Commissioner Várhelyi's keynote speech at the conference on Minority rights in the EU enlargement process organised by the European Parliament's Intergroup for Traditional Minorities, National Communities and Languages

Honourable Members of Parliament,

Dear Mr President,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We all know, one of the key messages of Europe, the European Union main slogan is: united in diversity. We are united in diversity not only when it comes to the different nations of Europe, different Member States of Europe, but we are also united in diversity when it comes to the minorities of Europe. The European culture is rich because not only of its Member States, but also because of the many minorities that we have in Europe and also around the European Union. When we start talking about minorities and enlargement, we need to set some very basic principles straight.

The European Union, as it is founded on values, includes respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. This is Article 2 of the Treaty. It is as fundamental and core of the value of the European Union that we're talking about. So, our attachment to these values is also key when we talk about enlargement because we want future members also to feel bound by these. Not only legally but also in their everyday and in their sentiments when they are becoming a member. For that reason, this is not only a principle that the European Union needs to respect and enforce, but it also has to be translated into legislation. Legislation that makes the European Union function and delivers. This is why we have key principles such as non-discrimination, which includes the grounds of ethnic origin on being a member of any national minority or even a religious minority, and this is translated very loud and clear in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

Within the European Union, we also need to ensure that the minorities are flourishing and that the minorities are contributing to this diversity of the European Union. This is why I think that in all of our Member States, it's been extremely important to work together for that goal, and this is why we have, for example, the Race Equality Directive, which ensures that the principle of equal treatment between different people in Europe is applied, irrespective of their ethnic, racial, religious background - and this is why it is also important to translate this principle not only at the general level of EU law but also when it comes to sectorial policies; and for example, we have the Employment Equality Directive which is setting the same benchmark when it comes to employment and occupation in the European Union.

So, for countries applying and aspiring to become members of the EU. We need to be very clear about what the requirements are, and we also need them to demonstrate clearly that they are capable of ensuring respect for these values and to enforce and implement these values not only when they become members but also before they do.

In recent years we have been working on the means how to tackle these deliverables in the different accession countries. These efforts have been of course focusing on many aspects. I can go through the different stands of the work. Maybe we can talk first about the efforts that are needed to address racism. We have enhanced through the adoption of the Anti-racism Action Plan and through the, through the appointment of the first ever anti racism coordinator and Council conclusions on combating racism and anti-Semitism. This was a fundamental deliverable by the European Union. A fundamental message also to the population of the European Union, but also to the minorities of the European Union.

Because if I want to go into detail, the first community we need to talk about is the Roma community. The Roma community is the largest ethnic minority, with around 4 million people living in the Western Balkans and Türkiye, in Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, and Georgia, and within the European Union.

We're working with the enlargement partners towards stepping up our efforts to combat anti-gypsism and anti-Roma stereotypes. We are monitoring the implementation of the measures under the European Roma Strategic Framework that was put forward already in 2020 to ensure that all Roma can realize their full potential and engage in political, social, economic, educational, and cultural life.

We can also discuss another very important EU policy we are developing now: the Strategy on combating anti-semitism and fostering Jewish life in Europe. We adopted this Strategy only two years ago, back in 2021, and it should contribute to our efforts to lead the fight against anti-semitism globally. Through our political and human rights dialogs and through our financial cooperation, we engage with our partners to actively combat anti-Semitism.

In the enlargement region, if you want a couple of examples, you will find a big Jewish community, especially in Ukraine. We highly appreciate the work we have been able to carry out through the Federation of the Jewish Communities of Ukraine in helping the people of Ukraine, regardless of their background, in the context of Russia's war of aggression.

And as concerns the overall protection of persons belonging to religious minorities, in December the Commission has appointed Frans van Daele as our special envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion and belief outside the EU.

Now, let me outline our work with the enlargement partners and other key stakeholders to advance the respect for the protection of persons belonging to minorities. Before all else, values of respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities, are front and centre of our work - in whichever region of our portfolio.

With these values in mind, we engage in political dialog with our partners. So, the respect for these values as enshrined in the Treaties constitutes, of course, a precondition for any country to become a member of the European Union, and this has also been very clearly established already back in 1993 when the Copenhagen criteria were created. Because the compliance of candidate countries with requirements under the treaty is also translated into the negotiating chapters of those candidate countries that were already negotiating, this is part and parcel of the negotiations in the Judiciary and Fundamental Rights chapter of our negotiations. And this is something that we are continuously monitoring when we are monitoring the progress of the candidate countries and also countries who are not yet candidates but who are in the Western Balkans. And in that chapter, when we assess the progress, we're looking at how the very fundamental set of rules, which are rules established in the Council of Europe, namely the Framework Convention for the protection of national minorities, is respected and enforced. This is our key benchmark when we want to assess progress. In analysing the progress, we are looking at all the different aspects established by that framework agreement: self-identification, the education system with the use of minority languages, the access to media and religious services, or access to religious services in minority languages, representation in the public administration. So, all the aspects of the Framework Convention are fully monitored by the Commission.

To the extent, we are also looking into the situation on the ground how and when these countries are actually proceeding with the next stage in the enlargement process. When we are in front of the next step in the enlargement process of a different country, we scrutinize it even more. We look at these issues more because the Council always asks us what the level of compliance is. To give you an idea, when becoming a candidate country, this is a very important part of our assessment; when starting accession negotiations again, it is very important; when actually putting forward the negotiating framework for negotiations again, this issue is looked at. In the process, as I said, it is part of the different negotiating chapters. So, there is constant monitoring and stocktaking of the work, and it comes with the same level of encouragement to deliver on these areas.

You will find our work best in the so-called enlargement reports that we provide every year. This is going to be the first year where we are going to deliver this for 10 countries, not only for the 6 Western Balkan countries but also for the 3 new accession countries, Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia as well this year. It will take place, I hope, in October and in that, of course, we will see a full assessment of this area as well.

You will find our work best in the so-called enlargement reports that we are providing every year. This is going to be the first year where we are going to deliver this for 10 countries, so not only for the 6 Western Balkan countries, but also for the 3 new accession countries, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia as well this year. It will take place I hope in October and in that of course we will see a full assessment of this area as well.

How do we put together this assessment? Of course, the Commission is not capable of delivering its full expertise:

• We are relying on our partners.
• We are relying on the Council of Europe.
• We are relying on the opinions of the Venice Commission.
• We are relying on civil society organizations.

So, it is a very inclusive process. We're also working closely with the OSCE High Commissioner on national minorities. We have a regular dialog with him. We are also trying to help him in regions where it is necessary to help de-escalate tensions where national minorities are involved.

As you already know by now, the whole accession process is also meant to be a transformation of the candidate countries. It's not a bureaucratic exercise per se. It is not meant to be about ticking boxes. It is also meant to deliver European standards, also outside the EU. And this is why this area is ever more important because this is a very characteristic area of the European way of life - when minorities have always been regarded and should always be regarded as an added value to the life of any European country.

If I look at the different regions, what I see is that in the Western Balkans, our partners are facing major political tensions - still as an aftermath of the Balkan wars, difficult regional cooperations, and the protection of rights of people belonging to minorities is one of the key elements on which the stability and the multi-ethnic nature of the region are to be founded on. This is why, for us, when we talk about the Western Balkans, regional cooperation is most important, and respect for the minorities and ensuring the rights for the minorities is a key issue.

Then let's turn to Ukraine. Russia's war against Ukraine has impacted the situation of minorities in most of the neighbourhood regions and mainly also in Ukraine. This is, of course, also a priority for us, to help the minorities, but also to help Ukraine, when helping Ukraine, also, helping the minorities.

I think you will have ample opportunity to listen to the representatives of the minorities from Ukraine so, I don't want to steal their speaking points but let me give you some flavour of our thinking.

First of all, we think that the enlargement process should help minorities to flourish - to create even better livelihoods in the countries where they belong. And I'm sure that the solidarity that has been shown - I visited the region, I was in Trans-Carpathia last year-, and I have seen the immense solidarity - all the minorities to be found in Trans-Carpathia have shown to other parts of the country. The welcoming environment, they created for all those who had to flee from the war and the Russian aggression, was very impressive. So, I think if this is if this is the beginning of an even more European Ukraine, I think we are on the right path.

Since 2017 we have seen many reforms related to the rights of persons belonging to minorities, and this has been an issue that has been discussed in Ukraine in several rounds. And there are outstanding issues to resolve when it comes to education or the language issue. We have seen the adoption and implementation of the minority law, which is a key step in the European path. You have seen that this is part and parcel of the conditions put forward by the European Council for Ukraine to become an EU candidate country. We see that there is still work to be done, we see that there is an outstanding opinion still to be delivered by the Council of Europe, the Venice Commission, and of course, we are working very closely with our Ukrainian friends to meet the criteria that were set by the European Council. Of course, we are waiting for the Venice Commission to deliver its opinion, and I think it is clear to everyone that those opinions will have to be fully implemented to meet the European criteria of being a candidate country. We are also aware of the concerns among minorities about the current legal frame. This is why we have been engaging directly with the minorities in Ukraine. Every time I visited the country, we always had a very important exchange, and we have also discussed this several times with Ukrainian authorities. One thing is very clear from the very beginning, and this is the core message, apart from the other one that I already mentioned, and that is:

Solve this issue with minorities.

And as long as the minorities are happy in the country, we can be sure that the right solution is found. And we are happy to help in that process. Because I think that the maturity of any democracy is also demonstrated by the level of cooperation and happiness of the minority, the different minorities in the country. As I said, we are still ahead of a lot of work; we work intensely with the authorities in Kyiv to help them to deliver on these criteria set forward by the European Council.

I could go on and give you all the details of our policy, but I think I would conclude here. I would call for your support to help minorities to be successful part of Europe and to be the winners of the enlargement. I think that the best ambassadors of any country, any candidate countries' membership, are their minorities. If they lobby for membership, it means that the country is lobbied much more effectively and lobbied together with many more Member States, and this is why I think that minorities are a very valuable asset. Thank you!