August 2004

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BASQUE GOVERNMENT PRESENTS THE THIRD NORMALISATION LANGUAGE PLAN

August 2004 — The Basque Councillor for Culture Miren Azkarate presented the 3rd Normalisation Language Plan, aimed at intensifying the Basque language in the administrative area of the Basque Country. Currently, the Basque language is the working language in 19 out of the 549 administrative sections of the Basque Government. In accordance with this plan, which it is expected to come into force in September 2004, 31 administrative sections will become bilingual in 2007, and Basque will be the working language in a total of 50 sections by 2007. Regarding the legal context, the 3rd Plan is based on the Basic Act 10/1982, of November 24th, on the Normalisation of Basque language and also in the 86/1997 Decree, which was passed in application of this Law and regulates the normalisation process of the use of Basque language within the public administration of the Basque Country. In accordance with this Decree: “In order to implement the language normalisation process within the Basque civil service, each administration is required to accept and apply a normalisation plan for the use of Basque by implementing the corresponding measures”. The main objectives of the Plan are to make of the Basque language the spoken and written language within the administration when dealing with the public, to make Basque language turn into the communication language with other administrations, and finally, to promote the use of Basque language within the civil servants.