MINELREL-L Archive (10311998-18:39:15-1289)

CLRAE/CoE Conference on European Charter in Innsbruck


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From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 1998 18:39:14 +0200 (EET)
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Subject: CLRAE/CoE Conference on European Charter in Innsbruck


From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>

CLRAE/CoE Conference on European Charter in Innsbruck


Dear Sir/Madam,

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE)
and the intergovernmental sector of the Council of Europe are
organising, in co-operation with the City of Innsbruck, a Conference
on the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, to be
held in Innsbruck on 14-15 December 1998.

The aim of the conference is to examine the potential of the
Charter for protecting and promoting regional or minority languages
in Europe and the state of its implementation in those countries
which have ratified it.

We have the honour to invite you or your representative(s) to take
part in this conference. Furthermore, we should be grateful if you
would bring it to the notice of other interested parties.

Please note, however, that neither the Council of Europe, nor the
City of Innsbruck, will be able to cover your travel and subsistence
expenses or your conference fee.

Please find enclosed the draft programme. The working languages
will be English, French, Italian and German. We are also studying
the possibility of providing interpretation for the Russian
language. The deadline for registration is 12 November 1998. We
hope that you will be able to accept this invitation.

Yours faithfully,

Daniel Tarschys
Secretary General of the Council of Europe

Herwig van Staa
Mayor of Innsbruck
--------------------------

Council of Europe
Conseil de I' Europe

Strasbourg, 6 October 1998      MIN-LANG/Conf/98(1)rev1

EUROPEAN CHARTER FOR REGIONAL OR MINORITY LANGUAGES
INNSBRUCK (AUSTRIA), 14 - 15 DECEMBER 1998

A Conference organised by the Congress of Local and Regional
Authorities of Europe (CLRAE) and the intergovernmental sector of
the Council of Europe, in collaboration with the City of Innsbruck

DRAFT PROGRAMME

INTRODUCTION

The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages entered
into force on 1 March 1998. At the present time, eight states have
ratified the Charter: Finland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Hungary, the
Netherlands, Croatia, Switzerland and Germany.

The aim of the Charter is to promote and protect regional or
minority languages as part of a European cultural heritage. The
Charter ensures the use of regional or minority languages in
education and the media and permits their use in judicial and
administrative settings, economic and social life and cultural
activities, without establishing individual or collective rights for
minorities.

AIMS OF THE CONFERENCE

The Directorate of Environment and Local Authorities organised a
conference in March 1998 which aimed at reviewing the implementation
of the Charter on the part of the Contracting Parties. It was an
opportunity for member states to exchange views on questions raised
in member states concerning the ratification of the Charter. A
publication of this first conference is currently being prepared by
the Secretariat.

This second conference is being organised by the Congress of Local
and Regional Authorities of Europe and the intergovernmental sector
of the Council of Europe, in cooperation with the City of Innsbruck
(Austria). The principal aim of this conference is to promote the
Charter among the member states of the Council of Europe and to
assist them in their ratification process. On this occasion the
Contracting Parties will share their experience on the ratification
of the Charter as well as giving other interested parties the
possibility to intervene in the discussions that will take place.
Additionally there will be a political and a technical analysis of
the Charter.

CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS

- Member states of the Council of Europe
- Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
- Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe
- Members of the Committee of Experts of the European Charter for
Regional or Minority Languages
- Selected members of the Advisory Committee of the Framework
Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
- European Regions
- Selected non governmental organisations

DATE AND PLACE

The conference will be held in Innsbruck (Austria) on 14-15
December 1998.

ORGANISATION

For further information regarding the practical organisation of the
Conference in Innsbruck, please contact:

Tyrol Congress GmbH
Rennweg 3 6020 Innsfaruck Austria
Tel: ++ 43 512 575600
Fax: ++ 43 512 575607


Council of Europe Secretariat:

Ms Regina Jensdottir
Tel: ++ 33 3 88 41 22 25
Fax: ++ 33 3 88 41 27 84
E-mail: [email protected]

Mr Giampaolo Cordiale
Tel: ++ 33 3 88 41 31 02
Fax: ++ 33 3 88 41 27 51/81/82/83
E-mail: [email protected]

DRAFT PROGRAMME OF THE CONFERENCE ON THE EUROPEAN CHARTER FOR
REGIONAL OR MINORITY LANGUAGES

Monday, 14 December 1998

09:30
Opening of the Conference by Mr Herwig VAN STAA, Mayor of the city
of Innsbruck and President of the Chamber of Local Authorities

09:45
Address by an
Austrian Governmental personality (to be confirmed)

1st session
Chairman: Mr Pieter DANKERT, Member of the European Parliament and
Member of the Committee of Experts for the Charter

10:00
The Political Importance of the European Charter for Regional or
Minority Languages in the European Union
Mr Donall O'RIAGAIN, Secretary General, European Bureau for Lesser
Used Languages

10:30
Discussion

11:15
The Position of the European Charter for Regional or Minority
Languages in the General Context of the International Protection of
Minorities - Mr Ferdinando ALBANESE, former Director of Environment
and Local Authorities, Council of Europe

11:45
Discussion

12:45
Lunch

2nd session

Chairman: Mr Lluis-Maria de PUIG, Rapporteur of the Committee on
Culture and Education, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe

14:00
The Experience of the Netherlands in Implementing the Charter -
Mr Auke van der GOOT, Mercator-Education

14:20
The Experience of Finland in Implementing the Charter - Mrs Laura
YLI-VAKKURI, Legal Officer, Finnish Mimstry of the Interior

14:40
Discussion

15:30
Break

16:00
Prospects for Ratification of the Charter by France - Mr Bernard
POIGNANT, Mayor of Quimper

16:20
Prospects for Ratification of the Charter by the United Kingdom -
Mr John Walter TONES, Director, Welsh Language Board

16:40
Discussion

18:00
End of the session

20:00
Official dinner

Tuesday, 15 December 1998

3rd Session
Chairman: Mr Gianfranco MARTINI, Member of the Chamber of Local
Authorities of the CLRAE and Member of the Working Group on
Federalism, Regionalism, Local Autonomy and Minorities

09:30
The Adaptability of the Charter to national situations - Mr Sigve
GRAMSTAD, President of the Committee of Experts for the Charter

10:00
Discussion

10:45
Break

11:00
What Opportunities will the Charter Provide for Local and Regional
Authorities in Regard to Regional or Minority Languages? - Mr Gabor
KOLUMBAN, Chairman of the Harghita Provincial Council (Romania),
Member of the Chamber of Regions of the CLRAE and President of the
Working Group on Federalism, Regionalism, Local Autonomy and
Minorities

11:30
Discussion

12:30
Lunch


4th session
Chairman: Mr Rudolf BINDIG, Rapporteur of the Committee on Legal
Affairs and Human Rights, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe

14:00
An Introduction to the Control Mechanism of the Charter - Mr Moreno
BUCCI, former member of the CAHLR (Ad hoe Committee of Experts on
Regional or Minority Languages) and Member of the CLRAE

14:10
The Control Mechanism of the Charter and the Role of the Committee
of Experts - Professor Vesna CRNIC-GROTIC, Member of the Committee
of Experts for the European Charter for Regional or Minority
Languages

14:30
Discussion

15:30
Conclusions

16:00
End of Conference

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