The role of the EU in protecting minority rights

Subject: The role of the EU in protecting minority rights

Respect for minority rights is a fundamental value of the EU. The Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding Europe’s rich cultural heritage and linguistic diversity. Traditional linguistic and national minorities make up 8-10 % of the EU's population (nearly 50 million citizens) and account for 89 % of its diversity. Their unique cultures, languages, traditions and regional identities enrich Europe. Protecting these communities and their cultural heritage is essential to preserving Europe’s diversity. However, over the past four decades, more than two thirds of these minorities have faced a significant decline1, with only a few showing growth.

1. How can the Commission, while respecting national competences, better support traditional national and linguistic minorities and combat hate speech and discrimination against them?

2. Will the Commission facilitate the development of EU-wide policies to prevent the aforementioned decline and actively safeguard the rights of people belonging to traditional national and linguistic minorities under the portfolio of the Commissioner for Equality, as it has previously taken proactive measures to support other minority groups on the basis of the same competences?

3. Will the Commission consider incorporating the protection of minorities in its annual rule of law report and consider strengthening cooperation with the Council of Europe on this matter?

Submitted: 6.2.2025

1 Study – ‘Linguistic and cultural diversity – Minority and minoritised languages as part of European linguistic

and cultural diversity’, Directorate-General for Internal Policies, Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs, 31 May 2023,

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2023/751273/IPOL_STU(2023)751273_EN.pdf.