On Janaury 25, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Füle voiced his position regarding passage of the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial.

“I think this is not really up to the European Commission to intervene in the issue which involves a member state and a candidate country, and specifically on such an issue. I believe that these kind of important and sensitive issues are best handled by historians, are best handled through dialogue, are best handled in a way putting the facts together, rather than through political declarations,” Euronews quoted Füle as saying.

On January 23 the French Senate passed the bill with 127 votes for and 86 against.

On December 22, 2011, it was adopted by the French National Assembly. The bill will impose a 45,000 euro fine and a year in prison for anyone in France who denies this crime against humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire.

The bill is believed to take effect in France within two weeks, after it will be signed by President.