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. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox 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.
