Minority Manifesto for the Future adopted at the FUEN Congress in Bozen

A key moment of this year’s FUEN Congress in Bozen/Bulsan/Bolzano was the presentation and panel discussion of the Minority Manifesto for the Future, a strategic document developed under the coordination of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) to strengthen the protection and promotion of traditional national and linguistic minorities in Europe.

Thursday’s panel, moderated by FUEN President Loránt Vincze, brought together distinguished speakers: Fernand de Varennes, former UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues; Elvira Kovács, Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe; and Anna Jungner-Nordgren, Chair of the Network to Promote Linguistic Diversity (NPLD).

In his introduction, Fernand de Varennes provided a sharp analysis of the current situation, warning of “a serious regression in the recognition and protection of minority rights in Europe.” He pointed to recent setbacks in education and language rights, as well as weak implementation of international instruments such as the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. “We are at a critical moment,” he said, calling the Manifesto “a much-needed plan to move from words to action.”

FUEN President Loránt Vincze explained that the Minority Manifesto was the outcome of an 18-month expert process involving academics, institutions, and civil society representatives across Europe. He described the document as “the heritage of the current FUEN Presidium” and “a roadmap for the next generation of minority advocacy.”

“We have many excellent documents and declarations, but without a structure that can produce real political impact, they remain only words on paper. The Minority Manifesto and the planned European Minority Council aim to change that,” said the FUEN President.

Panelists Elvira Kovács and Anna Jungner-Nordgren echoed this call for renewed commitment and cooperation. Kovács underlined the need for stronger engagement from European institutions, particularly the Council of Europe, while Jungner-Nordgren highlighted the role of linguistic diversity and technology, stressing that “Europe’s diversity must not only be protected on paper, but lived in practice.”

The Minority Manifesto for the Future, which was adopted at the FUEN Assembly of Delegates on Friday, 24 Octeober, reaffirms the principle “Nothing about us without us” and outlines concrete measures for the years ahead. Its most ambitious proposal is the creation of a European Minority Council (EMC) — an international network that will give Europe’s national and linguistic minorities a stronger, more coordinated voice.

The EMC will:

• Represent and coordinate traditional national and linguistic minorities at the European and international levels;
• Serve as a forum for dialogue among decision-makers, activists, academics, and experts in the field of minority rights;
• Build partnerships with the Council of Europe, the European Union, the United Nations, and the OSCE;
• Provide expert input on EU enlargement processes and on the implementation of the Copenhagen criteria;
• Develop a strategic document for the future of minority protection, including proposals for an EU legal framework and the EU’s accession to the Framework Convention and the Charter for Regional or Minority Languages;
• Act as a permanent advisory body on minority issues and promote cooperation across borders.

In the words of the Manifesto, the EMC will become “the strongest and most visible expression of a just Europe where minorities are supported and respected.”

Together, the Minority Manifesto for the Future and the proposed European Minority Council mark an important step towards a renewed and more coherent European framework for minority rights — one rooted in participation, partnership, and shared responsibility.