Minorities and Minority Rights in Europe

Abstract

Europe has been the home for various ethnic, linguistic and religious minority groups for decades and it is almost impossible to find an European country with ethnic, linguistic and religious homegeneity. Notably, conflicts in Europe after the Cold War demonstrated the importance of minority issues and minority rights for Europe. In this respect, the European organizations like the European Union or the Council of Europe actively seek to promote minority rights in Europe. Especially through the enlargement of these organizations, the promotion of minority rights widened its sphere in Europe by minority conditions required to be fulfilled by the candidate countries are for membership. However, there is still no minority standard in Europe like the one in human rights. In contrast, minority rights have still been held by sovereign European states rather than through a common platform.