WRITTEN QUESTION E-1227/02 by Luciano Caveri (ELDR) to the Commission. Linguistic minorities in the European Union.
Date: 2002-04-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community acquis, EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, accession to the European Union, linguistic group, protection of minorities, rights of minorities

C 309 E/100

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

12.12.2002

(2002/C 309 E/115)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1227/02

by Luciano Caveri (ELDR) to the Commission

(29 April 2002)

Subject: Linguistic minorities in the European Union

The protection of national and linguistic minorities is one of the political criteria introduced by the
European Union in its negotiations with applicant countries (Copenhagen criteria). Such assessments have
never been used with regard to the present Member States and there is no evidence of any verification
process on the matter. What information does the Commission have in this regard, and is the protection
of linguistic minorities an implicit element of the ‘acquis communautaire’, despite the lack of official
requirements?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(19 June 2002)

In the Commission’s view, the rights of minorities are among the principles which are common to the
Member States, as listed in Article 6(1) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU). These principles, enshrined
in a number of international conventions (1), were solemnly reaffirmed in the Charter of Fundamental
Rights of the European Union. Article 21(1) of the Charter prohibits any discrimination based, inter alia,
on ethnic origin, language, religion or membership of a national minority; Article 22 requires the Union to
respect cultural, religious and linguistic diversity. As stated in the explanations relating to the Charter,
these provisions are based respectively on Article 13 of the EC Treaty and Article 14 of the European
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and on Article 151 of the
EC Treaty.

The infringement procedure laid down in Article 226 of the EC Treaty and the political procedure laid
down in Article 7 of the Union Treaty ensure that Member States comply with these principles. In the
former case, the Commission may bring the matter before the Court of Justice if the infringement falls
within the scope of Community law. In the latter case, the Commission or one third of the Member States
may refer to the Council, meeting in the composition of Heads of State or Government, a serious or
persistent breach of the principles laid down in Article 6.

(1)

For example, the UN’s International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 27 of which protects the culture
and language of persons belonging to minorities, has been ratified by all the Member States.

(2002/C 309 E/116)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1248/02

by W.G. van Velzen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(24 April 2002)

Subject: State aid

Is it true that the European Commission has decided on an extension of the current framework for state
aid for R & D for another three and a half years?

Can the Commission explain why it will be continuing with the old framework, knowing that the
framework is old-fashioned and that it was decided in Barcelona to stimulate the increase in spending on
R & D in the Union to at least 3 % of GDP by 2010, with two thirds of this new investment having to
come from the private sector?

Can the Commission promote adaptation of the old framework in such a way that it will be compatible
with the new ambitions of the EU Council in Barcelona with regard to higher spending on R & D? If so,
what are the changes necessary with respect to this framework?