WRITTEN QUESTION E-0478/00

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(24 February 2000)

Subject: Preparation by the European Commission of the proposed legal basis for the Archipelago action programme on the minority and regional languages of the EU

The European Commission is drawing up a legislative proposal to provide a legal basis (and, consequently, funding from the Community budget) for a Community action programme for the protection and promotion of the minority and regional languages of the European Community. The European Union has also set aside funding from the 2000 budget for a series of preparatory initiatives to promote minority and regional languages.

In the light of the above, and given the need to finalise as quickly as possible the legislative procedure for the adoption of the legal basis, both in order to ensure the continuity and stability of the projects that are part of the preparatory initiatives for 2000, and to guarantee and enhance the promotion and protection of the regional and minority languages of the EU over the coming years, will the Commission give details of the approximate timetable for this legislative procedure and, more specifically, when the proposal will reach the EP?

Will the Commission give details of the general principles of the proposal and, specifically, the total amount and duration of Community funding proposed?

On what Treaty provisions is the Commission basing this procedure?

Could the Commission define the concept of a minority or regional language as eligible for funding under the forthcoming action programme?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-0465/00 and E-0478/00 given by Ms Reding on behalf of the Commission

(2 May 2000)

Budget heading B3-1000, entitled Cooperation in the fields of education and of youth policy covers a total sum of 4,5 million. This amount is intended, amongst other things, to support measures to promote and safeguard the regional and minority languages and cultures of the Community. The Commission has earmarked a total of 2,5 million for this purpose, as was stated in the preliminary draft budget presented to the Council and the Parliament.

To this end, the Commission plans to publish a call for proposals as soon as possible, the text of which it is currently finalising. All the criteria for the presentation and selection of the proposals will be stated in the call. The Honourable Member will be notified directly as soon as the full picture becomes clear.

The Commission is also examining the case for a specific study on the needs of the Union's linguistic minorities that would complement the information already available on this subject.

The development of measures to promote and safeguard regional and minority languages over the coming years will take into account the implementation of these actions and the European Year of Languages in 2001. The exact content of these measures will be decided at the appropriate time.

The definition of regional and minority languages is based on Article 1 of the Council of Europe's European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages regional or minority languages means languages that are 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 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.