16 June 2022

COMEX held its 73rd plenary meeting

The Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages held its 73rd plenary meeting from 13 to 15 June 2022 in a hybrid format (Strasbourg/online).

The Committee adopted a statement condemning in the strongest possible terms the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. It finds unacceptable that the Russian Federation continues to use the situation of Russian as a minority language in Ukraine as a pretext for the aggression.

During the meeting the Committee adopted two evaluation reports on the application of the Charter by Switzerland and Germany, which will be transmitted to the authorities for possible comments within a deadline of two months after transmission. The report and the State comments will then be made public and submitted to the Committee of Ministers, together with proposals for recommendations that, once adopted by the latter, will be addressed to these two States Parties.

The Committee appointed Mahulena HOFMANNOVÁ (Czech Republic) as its gender equality rapporteur and Vesna CRNIĆ-GROTIĆ (Croatia) as its representative to the Council of Europe Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion (CDADI).

This 73rd plenary meeting was the last meeting of Claudine BROHY (Switzerland), Gabor KARDOS (Hungary) and Andrea WILLI (Liechtenstein), whose mandates have come to an end. On behalf of the Committee and the Secretariat, Aleksandra OSZMIAŃSKA-PAGETT, Chair of the Committee, thanked them warmly for their valuable contribution to the work of the Committee over the years. She also welcomed two new members: Olga BUTKEVYCH (Ukraine) and Petra Lea LÁNCOS (Hungary).

The Committee will hold its next plenary meeting from 15 to 18 November 2022 and will examine the compliance of the Netherlands and Sweden with their undertakings under the Charter.