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General
During the course of its existence, FUEN has become a respected discussion
partner for governments and parliaments in many states of Europe and in
European and international institutions through its consistent adherence to
democracy and rights, its unwavering work for better protection for ethnic
groups and its stance for peaceful dialogue.
As a pool and umbrella organisation for national minorities, it has become
a large non-governmental organisation (NGO) and takes on a significant role in
lobbying for national minorities in the individual states of Europe.
History
The Federal Union of European Nationalities is an independent union of the
organisations of national minorities in Europe, which was established in 1949 -
at the time when the Council of Europe was set up in Versailles/France. Today,
2007/05/22, the FUEN number 84 member organisations from 32 states,
Organisation
The Secretary General is located in Flensburg - the political and cultural
centre of the Danish minority in Germany. General Secretaries so far, have
been minority representatives of the Bretons in France, of the Danes in
Germany and of the Germans in Denmark. FUEN has a democratically elected
committee consisting of 7 representatives of minorities in six different states. Its
current President is a North Sleswig German from Denmark. The Presiding Committee
comprises Vice-Presidents representing the Cornish in Great Britain, the South
Tyroleans in Italy, the Croatians in Austria, the Rhaetians in Switzerland and the
Sorbs and Danes in Germany. A member of the Youth of European Nationalities
(YEN) and FUEN Secretary General are also present at Presiding Committee
meetings - both without voting rights.
Objective
According to its statutes, the Federal Union of European Nationalities
serves the ethnic groups in Europe and pursues the goal of preserving their
national identity, their language, culture and the history of national minorities.
This objective is pursued only by peaceful means. It decisively takes a stand
against separatism and the violent moving of national borders, and works
towards a neighbourly, peaceful coexistence of majority and minority in one
state or region. FUEN has now been convinced since 1949 that a minority can
only find a harmonious relationship with the majority population on the basis of
free democratic and constitutional principles in peaceful and constructive dialogue
through the negotiation of political solutions.
This is why the FUEN supports all state activities aimed at peaceful re-
conciliation of interests and democratic minority policy. In its work, it attempts to
convince European parliaments and governments that part of the peaceful
development of Europe involves taking account of the interests national minorities
and ethnic groups are entitled to in preserving their original identity and helping
them to preserve their traditional culture. This includes the international stan-
dards of minority protection. FUEN first presented the main principles for
European minority rights in 1967 which were revised and supplemented in
1985. From 1991, FUEN developed these principles further into a draft for a
convention on the basic rights of European ethnic groups, and submitted its
proposals to the international endeavours of the Conference on Security and
Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), the UN, the Council of Europe and the European
Parliament. Of course, FUEN supports all endeavours of the Council of Europe
in this respect. It places great hope in the new mechanisms taking effect this
year, in the European Charter on Regional and Minority Languages and in the
Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, and hopes that these will be
accordingly ratified by all member states of the Council of Europe and implemen-
ted in the sense the documents lay down.
Participatory and Consultative status
In recognition of its efforts towards attaining protection for European minorities,
the FUEN obtained Participatory status to the Council of Europe in 1989 and a
Consultative status to the United Nations (UN) in 1995. It is also represented at
OSCE (the former CSCE) conferences concerning national minorities and ethnic
groups.
Members
FUEN is the umbrella association of European national minorities. Full members
are representative organisations of national minorities. Organisations initially
wishing to become familiar with FUEN work or ones interested only in particular
fields of minority policy become associate members. Today (2007/05/22) 44 full
and 40 associated members belong to FUEN. Four state institutions support
FUEN with annual grants, while a large number of scientific institutes promote
FUEN materially and ideologically.
The member organisations undertake to pursue the policy principles of FUEN.
They base their activities on a democratic and constitutional state, they reject
violence and separatism. The FUEN's official languages are English, French,
Russian and German.
FUEN activities
During the course of its existence, FUEN has become a respected discussion
partner for governments and parliaments in many states of Europe and in
European and international institutions through its consistent adherence to
democracy and rights, its unwavering work for better protection for ethnic
groups and its stance for peaceful dialogue.
As a pool and umbrella organisation for national minorities, it has become
a large non-governmental organisation (NGO) and takes on a significant role in
lobbying for national minorities in the individual states of Europe.
History
The Federal Union of European Nationalities is an independent union of the
organisations of national minorities in Europe, which was established in 1949 -
at the time when the Council of Europe was set up in Versailles/France. Today,
2007/05/22, the FUEN number 84 member organisations from 32 states,
Organisation
The Secretary General is located in Flensburg - the political and cultural
centre of the Danish minority in Germany. General Secretaries so far, have
been minority representatives of the Bretons in France, of the Danes in
Germany and of the Germans in Denmark. FUEN has a democratically elected
committee consisting of 7 representatives of minorities in six different states. Its
current President is a North Sleswig German from Denmark. The Presiding Committee
comprises Vice-Presidents representing the Cornish in Great Britain, the South
Tyroleans in Italy, the Croatians in Austria, the Rhaetians in Switzerland and the
Sorbs and Danes in Germany. A member of the Youth of European Nationalities
(YEN) and FUEN Secretary General are also present at Presiding Committee
meetings - both without voting rights.
Objective
According to its statutes, the Federal Union of European Nationalities
serves the ethnic groups in Europe and pursues the goal of preserving their
national identity, their language, culture and the history of national minorities.
This objective is pursued only by peaceful means. It decisively takes a stand
against separatism and the violent moving of national borders, and works
towards a neighbourly, peaceful coexistence of majority and minority in one
state or region. FUEN has now been convinced since 1949 that a minority can
only find a harmonious relationship with the majority population on the basis of
free democratic and constitutional principles in peaceful and constructive dialogue
through the negotiation of political solutions.
This is why the FUEN supports all state activities aimed at peaceful re-
conciliation of interests and democratic minority policy. In its work, it attempts to
convince European parliaments and governments that part of the peaceful
development of Europe involves taking account of the interests national minorities
and ethnic groups are entitled to in preserving their original identity and helping
them to preserve their traditional culture. This includes the international stan-
dards of minority protection. FUEN first presented the main principles for
European minority rights in 1967 which were revised and supplemented in
1985. From 1991, FUEN developed these principles further into a draft for a
convention on the basic rights of European ethnic groups, and submitted its
proposals to the international endeavours of the Conference on Security and
Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), the UN, the Council of Europe and the European
Parliament. Of course, FUEN supports all endeavours of the Council of Europe
in this respect. It places great hope in the new mechanisms taking effect this
year, in the European Charter on Regional and Minority Languages and in the
Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, and hopes that these will be
accordingly ratified by all member states of the Council of Europe and implemen-
ted in the sense the documents lay down.
Participatory and Consultative status
In recognition of its efforts towards attaining protection for European minorities,
the FUEN obtained Participatory status to the Council of Europe in 1989 and a
Consultative status to the United Nations (UN) in 1995. It is also represented at
OSCE (the former CSCE) conferences concerning national minorities and ethnic
groups.
Members
FUEN is the umbrella association of European national minorities. Full members
are representative organisations of national minorities. Organisations initially
wishing to become familiar with FUEN work or ones interested only in particular
fields of minority policy become associate members. Today (2007/05/22) 44 full
and 40 associated members belong to FUEN. Four state institutions support
FUEN with annual grants, while a large number of scientific institutes promote
FUEN materially and ideologically.
The member organisations undertake to pursue the policy principles of FUEN.
They base their activities on a democratic and constitutional state, they reject
violence and separatism. The FUEN's official languages are English, French,
Russian and German.
FUEN activities
- An Annual Congress with a current central theme
- The Assembly of Delegates take place in connection with the congress
- Passing of statements and resolutions
- FUEN Press Releases (up to 50 times p.a.)
- Participation in meetings of non-governmental organisations (NGO), of the Council of Europe, the UN and the OSCE
- Organisation of regional activities
(annual meeting minorities without so-called »kin-state« and of Slavonic and German minorities in the FUEN)
- Organisation of or participation in symposia and other events relating to minority issues in Europe
- Visits to national minorities to ascertain their situation
(so-called 'fact-finding missions' with detailed reports and recommendations).
Finances
FUEN is financed by funds from various sources:
a) Fees from member organisations.
b) Annual contributions and project subsidies from the public sector: Austria, the Federal State of Carinthia, the German Speaking Community in Belgium, the Canton of Graubunden, Switzerland, the Federal States of Schleswig - Holstein, Saxony and Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Autonomous Region of Trentino Southern Tyrol, the
Autonomous Province of Southern Tyrol, Provinz Fryslân, the Netherlands, and the Federal Republic of Germany. Project subsidies relate to individual working projects, e.g. international minority conferences, seminars, visits and consultation in minority settlement areas, publications, etc.
c) Apart from this, FUEN has been supported for some years now by aid from the
non-profit-making Hermann Niermann foundation in Düsseldorf. The foundation`s
new Presiding Committee and curatorium have been promoting the lingual-cultural
work of national minorities of various nationalities and in various states with the
knowledge and approval of local authorities.
FUEN e.V. is recognised by the inland revenue of Flensburg, tax No. 15290 7452 0,
of 12th September 2006, as a non-profit-making society and may issue the respective certificates for donations which can be submitted to the inland revenue.