This study, commissioned by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for
Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the LIBE Committee,
examines the added value of developing a democratic rule of law and fundamental
rights-based approach to the protection of minorities in the EU legal system, from
an ‘intersectional’ viewpoint. It presents the state of play regarding the main
challenges characterising the protection of ethnic, religious and linguistic
minorities in a selection of 11 European countries, in light of existing international
and regional legal standards. Minority protection has been an EU priority in
enlargement processes as a conditional criterion for candidate countries to accede
to the Union. Yet a similar scrutiny mechanism is lacking after accession. The
study puts forward several policy options to address this gap. It suggests specific
ways in which a Union Pact for democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights,
could help to ensure a comprehensive EU approach to minority protection
