Swiss UN rapporteur flags EU double standards on minority protection

EU/minorities: Swiss UN rapporteur targets double standards Keystone-SDA

The European Union (EU) must end its double standards on minority protection, the United Nations special rapporteur on minority issues Nicolas Levrat has said. Speaking in Brussels on Wednesday, he called for a “more courageous” approach.

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He said the EU “lacks both the tools and the political will to respond effectively to the challenges facing minorities within the bloc”, speaking at the end of a ten‑day visit to several European countries. “That gap needs to be closed,” he added.

He acknowledged that the situation “is not dramatic”, speaking to reporters in Brussels. Systemic discrimination can be ruled out, he said, but the EU still needs to live up to its own institutional commitments.

The European Commission has no clear mandate on minority rights, meaning it cannot adopt directives, policies or other binding measures to protect them. By contrast, it is far more active on this issue in its dealings with non‑EU countries.

But the Commission can press member states to uphold these fundamental values, Levrat said. He stressed that he does not speak on behalf of the UN, but acts under a mandate from the Human Rights Council.

Lack of diversity in the EU

He welcomed the EU’s anti‑discrimination measures, particularly those aimed at migrants and their families. But he argues that a broader framework is needed. And while he praised the EU’s financial backing for civil society projects supporting minorities in non‑EU countries, he said similar progress is needed within the member states themselves.

+ Swiss lawyer appointed UN Rapporteur on minority rightsExternal link

Levrat said he is concerned about the lack of diversity among EU staff. Despite recent efforts, ethnic minorities remain under‑represented within the European institutions, he added.

He highlighted the situation of the Roma community in particular. The European system may be complex, he said, but that is no excuse, according to the special rapporteur.

He welcomed the EU’s new anti‑racism policy. But member states, he said, must go further in recognising the impact of their colonial pasts on minority communities. He will present his report to the Human Rights Council in March 2027.

Translated from French by AI/sp

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