OSCE Permanent Council No. 1567 - EU Statement in Response to the Address by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Amb. Christophe Kamp

OSCE Permanent Council No. 1567 - EU Statement in Response to the Address by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Amb. Christophe Kamp

OSCE Permanent Council No. 1567

Vienna, 4 June 2026

EU Statement in Response to the Address by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities,

Amb. Christophe Kamp

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 comprehensive report.

Providing early warning and seeking early action with regard to tensions involving persons belonging to national minorities is central to OSCE concept of comprehensive security. We reiterate our support for the mandate of the autonomous institution of HCNM, which forms a key 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 reiterate the importance of the effective implementation of OSCE commitments including those related to persons belonging to national minorities, and their non-discriminatory treatment throughout the territory of participating States. We therefore highly value HCNM's crucial role in supporting participating States, including through clear messages and quiet diplomacy.

We express appreciation for visits undertaken during the reporting period. We value HCNM's support to interethnic cooperation and pragmatic, inclusive and locally grounded dialogue, as well as the promotion of multi-lingual education. We 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 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 or other minorities on the territory of another state must not be instrumentalized for political gain or 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.

We remain deeply concerned about restrictions on education in minority languages, and limitations on both cultural and community life faced by minority communities in parts of Ukraine temporarily and illegally occupied by Russia. 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 HCNM's work in thematic areas of contested histories, minority women and girls, as well as improving social cohesion. We look forward to the presentation of the winner of the Max van der Stoel Award. We encourage all participating States to make use of 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.

Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, San Marino and Ukraine align themselves with this statement.