EU - NEW STATUS FOR CELTIC LANGUAGES

The European Council is due to vote on the European status of two Celtic languages today (Tuesday 15th July 2008), after talks begun between the Westminster Government and Europe early last month. If agreed, the Scots Gaelic and Welsh languages will be given the same EU status currently enjoyed by the Basque, Catalan and Galician languages, where citizens have the right to send correspondence to the EU in their native language and receive a reply in that language.

The new status will also give the right for representatives to use mthe Scots Gaelic and Welsh languages at an EU level in some meetings and receive simultaneous interpretation. However, the development will fall short of granting Scots Gaelic and Welsh full mofficial status, which was granted to the Irish Gaelic language in 2005. The vote giving Scots Gaelic and Welsh semi official EU status is expected to be carried, because of support from London, on condition that the Scottish and Welsh parliaments pay the costs.

However, this will mean that the Breton and Cornish languages will mbe the last remaining Celtic tongues to be without any right at an EU political level. It is not expected that London will petition the European Council for the Cornish language to be given similar EU rights to Scots Gaelic and Welsh any time soon and hopes that Breton is officially heard in the European Parliament without backing from Paris – which barely recognises the existence of Breton - is far too optimistic.

The League hopes that the Scottish and Welsh public and political representatives make the most of the new European service and don't simply reply on English as the main means of communication to and in European political institutions, as has been the case of Irish language users in the past.

(Reported prepared for Celtic News by Rhisiart Tal-e-bot)

J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League

15/07/08