Promoting ratification of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in France
The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML) was signed by France on 7 May 1999 but has not yet been ratified.
During the public debate about the ratification, it has been suggested that a very high number of regional languages would have to be covered under the Charter – some claim that there would be more than 70 languages – and that this fact could complicate the implementation of the treaty. However, the debate did not sufficiently consider how the Charter itself defines the concept of “regional or minority languages”.[1] When determining the languages to be covered by the Charter in France, the following criteria must be taken into account in accordance with the letter and the spirit of the Charter:
- The Charter concerns languages. Dialects of regional languages are not covered by the Charter in their own right. Rather, dialects of regional languages are covered by the Charter in combination with their standard form traditionally used on the relevant territory. Consequently, the Charter applies holistically to a regional language “as a whole” (dialects and standard form) rather than only to one form of it.
- The Charter concerns languages that are different from the official language of the State. It does not include dialects/varieties of the official language of the State.
- The Charter concerns languages that are traditionally used within a given territory of the State by nationals of that State. It does not include the languages of migrants.
- The Charter aims at the protection of the historical regional or minority languages of Europe, as stated in its Preamble.
- The Charter concerns also languages that are often official and majority languages of other states. Most regional or minority languages in the present States Parties of the Charter are actually official and majority languages of other states (for example, Italian is the official and majority language of Italy as well as a regional or minority language inter alia in Slovenia).
- The Charter concerns languages that are still spoken. It does not concern languages that are extinct.
In light of the aforementioned criteria, the Charter would apply to the following seven regional languages of France:[2] Basque, Breton, Catalan, Corsican, Dutch (Western Flemish and standard Dutch), German (dialects of German and standard German, regional language of Alsace-Moselle)[3] and Occitan.
Therefore, concerns currently expressed in the public debate that the Charter’s application would become difficult to manage as a result of a very high number of regional languages are completely unfounded.
Against this background, several municipalities in Brittany, including the City of Rennes, have expressed their interest in applying the Charter. At a conference about the Charter in May 2013, the Council of Europe encouraged French local and regional authorities to apply Charter provisions according to their competences, possibly in the framework of partnerships with the Council of Europe. Following this, the local and regional authorities below have signed a local charter containing Charter provisions. Such local initiatives help to prepare the future implementation of the Charter.
Alsace / Elsass
Région Grand Est (Alsace- Lorraine- Champagne-Ardenne) / Große Ostregion (Elsass-Lothringen- Champagne-Ardennen)
Date of adoption: 19/06/2014
Download the text of the local Charter
Download the leaflet
Download the Implementation report
Collectivité européenne d'Alsace / Europäische Gebietskörperschaft Elsass
Date of adoption: 19/06/2014
Download the text of the local Charter
Download the leaflet
Download the implementation report
Bischwiller / Bischweiler
Date of adoption: 20/04/2015
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Download the Implementation report
Buschwiller / Buschweiler
Date of adoption: 29/09/2014
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Download the Implementation report
Dannemarie / Dammerkirch
Date of adoption: 17/02/2015
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Download the Implementation report
Drusenheim
Date of adoption: 22/10/2014
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Download the Implementation report
Fessenheim / Fessenheim (Oberelsass)
Date of adoption: 07/10/2014
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Download the Implementation report
Geiswiller / Geisweiler
Date of adoption: 02/04/2015
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Download the Implementation report
Kolbsheim
Date of adoption: 22/12/2014
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Download the Implementation report
Lembach
Date of adoption: 27/05/2014
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Download the Implementation report
Mulhouse / Mülhausen
Date of adoption: 17/02/2014
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Ribeauvillé / Rappoltsweiler
Date of adoption: 21/03/2014
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Download the Implementation report
Roeschwoog / Röschwoog
Date of adoption: 03/03/2014
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Saint Hippolyte / Sankt Pilt
Date of adoption: 07/07/2014
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Saint-Louis / Sankt Ludwig
Date of adoption: 07/01/2015
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Saverne / Zabern
Date of adoption: 10/02/2014
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Scharrachbergheim-Irmstett
Date of adoption: 24/11/2014
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Download the Implementation report
Schleithal
Date of adoption: 06/03/2015
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Download the Implementation report
Sommerau
Date of adoption: 23/10/2014
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Download the Implementation report
Soufflenheim / Sufflenheim
Date of adoption: 29/04/2014
Download the text of the local Charter
Download the Implementation report
Strasbourg / Straßburg
Date of adoption: 20/04/2015
Download the text of the local Charter
Download the appendix : Paragraphs not yet chosen from Articles 8-14
View the debate
Download the bilingual street name directory of the City of Strasbourg
Download the Implementation report
Stutzheim-Offenheim / Stützheim-Offenheim
Date of adoption: 09/02/2015
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Basque Country / Pays Basque
Ahatsa-Altzieta-Bazkazan / Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan
Date of adoption: 15/11/2021
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Aiherra / Ayherre
Date of adoption: 7/6/2021
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Ainhize-Monjolose / Ainhice-Mongelos
Date of adoption: 26/11/2021
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Aiziritze-Gamue-Zuhazti / Aïcirits-Camou-Suhast
Date of adoption: 21/9/2021
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Aldude / Les Aldudes
Date of adoption: 5/12/2021
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Aloze-Ziboze-Omize Gaine / Alos-Sibas-Abense
Date of adoption: 10/12/2021
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Amenduze Unaso / Amendeuix Oneix
Date of adoption: 4/12/2021
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Anhauze / Anhaux
Date of adoption: 3/11/2021
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Arrosa / Saint-Martin d'Arrossa
Date of adoption: 18/11/2021
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Azkaine / Ascain
Date of adoption: 15/11/2021
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Ascarat / Azkarteko
Date of adoption: 25/3/2022
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Baigorri / Saint-Etienne-de-Baïgorry
Date of adoption: 8/10/2021
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Baiona / Bayonne
Date of adoption: 14/10/2021
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Banka / Banca
Date of adoption: 23/11/2021
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Behorlegi / Béhorléguy
Date of adoption: 26/10/2021
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Bidarrai / Bidarray
Date of adoption: 28/9/2021
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Donamartiri / Saint-Martin-d'Arberoue
Date of adoption: 2/11/2021
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Donapaule / Saint-Palais
Date of adoption: 23/9/2021
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Duzunaritze-Sarasketa / Bussunarits-Sarrasquette
Date of adoption: 15/12/2021
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Ezpeleta / Espelette
Date of adoption: 23/11/2021
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Gabadi / Gabat
Date of adoption: 18/10/2021
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Gamarte / Gamarthe
Date of adoption: 11/10/2021
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Getaria / Guéthary
Date of adoption: 27/9/2021
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Haltsu / Halsou
Date of adoption: 6/9/2021
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Hazparne / Hasparren
Date of adoption: 29/9/2021
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Hiriburu / Saint-Pierre d'Irube
Date of adoption: 18/11/2021
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Irulegi / Irouléguy
Date of adoption: 25/11/2021
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Isturitze / Isturits
Date of adoption: 21/10/2021
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Itsasu / Itxassou
Date of adoption: 9/11/2021
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Izpura / Ispoure
Date of adoption: 31/09/2021
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Lakarra / Lacarre
Date of adoption: 5/11/2021
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Lasa / Lasse
Date of adoption: 2/11/2021
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Lekorne / Mendionde
Date of adoption: 14/10/2021
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Lekunberri / Lecumberry
Date of adoption: 25/10/2021
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Lexantzü-Zunharre / Lichans-Sunhar
Date of adoption: 18/10/2021
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Ligi-Atherei / Licq-Atherey
Date of adoption: 4/12/2021
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Luhuso / Louhossoa
Date of adoption: 18/9/2021
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Makea / Macaye
Date of adoption: 26/10/2021
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Mendibe / Mendive
Date of adoption: 28/10/2021
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Miarritze / Biarritz
Date of adoption: 31/01/2022
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Ortzaize / Ossès
Date of adoption: 5/10/2021
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Ozaze-Zühara / Ossas-Suhare
Date of adoption: 25/11/2021
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Sara / Sare
Date of adoption: 21/5/2021
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Senpere / Saint-Pée sur Nivelle
Date of adoption: 30/9/2021
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Suhuskune / Suhescun
Date of adoption: 26/10/2021
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Uhart-Hiri / Uharte-Mixe
Date of adoption: 17/9/2021
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Urepele / Urepel
Date of adoption: 2/10/2021
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Urruña / Urrugne
Date of adoption: 16/11/2021
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Uztaritze / Ustaritz
Date of adoption: 30/9/2021
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Ziburu / Ciboure
Date of adoption: 15/12/2021
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[1] According to the definition in Article 1 (a) of the Charter, the concept “‘regional or minority languages’ means languages that are i. traditionally used within a given territory of a State by nationals of that State who form a group numerically smaller than the rest of the State's population; and ii. different from the official language(s) of that State. It does not include either dialects of the official language(s) of the State or the languages of migrants”.
[2] See also European Commission: The Euromosaic study.
[3] In 2014 and 2015, the Alsace region, the Lower Alsace and Upper Alsace departements and several Alsatian cities and municipalities adopted local versions of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages that all contain the following definition of the regional language: « Par l’expression « langue régionale », on entend la langue allemande dans ses formes dialectales (dialectes alémaniques et franciques parlés en Alsace et en Moselle) et dans sa forme standard (Hochdeutsch). » / „Im Sinne dieser Charta bezeichnet der Ausdruck „Regionalsprache“ die deutsche Sprache in ihren Mundartformen (die in Elsass-Lothringen gesprochenen alemannischen und fränkischen Mundarten) und in ihrer Standardform (Hochdeutsch).“ (Charte de la Région Alsace, du Département du Bas-Rhin et du Département du Haut-Rhin pour la promotion de la langue régionale sur la base de la Charte européenne des langues régionales ou minoritaires du 19 juin 2014, article 1 / Charta der Region Elsass, des Departements Unterelsass und des Departements Oberelsass zur Förderung der Regionalsprache auf der Grundlage der Europäischen Charta der Regional- oder Minderheitensprachen vom 19. Juni 2014, Artikel 1. See also Bulletin officiel [B.O.] hors-série n° 2, 19 June 2003.
