News about the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
Cyprus: visit of the Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
A delegation of the Committee of Experts is visiting Cyprus this week from 6-7 June 2024 to evaluate progress made in the protection and promotion of regional and minority languages. The delegation is meeting with the representatives of the regional or minority languages speakers and the...
Expert committee calls on Finland to strengthen education in the different Sami languages and ensure their use in services
The Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages has called on the Finnish authorities to further strengthen education of Inari Sami, North Sami and Skolt Sami and ensure their effective use in social and health care services. The committee also recommends that...
Croatia: Minority languages widely used in education, but too limited in public administration and broadcasting, among findings in new report
Strasbourg, 27.05.2024 – A report published today by the Committee of Experts for the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages praises Croatia for continued protection and promotion of minority languages for national minorities, and enabling their use in fields such as education,...
Council of Europe expert committee calls for action plans to protect minority languages in Czechia
Strasbourg, 22.05.2024 – The Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages of the Council of Europe has called on Czechia to design and implement a specific strategy and action plan for protecting and promoting each of the languages covered by the treaty in the...
Former Charter Chair one of the ‘75 women in 75 years of Council of Europe History’
The awareness-raising project, co-organised by the EU delegation to the Council of Europe and the Permanent Representations of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, was launched this month on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Council of Europe. With a slideshow of...
Progress report on Sweden´s implementation of recommendations for immediate action published
Today the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages has published a follow-up report on Sweden´s implementation of the recommendations for immediate action contained in the Committee of Experts’ eighth evaluation from 2023. This report is based on the information received from the...
COMEX 78th plenary meeting
The Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages held its 78th plenary meeting on 4-7 March 2024 in Strasbourg. During the meeting, the Committee adopted the 6th evaluation report on the application of the Charter by Finland, the 7th evaluation report on the...
Czechia: Protection of German extended under the Charter
On 28 February 2024, Czechia notified the Council of Europe that it has accepted to extend its undertakings under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages to Part III (Articles 8-14) of the Charter with regard to German in the districts of Cheb, Karlovy Vary, Sokolov, Liberec, Ústí...
United Kingdom: visit of the Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
A delegation of the Committee of Experts is visiting the United Kingdom this week from 19-23 February 2024 to evaluate progress made in the protection and promotion of regional and minority languages. The delegation is meeting with the representatives of the regional or minority languages...
More efforts needed to promote German outside the Danish-German border area
Strasbourg, 29.01.2024 – In a report published today, the Council of Europe´s Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages concluded that the Danish authorities continue to provide a high level of protection for the German language, which is the only regional or...
Netherlands: ECRML protection extended to the Papiamento language
On 22 January 2024, the Netherlands notified the Council of Europe that they have accepted the application of the provisions of the Charter to be extended to the Caribbean Part of the Netherlands (the islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba) as well as the extension of the Charter’s...
Spain: visit of the Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
A delegation of the Committee of Experts is visiting Spain this week from 15-19 January 2024 to evaluate progress made in the protection and promotion of regional and minority languages. The delegation is meeting with the representatives of the regional or minority languages speakers and the...
Promoting engagement with Council of Europe in Scotland
On 13 December, the University of Glasgow’s College of Social Sciences and Centre for Public Policy hosted a public event aimed at raising awareness of the Council of Europe’s conventions protecting the rights of minorities and minority languages, organised alongside the University of Edinburg....
COMEX Chair at the 8th plenary meeting of the CDADI
On 7 December 2023, the Chair of the Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, Aleksandra Oszmiańska-Pagett, participated in an exchange of views with the Council of Europe Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion (CDADI) in...
Switzerland: Progress noted but more efforts needed for minority language use in public life, according to expert committee
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages has reported some progress in Switzerland’s implementation of the Charter but has also invited the authorities to take additional measures. In its latest report on Switzerland, the committee...
Council of Europe minorities and minority languages expert at the sixteenth session of the United Nations Forum on Minority Issues
Vesna Crnić-Grotić, member of the Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, participated in this year’s Forum on “Minorities and Cohesive Societies: Equality, Social Inclusion, and Socio-economic Participation” on 30 November and 1 December 2023 in Geneva....
Council of Europe Awareness Raising Event: The Council of Europe: Enhancing Minority and Linguistic Rights in Scotland, Glasgow, 13-14 December 2023
The University of Glasgow’s College of Social Sciences and Centre for Public Policy, along with the University of Edinburgh, is organising is organising a discussion of Europe’s leading human rights organisation and how it can support current moves to enhance the rights of ethnic and linguistic...
COMEX: election of the Bureau
On 15 November 2023, during its 77th plenary meeting, the Committee of Experts elected the following members of its Bureau, who will take up their functions as of 1 January 2024 for a period of 2 years: Aleksandra Oszmianska-Pagett, Chair Jarmo Lainio, First Vice-Chair René de Groot, Second...
COMEX 77th plenary meeting
The Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages held its 77th plenary meeting on 14 and 15 November 2023 in Strasbourg. During the meeting, the Committee adopted the 6th evaluation report on the application of the Charter by Denmark, which will be transmitted...
Out now: The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in a nutshell
The new brochure, released today, is highlighting the relevance of the Charter for European regional or minority languages and the work of its Committee of Experts. It is providing information on the monitoring process and illustrating the standards the Charter requires. Hard copies are available...
Secretariat of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
Directorate of Anti-Discrimination
DGII Democracy
Council of Europe
Agora Building, 1 quai Jacoutot
F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex, France
Tel: +33 (0)3 90 21 49 36