Iuliu Winkler (PPE-DE). - (HU) Thank you very much, Mr President, the national minorities living on the territory of the European Union enrich the EU. The European Parliament must take the lead in defending ethnic minorities, by initiating a serious debate on the legal status of minorities. Parliament must take responsibility for elaborating and adopting a framework regulation that is binding on all Member States. Such a framework regulation will truly serve the interests of minority communities only if – bearing in mind the principle of subsidiarity – its provisions include the fact that the adoption of various forms of autonomy built on consensus between the majority and minorities is the way to endow minority communities with an appropriate status. Thank you.