ACFC/31DOC(2008)001 PART IV CONCLUSIONS 146. This Commentary is the result of the Advisory Committee’s effort to provide a summary of its interpretation of Article 15 and related articles of the Framework Convention for those involved in the implementation of this Convention. The ultimate aim is to help advance participation of persons belonging to national minorities in various areas of life, to improve the implementation of the principles of the Framework Convention and to help State authorities build up a more integrated and better functioning society. 147. Based directly and indirectly on the country-specific work of the Advisory Committee, the Commentary is providing decision-makers, public officials, nongovernmental organisations, academics and other stakeholders, not least among minorities themselves, with an analysis of possible options to enable them to make adequate and informed choices when designing legislation and policies to improve minority participation. Choices to be made should be agreed upon by the authorities and the national minorities if they are to be sustainable. It is also important that they take into account the views of the majority population and the type of relations prevailing among various groups in society. 148. It is obvious that different solutions can be applied to different national minorities as well as to different situations prevailing in the State Parties. Measures taken in some State Parties have been considered by the Advisory Committee as an adequate implementation of Article 15 of the Framework Convention in given circumstances. Yet, it is important to recall that a measure that leads to effective participation in one State Party does not necessarily have the same impact in another context. State Parties therefore need to assess, in the light of their own domestic situation, the applicability and effectiveness of measures that have, elsewhere, resulted in increased participation of national minorities. The Advisory Committee’s objective, in this Commentary, is to highlight those experiences out of which meaningful conclusions can be drawn for the benefit of all State Parties. 149. Additionally, the fact that actions taken by State Parties may be considered satisfactory in given circumstances and at a given stage of the monitoring process does not mean that they will be sufficient to ensure compliance with the standards of the Framework Convention in the future. This Commentary, therefore, also attempts to help State Parties set up conditions enabling them to comply, in a sustainable way, with the provisions of the Framework Convention in the future and adopt longer-term perspectives on minority protection and the type of relations in society they want to achieve. 150. Moreover, the situation of minorities and majorities alike is in constant evolution and new issues will develop or arise over time. Some of the issues mentioned in this Commentary, notably in the field of participation in socio-economic life, have not yet been fully explored and analysed, neither by the Advisory Committee in its country-by- 36