The European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) conducts practice and policy-oriented research, provides information and documentation, and offers advisory services concerning national minority-majority relations in Europe. It serves European governments and regional intergovernmental organizations as well as non-dominant groups throughout. The Centre cooperates with the academic community, the media and the general public through the timely provision of information and analysis. As a research institute the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) is based in Flensburg, Germany. The ECMI is a non-partisan and interdisciplinary institution. It is a non-profit, independent foundation, registered according to German Civil Law. The ECMI was established in 1996 by the governments of Denmark, Germany, and Schleswig-Holstein. The Centre is governed by a board composed of nine members: three from Denmark, three from Germany, one representative from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, one from the Council of Europe and one from the European Union.