... as MEP coalition overturns multilingualism report
Voir l'article publié sur le site Eurolang le 24 mars 2009
Bruxelles - Brussel, Tuesday, 24 March 2009 by Davyth Hicks
In a surprise move an alternative multilingualism report was passed at
Plenary in the European Parliament today led by a coalition of MEPs,
Maria Badia (PES), Ignasi Guardans (ALDE) and Mikel Irujo (EFA-Greens),
and backed by the language NGO EBLUL. The alternative resolution
overturned the controversial report tabled by Vasco Graca Moura (EPP),
winning by 335 votes to 279 with 69 abstentions.
Sources in the European Parliament inform Eurolang that EPP
members were given a free vote on the Report, with Hungarian EPP
members backing the alternative report.
On 17th February, the Committee on Culture and Education adopted Vasco Graça Moura's draft report on "Multilingualism: an asset for Europe and a shared commitment" (20 votes in favour, 3 against and 8 abstentions) drafted in response to the Commission's Communication on Multilingualism.
EBLUL's original proposals and nearly all pro-lesser used language clauses tabled by many MEPs (such as Irujo, Lax, Tokes) were ignored by the conservative EPP dominated committee. Instead, several clauses, such as Luis Herrero-Tejedor's (PPE-DE, Spain) proposals, marked a retrograde step to return to the days of the exclusion of ‘regional' languages, attacked Catalan and Basque medium education, and ignored the Commission's progress in promoting linguistic diversity and multilingualism.
While the report has little effect considering that the EU Council had already approved the Commission Communication, it has caused some controversy and annoyance in Brussels because it illustrated how one party at member state level could use the report as a platform to promote its own views.
Many MEPs, including EPP members, complained over the behavior of Graca Moura in not trying to achieve any consensus on what should have been a report that looked forward, embracing the broader concept of Multilingualism in the EU, and the Commission's proposals.
In turn, this has led to a new alternative report being proposed by a coalition of parties led by MEPs Maria Badia i Cutchet and Mikel Irujo, working closely with EBLUL - the chief organization advocating for lesser used languages, the Catalan and Basque Governments, and the EFA-Greens, ALDE and PES groups.
The alternative report removes the Herrero-Tejedor clauses and seeks to be more inclusive. At the same time in seeking the support of a broad range of parties a consensus had to be reached, leaving the report relatively lukewarm in terms of pro lesser-used language clauses.
The success of the alternative resolution also gives reason for EBLUL to be quietly pleased and underlines its effectiveness in lobbying. (Eurolang 2009)
Alternative joint resolution http://www.eurolang.net/files/Multilingualism_AJMR%20final%20(2).doc
Your MEPs http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members.do?language=en
On 17th February, the Committee on Culture and Education adopted Vasco Graça Moura's draft report on "Multilingualism: an asset for Europe and a shared commitment" (20 votes in favour, 3 against and 8 abstentions) drafted in response to the Commission's Communication on Multilingualism.
EBLUL's original proposals and nearly all pro-lesser used language clauses tabled by many MEPs (such as Irujo, Lax, Tokes) were ignored by the conservative EPP dominated committee. Instead, several clauses, such as Luis Herrero-Tejedor's (PPE-DE, Spain) proposals, marked a retrograde step to return to the days of the exclusion of ‘regional' languages, attacked Catalan and Basque medium education, and ignored the Commission's progress in promoting linguistic diversity and multilingualism.
While the report has little effect considering that the EU Council had already approved the Commission Communication, it has caused some controversy and annoyance in Brussels because it illustrated how one party at member state level could use the report as a platform to promote its own views.
Many MEPs, including EPP members, complained over the behavior of Graca Moura in not trying to achieve any consensus on what should have been a report that looked forward, embracing the broader concept of Multilingualism in the EU, and the Commission's proposals.
In turn, this has led to a new alternative report being proposed by a coalition of parties led by MEPs Maria Badia i Cutchet and Mikel Irujo, working closely with EBLUL - the chief organization advocating for lesser used languages, the Catalan and Basque Governments, and the EFA-Greens, ALDE and PES groups.
The alternative report removes the Herrero-Tejedor clauses and seeks to be more inclusive. At the same time in seeking the support of a broad range of parties a consensus had to be reached, leaving the report relatively lukewarm in terms of pro lesser-used language clauses.
The success of the alternative resolution also gives reason for EBLUL to be quietly pleased and underlines its effectiveness in lobbying. (Eurolang 2009)
Alternative joint resolution http://www.eurolang.net/files/Multilingualism_AJMR%20final%20(2).doc
Your MEPs http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members.do?language=en