A consensus was reached (among other legal experts, the so-called groups of Venice) that this convention refers to any ethnic, linguistic or religious people that defines itself as a distinctive group, that forms the historic population or a significant historic and current minority in a well-defined area, and that maintains stable and friendly relations with the state in which it lives.
Chegouse a un consenso (entre outros expertos xurídicos, os chamados grupos de Venecia) que esta convención refírese a calquera grupo étnico, lingüístico ou relixioso de persoas que se define a si mesma como un grupo distintivo, que forma a histórica poboación ou nunha parte importante histórica e actual das minorías nunha zona ben definida, e que mantén estable e as relacións de amizade co estado que vive.