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 efforts made by the Swiss authorities to protect regional and minority languages, but also examines the shortcomings in this area.

On the basis of this assessment, made after a visit to the country in June 2019, it is recommended that the Swiss authorities take the following measures as a matter of priority:
- adopt cantonal and/or local legislation on the public use of French and German in the municipalities where they are minority languages;
- continue promoting the use of Italian in cantonal administration and in the public sector under cantonal control in Graubünden/Grischun/Grigioni;
- clarify whether Francoprovençal and Jurassian can be considered languages in their own right, entitled to protection provided for by the Charter;
- reconsider the official position regarding Romani as a non-territorial language under the Charter, in co-operation with the speakers.

The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages came into force in Switzerland in 1998.

This report contains other recommendations, as well as the comments of the Swiss government. To see all of the reports on Switzerland, please click here.