[Original version]

Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the application of the Charter by the United Kingdom

COUNCIL OF EUROPE
COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS

Recommendation RecChL(2004)1
of the Committee of Ministers
on the application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages by the United Kingdom

(Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 24 March 2004
at the 877th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies)

The Committee of Ministers,

In accordance with Article 16 of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages;

Having regard to the declarations submitted by the UK on 27 March 2001, 11 March 2003, and 22 April 2003;

Having taken note of the evaluation made by the Committee of Experts on the Charter with respect to the application of the Charter by the United Kingdom;

Having taken note of the comments made by the UK authorities on the contents of the Committee of Experts' report;

Bearing in mind that this evaluation is based on information submitted by the United Kingdom in its periodical report, supplementary information provided by the UK authorities, information submitted by bodies and associations legally established in the UK and information obtained by the Committee of Experts during its "on-the-spot" visit;

Recommends that the authorities of the United Kingdom take account of all the observations of the Committee of Experts and, as a matter of priority:

1. make primary and secondary education in Scottish Gaelic generally available in the areas where the language is used;

2. with regard to Scottish Gaelic and Welsh, establish a system for monitoring the measures taken and progress achieved in regional or minority language education, including the production and publication of reports of the findings;

3. provide information and guidance to those responsible for implementing the undertakings chosen for Scottish Gaelic, in particular in the fields of education and administration;

4. facilitate the establishment of a television channel or an equivalent television service in Scottish Gaelic and overcome the shortcomings in Scottish Gaelic radio broadcasting;

5. improve the public service television provision and facilitate the broadcasting of private radio in Irish;

6. improve the use of Welsh in social care facilities, particularly hospitals and care of the elderly;

7. create conditions for the use of Scots and Ulster Scots in public life, through the adoption of a language policy and concrete measures, in co-operation with the speakers of the languages.