Material for specialized media EURASIA-Net project - EURAC

The third framework: the European Union
The European Council, the leading political
body of the EU, adopted the ‘Copenhagen
criteria’ in 1993, as fundamental premises for
accession to the EU. As regards political
criteria priority was put on full respect of
institutional stability as a guarantee of
democracy and rule of law, but also on full
respect for human rights including “respect
for and protection of minorities”. Any
applicant state should be in the position to
start negotiations on accession to the EU only
after having met these obligations. These
criteria are among the most important issues
in the accession negotiations with further
candidates in South-eastern Europe (Western
Balkans). Practice has shown that candidate states have to fulfill the Copenhagen
criteria at the latest at the moment of accession.
The fourth framework: the bilateral state relations
The European Union
The European Union (EU) is a political
and economic union of 27 member
states, which was founded with the
Treaty of Rome in 1957 as the European
Economic Community (EEC). The EU was
established in 1993 as a result of the
signing of the Treaty on the European
Union (otherwise known as the
Maastricht Treaty), adding new areas of
policy to the existing European
Community. With almost 500 million
citizens, the EU combined generates an
estimated 30 per cent share of the
world’s nominal GDP in 2007.
In Europe, neighboring states often share a particular feature: there are co-national
minorities living beyond the border and vice versa. Also, if two states are not concerned
by such minority situations in a reciprocal manner, they often share fundamental goals
in accommodating the interests of a single co-national minority living in one of the
partner states for the sake of a friendly relationship. It is in this way that minorities can
form a bridge or a link between the states. Especially since the 1990s a significant
number of such agreements have been signed.
Useful links:
The Council of Europe (CoE), at http://www.coe.int
The European Union (EU), at http://europa.eu/
The Organization for the Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), at
http://www.osce.org/
References:
Benedikter Thomas (ed.), Europe's ethnic mosaic: a short guide to minority rights in
Europe (EURAC, Bolzano 2008)
Bloed, Hofmann, Marko, Mayall, Weller (EURAC, ECMI) (eds.), European Yearbook of
Minority Issues, Volumes 1-6, (Kluwer Law International, 2001/2-2008)
Thornberry Patrick, Amor Martin Estebanez Maria, Minority Rights in Europe – Work and
Standards of the Council of Europe (Strasbourg 2004)
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