More than 40 million European Union citizens speak an autochthonous language other than the main official language of the State in which they live. We can find many others in countries of the central Europe such as Slovakia, Romania, Czech Republic or Poland. Languages are part of the richness of Europe and cultural and linguistic diversity in this continent lies at the heart of fundamental rights for its citizens as the integration process advances. An essential part of this diversity are the marginalised and minority communities languages traditionally spoken by linguistic communities whose borders does not correspond to the ones of the states they belong. The respect and promotion of linguistic and cultural diversity should be one of the cornerstones of Europe.

We understand by marginalised and minority communities Languages those who are the traditionally used within a stateless nation, are not socially normalised and are not fully official language in their territory.

The European Free Alliance Youth, we declare,

1. The linguistic diversity of Europe is a key element in the cultural wealth and a key factor in the creation of a peaceful and democratic Europe;

2. The need for a European linguistic culture and recognising that its scope also includes protection of the linguistic heritage, the overcoming of the national language barrier, the promotion of marginalised and minority communities languages and the safeguarding of these languages;

3. Points out that language is an essential means of communication in the European Union now being created and that European integration must make use of languages as a way of communicating across the present internal borders compatible with protecting and safeguarding the less widespread languages in national, regional or transregional contexts;

4. The European Union has a responsibility to support Member and applicant countries in developing and protecting their cultural and linguistic diversity within them;

5. All peoples have the right to respect for their language and culture and must therefore have the necessary legal means to protect and promote them and to declare them official in their territory;

6. The need for Member States and regional and stateless nations governments to recognise their linguistic diversity and to make the necessary legal and administrative provisions for them to create the basic conditions for the preservation. promotion and development of these languages;

7. All marginalised and minority communities languages should also be protected by appropriate legal statute. Considers that this legal statute should at least cover the use and encouragement of such languages and cultures in the spheres of education, university, justice and public administration, the media toponymics and other sectors of public and cultural life;

8. The need for a devolution of full linguistic powers to those communities who need to protect and to promote the marginalised and minority communities languages;

9. the marginalised and minority communities languages are also an integral part of Europe's cultural heritage and, from this point of view, the European Union should provide them with legal protection framework and the appropriate financial resources.

10. The European Union should encourage action by Member states and regional and stateless nations governments in cases where the protection of marginalised and minority communities languages and cultures is inadequate or non-existent;

11. The European Union also has a duty in its relations with the governments of associated and third countries to draw attention to the rights of minorities and, if necessary, to support governments in finding ways of ensuring that these rights are safeguarded; whereas it must also draw their attention to any conscious denial of these rights;

12. The right of using the proper languages should never go against the traditionaly spoken languages;

13. Regrets the fact that languages may be identified or related with certain political options or ideologies. Languages never belong to ideologies, languages are the expression of cultural diversity of Europe and a expression of wealth;

14. Calls on the Member States and regional and stateless nations governments to examine the possibility of concluding agreements to create trans-frontier linguistic institutions for any minority languages or cultures existing in two neighbouring countries or in several Member States simultaneously.

15. We demand the marginalised and minority communities languages to become official language of the European Union;

Annex of different European legal texts calling for the protection and promotion of marginalised and minority communities languages,

- European Parliament's Resolution of 16th October 1981 on a Community charter of regional languages and cultures and a charter of rights for ethnic minorities[1];

- European Parliament's Resolution of 11th February 1983 on measures in favour of minority languages and cultures[2];

- European Parliament's Resolution of 30th October 1987 on the languages and cultures of regional and ethnic minorities in the European Community[3];

European Parliament's Resolution of 11th December 1991 on languages in the Community and the situation of Catalan[4]

- European Parliament's Resolution of 21st January 1993 on the Commission communication to the Council, the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee entitled "New Prospects for Community cultural action"[5];

European Parliament's its Resolution of 9th October 1994, on linguistic minorities in the European Community[6]

European Parliament's Resolution of 17th December 1997 (point 47), on respect for human rights in the European Union[7],

- European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, accorded the legal form of a European Convention by the Council of Europe, and opened for signature on 5th November 1992;

- Final document of the Copenhagen meeting of the conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE (5th-29th June 1990) and in particular to Chapter IV of that document;

- Decision No 1934/200/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on European Year of Languages 2001[8]

- Article 22 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union

- Opinion of the Committee of the Regions of 14th June 2001, on promotion and protection of regional and minority languages

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[1] O.J. n. C 287 of 9th November 1981, p.57

[2] O.J. n.C 068 of 14th March 1983, p. 104

[3] O.J. n. C 318 of 30th November 1987, p. 144-160

[4] OJ n. C 19 of 28th January 1991, p. 42

[5] O.J. n. C 042 of 15th February 1993, p. 153-173

[6] OJ n. C 061 of 28th February 1994, p. 110

[7] OJ n C 98 of 9th April 1999, p. 279

[8] OJ n. C 311 E, 31-10-2000, p. 272

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Bartlomiej Swiderek
Foreign Dept. Chief Manager
Silesian Autonomy Movement
http://www.raslaska.org
e-mail: [email protected]