For a long time, the focus of minority protection advocates in Europe was on the Council of Europe and the OSCE. However, the European Union is gaining increasing legal and actual influence on minority rights in Europe due to the ongoing integration process. In particular, the topic has been discussed at the EU level recently in connection with the European Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Eastern enlargement. Until now, there have been only a few comprehensive studies on minority protection in the EU. This study sheds light on the opportunities and risks of EU law for the protection of minorities through a multidimensional approach. It analyzes both the EU treaty framework and the case law of the European Court of Justice, as well as the EU's activities in the field of minority protection in its external relations.