↑ Migracijos departamentas, Užsieniečių, kuriems draudžiama atvykti, sąrašas (list of foreigners prohibited from entering Lithuania), entry for VIATCHESLAV KANTOR, accessed 23 October 2026.
- ↑ OpenSanctions, Dr Viatcheslav Kantor, accessed 23 October 2026.