European Charter for regional or minority
languages
Background
The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
was drawn up in 1992 by the Council of Europe to help
protect and promote Europe's lesser used languages. The UK
Government signed the Charter in 2000 and ratified it in
2001 in respect of Welsh in Wales, Scots and Gaelic in
Scotland and Ulster Scots and Irish in Northern Ireland.
Manx Gaelic and Cornish were subsequently added.
The provisions of Part II of the Charter (general
principles and objectives to be pursued with respect to
regional or minority languages) apply to all of the
languages listed above. In addition, specific provisions of
Part III (measures to promote the use of regional or
minority languages) apply to Welsh, Gaelic and Irish.
The Executive, through the UK's undertakings in relation
to Gaelic, is committed to applying 39 measures out of a
total of 65, in the areas of education, court proceedings,
local administration, media, culture, economic and social
life and transfrontier exchanges.
The Charter can be found
here.
Monitoring of Implementation
Monitoring of implementation of the Charter takes place
in three yearly cycles:
- submission of a periodical report by the State -
each State must submit a periodical report every three
years explaining their policies and the action they
have to taken to fulfil the undertakings they have
committed to implementing
- monitoring exercise carried out by the Committee of
Experts (ComEx) - during each cycle ComEx examines
the State periodical report; where necessary
addresses questions to the State on the report;
organises an "on-the-spot" visit to the State, to meet
authorities, NGOs and other bodies to evaluate
application of the Charter; examines any further
information submitted by interest parties; and prepares
an evaluation report to the Committee of
Ministers
- Committee of Ministers' recommendations to the
State - once it has considered the ComEx report the
Committee of Ministers may make recommendations to the
State with a view to their taking action to bring
policies, legislation etc into line with the
undertakings they have committed to under the
Charter
Monitoring and the UK
First Periodic Report
The UK's first Periodic Report was submitted to the
Council of Europe on July 1, 2002.
This was followed by the Council of Europe's evaluation
of implementation and recommendations to the UK on March
24, 2003.
Second Periodic
Report
The UK's second Periodic Report was submitted to the
Council of Europe on July 1, 2005. Copies of the report
were laid before the House of Commons and the Scottish
Parliament on July 5, 2005.
Following consideration of the UK Periodic Report it is
expected that the Council of Europe's Committee of Experts
will undertake a visit to the UK at some point in 2006.
