- The European Union warmly welcomes the High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM), Ambassador Christophe Kamp, back to the Permanent Council and thanks him for his timely and comprehensive report.
- Providing early warning and seeking early action with regard to tensions involving persons belonging to national minorities is central to the OSCE’s concept of comprehensive security. We reiterate our support for the mandate of the autonomous institution of HCNM, which forms a conflict prevention instrument.
- The EU firmly believes that the respect, protection and fulfillment of human rights, including those of persons belonging to national minorities, is crucial for maintaining regional peace and stability in the OSCE region. The EU remains committed to ensuring the rights already exercised by persons belonging to national minorities, as enshrined in the applicable UN and Council of Europe Conventions, as well as the related protocols. We also reiterate the importance of the effective implementation of OSCE commitments related to human rights, including of persons belonging to national minorities, and their non-discriminatory treatment throughout the territory of participating States.
- We highly value the HCNM’s crucial role in engaging where tensions involving national minorities arise and protecting our shared principles and commitments, including through clear messages and quiet diplomacy when these are violated.
- The EU commends the HCNM and his team for their strong focus on the conflict prevention mandate, as illustrated, inter alia, by country visits undertaken during in this period to Serbia, Kosovo and Kazakhstan.
- We value the HCNM’s support to interethnic cooperation and pragmatic, inclusive and locally grounded dialogue and consultation, as well as the promotion of multi-lingual education.
- We therefore value the HCNM’s support to strengthening institutional capacity, policy and legislative frameworks, and consultation mechanisms with persons belonging to minorities on matters that affect them. We commend HCNM for ongoing engagement and programmatic work in Republic of Moldova. We also value the regular communication with and assistance to the Ukrainian authorities and the representatives of national minorities in Ukraine, including on specific challenges related to the ongoing Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
- As per the Bolzano/Bozen Recommendations [on National Minorities in Inter-State Relations], the protection of rights of persons belonging to minorities is the responsibility of the State where the minority resides. We emphasise that the presence of persons belonging to Russian speaking or other minorities on the territory of another state must not be exploited as justification for undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of that state. Russia is obliged by international law to observe human rights, including those of persons belonging to national minorities.
- In parts of Ukraine temporarily and illegally occupied by the Russian Federation we remain deeply concerned about restrictions on education in minority languages, and limitations on both cultural and community life faced by minority communities. We underscore that Russia’s actions and measures aimed at forcibly assimilating the local Ukrainian population could seriously undermine any prospects for a just and sustainable peace in the future.
- We reiterate our support for the HCNM’s work in thematic areas of contested histories, gender and security, the inclusion of minority youth perspectives, statelessness and environment-related challenges. We encourage all participating States to make use of the HCNM’s recommendations and guidelines.
- We thank the High Commissioner and his able team for their tireless and much needed work, and wish them every success.
EU Statement in Response to the Address by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities
As delivered by EU in Response to the Address by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Amb. Christophe Kamp at the Permanent Council, Vienna, 30 October 2025.