Spain’s Regional and Minority Language Protection: Progress and Challenges

Spain’s system for protecting regional and minority languages is strong but lacks full implementation in key areas like justice and healthcare. The Council of Europe has highlighted the need for further efforts to ensure citizens can use their languages in public services effectively.

The Council of Europe’s Committee of Experts has released a new evaluation report on Spain’s efforts to safeguard regional and minority languages. Although Spain has established a robust framework for language protection through its Constitution, Statutes of Autonomy, and various laws, significant gaps remain particularly in justice, healthcare, and public administration. The report highlights that while there are provisions for using these languages, implementation is often lacking in actual practice. For instance, citizens struggle to use their native languages in court, during healthcare interactions, and when communicating with governmental bodies. Additionally, although regional governments demand language proficiency from civil servants, the overall availability of proficient staff in state administration is limited. The committee warns that while digitalization of public services is advantageous, it should not exclude the use of regional or minority languages. The findings are based on input from both governmental and non-governmental sources, including a recent visit to Spain by the Committee.

Spain has a legal and constitutional framework supporting the protection and promotion of regional and minority languages, recognized in various laws and the Constitution. The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages establishes standards for member states to protect these languages, ensuring that speakers can use them in various aspects of public life. Despite this framework, the effective implementation of these rights remains a challenge, particularly in areas directly related to public services and judicial proceedings where access to language rights is critical.

In summary, while Spain is recognized for its efforts to protect regional and minority languages, the report underscores the necessity for increased efforts to fill the gaps in justice, healthcare, and public administration. Ensuring that speakers can utilize their languages in all public domains is essential for truly effective language protection.

Original Source: www.coe.int