Scania
A Region in Europe
COUNCIL CONSEIL
OF EUROPE DE L'EUROPE
Secretariat General
Directorate General I – Legal Affairs
Directorate of Co-operation for Local and Regional Democracy
The Director
Strasbourg, 12 March 2002
Mr Göran
Hansson
Chairman
Stiftelsen Skånsk Framtid
PO Box 93
S - 240 30 MARIEHOLM
Dear Mr Hansson,
One of the main functions of the Council of Europe is to set common legal and political standards for legislative and other measures taken by its member states over a whole range of fields, including regional or minority languages.
To meet the need of providing a mechanism for the promotion and protection of regional or minority languages, the Council of Europe has adopted a convention on this subject, the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, which entered into force on 1 March 1998. The principal aim of the Charter is to provide a mechanism for the protection of the different regional or minority languages in the fields of education, justice, administration, media, culture, economics, social life and transfrontier exchanges.
The protection provided in the Charter is twofold. Firstly, Part II (Article 7) contains general principles and objectives, applicable to all regional or minority languages used on the territory of a state, on which the latter is required to base its legislation and practice. Secondly, Part III translates these objectives and principles into concrete obligations (Articles 8 – 14). Part II, however, applies only to the languages specified by the State at the time of ratification. For these languages States are obliged to choose a minimum number of 35 paragraphs, or sub-paragraphs contained in articles 8-14.
Sweden signed and ratified the Charter on 9 February 2000. The Charter entered into force for Sweden on 1 June 2000. According to the Swedish authorities, the following languages are covered under Part II:
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Saami
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Finnish
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Meänkieli
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RomaniChib
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Yiddish
Under Part III of the Charter, the Sami languages, Finnish and Meänkieli have been chosen. The declaration of ratification with the applicable provisions chosen is enclosed with this letter.
Sweden has now submitted its first periodical report to the Council of Europe, in which the government explains how it fulfils its obligations in respect of the Charter. The Committee of Experts, established to examine the periodical reports, has examined the Swedish report and will shortly visit Sweden to meet with relevant authorities, associations and bodies whose aim is to further the protection and promotion of the regional or minority languages. This visit is scheduled for 22-26 April 2002.
In Article 16 paragraph 2 of the Charter, bodies and associations legally established in the Sweden have the possibility of transmitting relevant information on the application of the Charter to the Committee of Experts. Therefore, in light of your organisation's role. or your personal interest. in furthering the regional or minority languages in Sweden, we would like to invite you and/or your representatives to attend a meeting with the delegation of the Committee in accordance with the programme enclosed herewith. I also invite you to take note of the meeting place indicated on the right side of the programme.
The working language of this meeting will be English.
I have enclosed a copy of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages for your attention. We have also arranged for the Periodical Report of Sweden to be sent to you. These documents will form the basis of our discussions. The Committee would be most grateful if you could submit any complementary information on the situation of the regional or minority languages in Sweden. The delegation of the Committee will consist of Ms Vesna Cmic Grotic, the Rapporteur of Sweden, Ms Leena Huss and Mr Emyr Lewis.
Please inform the Secretariat as soon as possible whether you accept this invitation, should you not have already done so. If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact the secretariat (Ms Regina JENSDOTTIR, Administrator, Tel: +33 3 88 41 22 25, Fax: +33 3 88 41 27 84, email: regina.jensdottir(a)coe.int or her assistant, Ms Jackie Renaudin Siddall, Tel: + 33 3 88 41 31 86, email: jackie.renaudin-siddall(Rcoe.int).
Philip Blair
Encs :
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European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and Explanatory Report Programme
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Initial Periodical Report of Sweden
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Declaration of ratification of Sweden
© SSF