Minority protection in Europe: best practices and deficiencies in implementation of common standards

Recommendation 1904 (2010)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Text adopted by the Standing Committee, acting on behalf of the Assembly, on 12 March 2010 (see Doc. 12109, report of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, rapporteur: Mr Cilevičs; and Doc. 12141, opinion of the Committee on Culture, Science and Education, rapporteur: Mr Anghel).

Thesaurus

1. Referring to its Resolution 1713 (2010), the Parliamentary Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers:

1.1 enhance efforts aimed at the speedy ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (ETS No. 157), the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ETS No. 148) and Protocol No. 12 to the European Convention on Human Rights (ETS No. 177);

1.2 invite the member states to accede to the Additional Protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government on the right to participate in the affairs of a local authority (CETS No. 207) and to the Convention on the Participation of Foreigners in Public Life at Local Level (ETS No. 144);

1.3 strengthen the Council of Europe’s work on intercultural dialogue and education aimed at fostering respect for diversity and societal cohesion, in particular through teacher training and life-long learning;

1.4 pursue co-operation with other international organisations, in particular the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the United Nations, with a view to achieving coherent interpretation of standards and implementing common policies in the field of the protection of national minorities.

2. Moreover, recalling the necessity of ensuring the proper implementation of the Framework Convention according to the principles enshrined in its Article 2, the Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers:

2.1 take the necessary measures to ensure that information of relevance to the implementation of the Framework Convention is submitted by states parties to the Secretary General in good time;

2.2 ensure the earliest and widest possible availability of information on good practices in the implementation of the Framework Convention;

2.3 encourage the advisory committee of the Framework Convention to prepare thematic reports so as to assist states and minorities in developing good practices for specific issues, in particular minority groups’ participation in socio-economic and cultural life.