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Council of Europe report on minority languages in Finland

21 November 2007. The Council of Europe Committee of Ministers calls on Finland to strengthen the protection of its minority languages, on the basis of a report which has been drawn up by a committee of independent experts which monitors the application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

The Committee of Ministers urges Finland to protect and promote the use of Sámi in education and the media, and in particular take measures in favour of Inari and Skolt Sámi, which are still particularly endangered languages. The Finnish government is also encouraged to ensure access to social and health care facilities in Swedish and Sámi, and to develop teacher training and teaching materials for Romani teachers.

The regional or minority languages protected under the Charter in Finland are Swedish, Sámi, Romani, Russian, Tatar, Yiddish and Karelian.

The full text of the report and the Committee of Ministers’ recommendations can be downloaded from the Charter's website: http://www.coe.int/minlang ("Reports and Recommendations" section).

Further information can also be found on the Charter's website, or by contacting the Charter Secretariat (Directorate General IV - Education, Culture and Heritage, Youth and Sport, Council of Europe, F-67075 Strasbourg, +33 (0) 390 21 5455, minlang.secretariat@coe.int).