News about the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
COMEX statement on RMLs in online education in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
Language and interpersonal contacts are key requirements for full participation in society. They were challenged by the COVID-19 outbreak when severe restrictions were imposed for the safety and health of millions of European citizens. One of the measures taken at governmental level was the...
COMEX expresses concern over lack of RML communication during health crisis
The Chair of the Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, Vesna Crnić-Grotić, has expressed concern, in an interview at the end of April, about the widespread absence of regional or minority languages from official information and communication about...
Chair of the Committee of Experts calls for a renewed commitment to protect minority rights in Europe
On 29 June, the Chair of the Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, Vesna Crnić-Grotić, participated at the 8th Meeting of the Heads of the Monitoring and Advisory Bodies of the Council of Europe with the Secretary General. She reiterated that the Charter...
Communication in RMLs of utmost importance in global medical crises
"Most countries in the world, including the Member States of the Council of Europe, are facing an unprecedented pandemic, the so-called coronavirus, or COVID-19. For a few weeks now, governments have been introducing, gradually and at different paces, a wide range of measures, ranging from basic...
Work continues remotely
Plenary postponed
The ECRML Secretariat wishes to inform you that the 65th plenary session of the Committee of Experts (COMEX), scheduled to be held this week, has been postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak but that the Secretariat's work and the COMEX work will continue remotely as long as is deemed appropriate.
ECRML & FCNM on Minority Identity panel
The Chair of the ECRML, Ms Vesna Crnic-Grotic, together with Ms Antonija Petričušić from the Advisory Committee of the FCNM, participated in a meeting entitled "The meaning of language in the preservation of minority identity" in Daruvar, Croatia, on 7 February. The event was organised by the...
Experts visit Montenegro
Experts have just visited Montenegro in the framework of the 5th monitoring cycle of the country. They visited Podgorica, Tivat and Bar from 11-13 December, meeting with speakers of minority and regional languages covered by the Charter. They also held meetings with the state authorities on the...
CM adopts Recommendation on Spain
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has published a new report on the application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in Spain. Prepared by a Committee of independent experts that monitors the implementation of the Charter, the report acknowledges the...
Committee of Ministers adopts Recommendation for Switzerland
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has published a new report on the application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in Switzerland. Prepared by a Committee of independent experts that monitors the implementation of the Charter, the report acknowledges the...
Hot off the press: New Media, New technologies & the Charter
The Committee of Experts has just published a new report on "New technologies, new social media and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages". To read the report, please click here.
Meeting with OHCHR
On 13 November 2019, the Head of the Secretariat met with representatives of the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner for an exchange. Apart from providing general information on the Charter, particular emphasis was placed on the reform process of the monitoring mechanism,...
COMEX in synergy with the Advisory Committee
The Committee of Experts of the Charter took advantage of the fact that it and the Advisory Committee of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities were meeting in plenary in Strasbourg this week to discuss synergies and co-operation between the 2 bodies. They were also...
Experts visit Netherlands
Experts have just visited the Netherlands in the framework of the 6th monitoring cycle of the country. They visited Maastricht, Zwolle and Leeuwarden from 15 to 18 October, meeting with speakers of all the territorial and non-territorial languages and of regional languages covered by the Charter,...
Round Table on Creole language & culture
In the framework of the Festival of Creole, Ms Irena Kowalczyk-Kedziora, of the ECRML Secretariat, took part in the Round Table on Creole and had the opportunity to present the Charter to the participants.
Experts visit Sweden
Experts have just visited Sweden in the framework of the 7th monitoring cycle of Sweden. They visited Lulea and Stockholm from 9 to 11 October.
Impressions on minorities and minority languages in a changing Europe
The conclusions and impressions of the 20th anniversary conference of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages are now available in the form of a brochure. The leaflet features the conclusions and final remarks...
Reform enters into force
The reform of the monitoring mechanism of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, adpoted on 28 November 2018 by the Ministers' Deputies, with a view to strengthening it, entered into force today, 1 July 2019. To read more about the reform, please follow this link.
Declaration on the occasion of the European Day of Languages 2019
The European Day of Languages, proclaimed by the Council of Europe on 6 December 2001, takes place on 26 September every year with the aim of celebrating the cultural and linguistic diversity within Europe and encouraging and promoting language learning. Languages are essential for many aspects...
NPLD networking event in Brussels
The Network to Promote Linguistic Diversity and the Council of Europe organised a Networking Breakfast at the Council of Europe office in Brussels to mark the European Day of Languages. The event took place on Friday 27th September 2019 and its key objectives were to celebrate the European Day of...
European Education Summit
Marking the European Day of Languages on 26 September, Mr Sixto Molina, Head of the Secretariat of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, participated in the second European Education Summit, which took place in Brussels on 26 September 2019, and where he presented the Charter's...
Text of the Charter
