PRESS RELEASE FROM NETWORK TO PROMOTE LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY 23rd FEBRUARY 2009

NPLD CHALLENGES EUROPEAN CULTURE COMMITTEE’S NEGLECT OF MULTILINGUALISM

Members of the Network to Promote Linguistic Diversity (NPLD) this week contested the amendments proposed and accepted by the European Parliament’s Culture and Education Committee on its own initiative report on Multilingualism this week. 

It further notes that several of the adopted amendments go against the fundamental rights of subsidiarity and do not take into account the realities and competencies of many European regions. The NPLD further regrets that all substantive references to the rights of constitutional, co-official, and regional languages have been omitted.  

Representing around 50 million EU citizens speaking constitutional, regional and minority languages, the NPLD considers that the adopted report globally fails to equally treat Europe’s languages, therefore endangering linguistic and cultural diversity.

The NPLD’s members expressed surprise that the European Parliament should take a narrower and less inclusive view than that promoted by the Commission:

Chair of the NPLD, Meirion Prys Jones said:

“The report contravenes the fundamental statements expressed by the European Commission in its recent Communication on Multilingualism, published in September 2008, which stated that ‘every citizen should have an opportunity to learn the languages they need or choose, to participate fully in society”.   

“This concept links closely with the NPLD’s core objective of ‘promoting the use and revitalisation of regional, constitutional, minority and smaller-state languages’.”

The Culture Committee also decided not to accept “the need for recognition of parity between the EU’s official languages and the official languages of the Member States”.  Consequently, some languages that are represented by the NPLD are not acknowledged at all, even though some are recognised as official working languages of the EU’s institutions.

Meirion Prys Jones added:

“Multilingualism has been recognised time and time again as a fundamental value of the European Union, and this report undermines the principles upon which the Union is based. 

Before the vote in plenary session in March, the NPLD calls on MEPs and political groups to propose an alternative position taking into account Europe’s linguistic diversity and calls upon them to pledge their full support to Europe’s myriad of languages.

ENDS

Contact:

Ms Heledd Daniel

Network to Promote Linguistic Diversity - Project Coordinator

5-7 Market Chambers

Cardiff

CF10 1AT

Tel: ++44 2920 878 041

Heledd.daniel@npld.eu

www.npld.eu

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The Network to Promote Linguistic Diversity (NPLD) was established at the end of 2007 and is part funded by a 3-year grant from the European Commission. It seeks to represent the interest of Europe’s Constitutional, Regional and Smaller State Language (CRSS) speakers by bringing together member states, autonomous governments, NGOs and umbrella organisations working in the field of language planning. www.npld.eu

2. The European Parliament Draft Report on Multilingualism: an asset for Europe and a shared commitment (2008/2225(INI^[1])), was published as on Own Initiative Report by Vaso Graça Moura MEP on Committee on Culture and Education, and agreed by the Culture Committee on 17 February 2009. 

Steering Committee Members – NPLD

• Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Scottish Language Board
• Bwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg, Welsh Language Board
• Conseil Régional de Bretagne, Brittany Regional Council
• Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Irish Government
• Department of Language Policy, Ministry of Education and Research of Estonia
• EBLUL (European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages)
• Folktinget, Finland
• Foras na Gaeilge, Irish Language Board
• Kultura Saila, Eusko Jaurlaritza/Departamento de Cultura, Basque  Government
• Provinsje Fryslân, Province of Friesland
• Secretaria de Politica Linguistica/Linguamon, Catalonian Government
• Xunta de Galicia, Galician Government