The European Union has agreed on a watered-down anti-racism law, reflecting wide divergences among the bloc's 27 states on how to tackle racial prejudice and genocide denial.
Justice ministers agreed to punish incitement to hatred or violence against a group or a person based on colour, race, national or ethnic origin by one to three years in jail.
Under the weakened text adopted, member states can choose to limit punishment to those cases likely to disturb public order, and individual countries' rules on freedom of expression can always take precedence over it.
Germany had pushed hard for a blanket ban on Holocaust denial - building on a previous attempt by Luxembourg in 2005 - but the bid has consistently fallen foul of free speech concerns.
In order to make the text acceptable to Ireland, Britain and the Scandinavian states, Holocaust denial will only be deemed criminal when used to incite hatred.
The deal, which was reached today in Luxembourg after six years of wrangling, must be confirmed by the parliaments of several member states before it becomes final.
