MINELRES: EBLUL calls for inclusion of linguistic diversity in Draft Article 3.3. of Constitutional Treaty

[Hannah McGlue]

PRESS RELEASE

EBLUL calls for inclusion of linguistic diversity in Draft Article 3.3. of
Constitutional Treaty

Brussels, 17.02.03 � On 11 February, the European Parliament�s Intergroup
for Regional and Minority Languages met in Strasbourg.
EC Commissioner for Education and Culture, Mrs Viviane Reding spoke at the
event, outlining the Commission�s Action Plan on Language Learning and
Linguistic Diversity. She stressed the importance of safeguarding and
promoting linguistic diversity including lesser-used languages in the
European Union 'All languages are equal, no matter if they are big or a
small�, she argued.
Following on from this, an important subject of debate at the meeting was
the work of the Convention. The Intergroup believe that the first draft
Constitutional treaty articles do not adequately cover linguistic diversity.
EBLUL therefore proposes an amendment to draft Article 3.3. by including �
and languages� in the concept of diversity. The proposed amendment reads:

Draft Article 3.3. of the Constitutional Treaty (new)

�The Union shall constitute an area of freedom, security and justice, in
which its shared values are developed and the richness of its cultural AND
LINGUISTIC diversity is respected�.

�This amendment is justified since the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights,
which will be integrated in the new Constitutional treaty, includes the
respect for cultural and linguistic diversity in Article 22.�, argues EBLUL
President Bojan Brezigar.

EBLUL hopes that during the next few months Convention members will become
aware of the importance of this topic.

For Further information on EBLUL�s contribution to the Convention, see
www.eblul.org/futurum


EUROPEAN BUREAU FOR
LESSER USED LANGUAGES (EBLUL)
www.eblul.org

Rue Saint-Josse 49/Sint-Jooststraat 49
B-1210 Bruxelles/Brussel


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