European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages

ECRML NewsletterRegional and Minority Languages | July 2026

COMEX plenaries: focus on evaluation, inclusion and gender equality

The Committee of Experts held its 84th and 85th plenary meetings in Strasbourg in March and June 2026. At the 84th meeting, it adopted the 4th evaluation report on Bosnia and Herzegovina and the 9th evaluation report on Norway, along with a mid-term report on Czechia. At the 85th plenary, the Committee adopted its 6th evaluation report on Austria and a mid-term report concerning Croatia. All reports are transmitted to authorities for comments, then made public and submitted to the Committee of Ministers.
Both meetings included insightful exchanges: in March with Nicolas Levrat, United Nations Special Rapporteur on minority issues; and in June with Terezia Rostas, Roma advocate, and Caterina Bolognese, Head of the Gender Equality Division of the Council of Europe, addressing the transmission of language and culture, gender issues and ways to further include gender equality in the Committee’s monitoring work.

Denmark extends promotion of German under the Charter

On 26 January 2026, the Kingdom of Denmark notified the Council of Europe that it accepts additional undertakings

under Part III of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages for German. This welcomed development substantially strengthens the protection and promotion of German in Southern Jutland/North Schleswig.
The Danish authorities commit themselves to make available pre-school and primary education in German and to promote the use of this language in criminal proceedings, as well as by state, regional, and local authorities (including place names and in the public sector in economic and social life), and in safety instructions.

Signatures and ratifications ›

Photo taken during the 6th COMEX on-the-spot visit to Austria, February 2026

Latest and forthcoming Charter reports and visits

The Committee of Experts published the following reports in 2026:

Eighth evaluation report on Hungary in March
Evaluation of the Implementation of the Recommendations for Immediate Action contained in the 5th evaluation report on Czechia, in April
Evaluation of the Implementation of the Recommendations for Immediate Action contained in the 7th evaluation report on Croatia, in June
Fourth evaluation report on Bosnia and Herzegovina, in July
Ninth evaluation report on Norway, will be published on 16 July

The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers also adopted decisions and recommendations on the implementation of the Charter in Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Serbia and Czechia.
Delegation of the Committee of Experts visited Austria (from 16 to 20 February) where it met with representatives of regional or minority language speakers and authorities to evaluate the progress made in the implementation of the Charter. The report will be made public towards the end of 2026. A monitoring visit to Sweden is planned for the first fourth quarter of 2026.

More Charter reports ›

COMEX highlights the need for linguistic diversity

On 16 June in Strasbourg, Aline Kunz, Switzerland’s representative on the Committee of Experts, took part in the Open Innovation Dialogue Hub.

This event, co-organised by the Microsoft Open Innovation Centre, the Council of Europe and GitHub during the European Parliament plenary, assembled European policymakers, researchers, cultural institutions, LINGUA grantees, and innovators for two days of exchanges on digital sovereignty and AI. The meeting was opened by Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, who emphasised the Charter’s role and the potential for AI to protect and reinforce Europe’s linguistic diversity.
Aline Kunz participated in a panel discussing how technology can empower regional and minority languages. She underlined that integrating these languages into everyday digital tools raises their prestige and ensures their transmission to future generations.

More info on the event ›

New study on regional and minority language protection in Europe

In March, the Steering Committee on Anti-discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion (CDADI) published a study which explores recurring challenges

and good practices in promoting regional and minority languages, focusing on their increased usage in digital, social and online media.
The study emphasised the Charter as the only global legal framework protecting public use of these languages. Furthermore, it finds that new media platforms, with fewer barriers, have fostered youth engagement, access to cultural archives, and innovative language learning tools, strengthening language sustainability.
Good practices identified include special calendar initiatives, digital skills training, and facilitating new media content for younger generations. The study also addresses teaching the history and culture of these languages, recommending all member states integrate them into mainstream education and provide relevant teaching resources.