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In brief

Minority Safepack: European Commission rules out promoting new legal measures for minoritised languages

EU institution “has turned its back on minorities and signatory citizens,” denounces organisation promoting the European Citizens’ Initiative

 
Boxes with signatures collected in Hungary.
Boxes with signatures collected in Hungary. Author: FUEN
The European Commission (EC) has ruled out promoting any new legal measures to promote the EU’s minoritised languages and cultures. Thus, no continuity is foreseen for the petition signed by more than 1.1 million European citizens under the European Citizens’ Initiative (ICE) Minority Safepack.

In a communication rendered public this week, the EC says current measures for the defence of minoritised languages and cultures in the UE are enough. In the document, the EC says it is “committed to continue providing policy support and funding in this regard.”

The Commission has taken this decision although the European Parliament last month threw its support behind the Minority Safepack ICE.

“The European Commission has turned its back on national and linguistic minorities, signatory citizens, the call of the European Parliament [...] as well as a large number of supporting national and regional governments and legislative bodies from all across Europe,” ICE promoter organisation Federal Union of European Nationalities, (FUEN) has criticised.