Documents: Fundamental rights - Minority rights and cultural rights

EPI’s work is focused on the needs and constraints of North Macedonia, a country that awaited the start of the accession negotiations for more than a decade while experiencing a decline in support for European Union membership and political instability in recent years. Within its rule of law programme, it closely monitors the level of compliance with the rule of law principle in member states of the EU

This brief summarises the key developments about the rule of law in view of EU accession in North Macedonia from April to June 2023. It includes monitoring the fundamentals of EU accession, including key developments in the functioning of democratic institutions, public administration reform and chapter 23: judiciary and fundamental rights.

This brief summarises the key developments about the rule of law in view of EU accession in North Macedonia from January to March 2023. It includes monitoring the fundamentals of EU accession, including key developments in the functioning of democratic institutions, public administration reform and chapter 23: judiciary and fundamental rights.

This brief summarises the key developments in relation to rule of law in view of EU accession in North Macedonia for the period October – December 2022. It includes monitoring the fundamentals of EU accession, including key developments in the functioning of democratic institutions, public administration reform, and Chapter 23: judiciary and fundamental rights.

The principle of non-discrimination is enshrined in Article 2 TEU, Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the Copenhagen criteria for membership of the European Union. The main instrument for protection of minorities of the Council of Europe is the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM), while there are other instruments intended to protect the principle of non-discrimination, such as: the European Convention on Human Rights, the European Social Charter and the Council of Europe’s European Commission against Racism and Intolerance.

Directive 2000/43/EC – the Race Equality Directive addresses direct and indirect discrimination based on racial or ethnic origin, including harassment and sexual harassment. Its scope covers: (a) conditions for access to employment, to self-employment and to occupation, including selection criteria and recruitment conditions, whatever the branch of activity and at all levels of the professional hierarchy, including promotion; (b) access to all types and to all levels of vocational guidance, vocational training, advanced vocational training and retraining, including practical work experience; (c) employment and working conditions, including dismissals and pay; (d) membership of and involvement in an organisation of workers or employers, or any organisation whose members carry on a particular profession, including the benefits provided for by such organisations; (e) social protection, including social security and healthcare; (f) social advantages; (g) education; (h) access to an

The Charter of Fundamental Rights was formally proclaimed in Nice in December 2000 by the European Parliament, Council and Commission and on 1 December 2009, with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the Charter was given binding legal effect equal to the Treaties. The Charter entrenches all the rights found in the case law of the Court of Justice of the EU; the rights and freedoms enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights; other rights and principles resulting from the common, constitutional traditions of EU countries and other international instruments. It creates legal certainty in the EU, by making fundamental rights clearer and more visible.

This brief summarises the key developments in relation to the rule of law in view of EU accession in North Macedonia for the period of July– September 2022. It includes monitoring the fundamentals of EU accession, including key developments in the functioning of democratic institutions, public administration reform, and chapter 23: judiciary and fundamental rights.

This brief summarises the key developments in relation to rule of law in view of EU accession in North Macedonia for the period April – June 2022. It includes the monitoring of the fundamentals of EU accession, including key developments in the functioning of democratic institutions, public administration reform and chapter 23: judiciary and fundamental rights.