ROMANI/ROMANES IN

through the lenses of the

European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages

“the right to use a regional or minority language in private and public life is an inalienable right” Preamble of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages

Public Foundation for European Comparative Minority Research 2006-2007

© 2006-2007 Public Foundation for European Comparative Minority Research

The Project ‘Database for the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages’ has been made possible by the generous grant of the Council of Europe.

All Council of Europe documents are copyrighted by the Council of Europe. © Council of Europe

The sources used in compiling the present document are the following:

1st monitoring cycle: State Party Report: MIN-LANG/PR (99) 5 Evaluation report of the Committee of Experts: ECRML (2001) 6 Comments of the State Party: ECRML (2001) 6 Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers: Recommendation RecChL (2001) 5

2nd monitoring cycle: State Party Report: MIN-LANG/PR (2002) 3 Evaluation report of the Committee of Experts: ECRML (2003) 2 Comments of the State Party: ECRML (2003) 2 Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers: Recommendation RecChL (2003) 2

3rd monitoring cycle: State Party Report: MIN-LANG/PR (2005) 3 Evaluation report of the Committee of Experts: ECRML (2007) 3 Comments of the State Party: none Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers: Recommendation RecChL (2007) 3

2

CONTENTS

THE EUROPEAN CHARTER FOR REGIONAL OR MINORITY LANGUAGES AS APPLIED TO ROMANI/ROMANES IN NORWAY ...... 4

DOCUMENTS OF THE MONITORING PROCESS ...... 5 1st monitoring cycle 5 State Party Report [MIN-LANG/PR (99) 5]...... 5 Evaluation Report of the Committee of Experts [ECRML (2001) 6]...... 5 Comments by the State Party [ECRML (2001) 6]...... 8 Recommendations of the Committee of Ministers [RecChL (2001) 5] ...... 9 2nd monitoring cycle 10 State Party Report [MIN-LANG/PR (2002) 3] ...... 10 Evaluation Report of the Committee of Experts [ECRML (2003) 2] ...... 14 Comments by the State Party [ECRML (2003) 2]...... 19 Recommendations of the Committee of Ministers [RecChL (2003) 2]...... 19 3rd monitoring cycle 20 State Party Report [MIN-LANG/PR (2005) 3] ...... 20 Evaluation Report of the Committee of Experts [ECRML (2007) 3] ...... 25 Comments by the State Party [ECRML (2007) 3]...... 31 Recommendations of the Committee of Ministers [RecChL (2007) 3]...... 31

3 THE EUROPEAN CHARTER FOR REGIONAL OR MINORITY LANGUAGES1

As applied to Romani/Romanes in Norway

[…] PART II

OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLES PURSUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 2, PARAGRAPH 1

Article 7 – Objectives and principles

1 In respect of Romani/Romanes, within the territories in which Romani/Romanes is used and according to the situation of Romani/Romanes, Norway shall base its policies, legislation and practice on the following objectives and principles: a the recognition of Romani/Romanes as an expression of cultural wealth; b the respect of the geographical area of Romani/Romanes in order to ensure that existing or new administrative divisions do not constitute an obstacle to the promotion of Romani/Romanes; c the need for resolute action to promote Romani/Romanes in order to safeguard it; d the facilitation and/or encouragement of the use of Romani/Romanes, in speech and writing, in public and private life; e the maintenance and development of links, in the fields covered by this Charter, between groups using Romani/Romanes and other groups in the State employing a language used in identical or similar form, as well as the establishment of cultural relations with other groups in the State using different languages; f the provision of appropriate forms and means for the teaching and study of Romani/Romanes at all appropriate stages; g the provision of facilities enabling non-speakers of Romani/Romanes living in the area where it is used to learn it if they so desire; h the promotion of study and research on Romani/Romanes at universities or equivalent institutions; i the promotion of appropriate types of transnational exchanges, in the fields covered by this Charter, for Romani/Romanes used in identical or similar form in two or more States. 2 Norway undertakes to eliminate, if it has not yet done so, any unjustified distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference relating to the use of Romani/Romanes and intended to discourage or endanger the maintenance or development of it. The adoption of special measures in favour of Romani/Romanes aimed at promoting equality between the users of Romani/Romanes and the rest of the population or which take due account of their specific conditions is not considered to be an act of discrimination against the users of more widely-used languages. 3 Norway undertakes to promote, by appropriate measures, mutual understanding between all the linguistic groups of the country and in particular the inclusion of respect, understanding and tolerance in relation to Romani/Romanes among the objectives of education and training provided within the country and encouragement of the mass media to pursue the same objective. 4 In determining its policy with regard to Romani/Romanes, Norway shall take into consideration the needs and wishes expressed by the groups which use Romani/Romanes. It is encouraged to establish bodies, if necessary, for the purpose of advising the authorities on all matters pertaining to Romani/Romanes. 5 Norway undertakes to apply, mutatis mutandis, the principles listed in paragraphs 1 to 4 above to Romani and Romanes as a non-territorial language. However, as far as Romani and Romanes is concerned, the nature and scope of the measures to be taken to give effect to this Charter shall be determined in a flexible manner, bearing in mind the needs and wishes, and respecting the traditions and characteristics, of the groups which use Romani and Romanes. […]

1 CETS no. 148. The Charter was adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on 5 November 1992. Entry into force for Norway: 1 March 1998. The provisions of the Charter adopted by Norway for Romani and Romanes as non- territorial languages are applicable without territorial restrictions.

4 DOCUMENTS OF THE MONITORING PROCESS

1st monitoring cycle State Party Report [MIN-LANG/PR (99) 5]

2 Non-territorial languages - Romanes - Romani There is no statistical data on speakers of Romanes and Romani. The number of speakers is presumed to be low.

Evaluation Report of the Committee of Experts [ECRML (2001) 6]

Background information Chapter 1 Background information 1. Norway signed the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (hereafter referred to as the Charter) on 5 November 1992 and deposited its instrument of ratification on 10 November 1993. The Charter entered into force for Norway on 1 March 1998. The Norwegian authorities published the text of the Charter in a Royal Decree of 1 October 1993. 2. In accordance with Article 15.1 of the Charter, Norway presented its initial periodical report to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on 27 May 1999. The Norwegian authorities did not publish the initial periodical report in accordance with Article 15.2 of the Charter. They did however consult the Sami Parliament in the preparation of the report. Representatives of other languages were not made aware of the drafting or existence of the report until shortly before the visit of the delegation of the Committee of Experts to Norway in July 2000. 3. The present report was adopted by the Committee of Experts on 1 June 2001. 1.1. The work of the Committee of Experts 4. After the Committee of Experts had made its preliminary examination of the report, a questionnaire was drawn up and addressed to the Norwegian authorities. Shortly after the Committee had received the replies, a delegation of the Committee undertook an “on-the-spot visit” to Norway. The delegation travelled to and Kautokeino, where it met representatives of the Sami language; in Tromsø, it met the representatives of the Kven/. In , the delegation had meetings with representatives of the Romani, Romanes and Yiddish languages and representatives of Nynorsk. The delegation also met representatives of the central authorities, the magistrate of the Alta County Court and the Norwegian Ombudsman. The Committee also received written comments from the Norske Kveners Forbund on the situation of the , in accordance paragraph 2 of Article 16 of the Charter. On the basis of the information gathered from the initial periodical report, the questionnaire and the “on-the-spot visit”, the Committee of Experts was able to prepare its evaluation of the application of the Charter in Norway. 5. The Committee has established a list of proposals for the preparation of recommendations of the Committee of Ministers to Norway, as required by Article 16.4 of the Charter (see Chapter 3.2 of this report). Furthermore, where necessary, the Committee has made, in the body of the report, more detailed observations which it encourages the authorities of Norway to take into consideration when developing their policy with regard to regional or minority languages. 6. This report is based on the political and legal situation at the time when the Charter entered into force in Norway (March 1998) and at the time when the latter presented its initial periodical report to the Council of Europe (May 1999). It is based on the information that the Committee was able to obtain through the sources mentioned above.

5 1.2 Presentation of the regional or minority language situation in Norway 7. According to the information gathered by the Committee, the languages covered by the Charter on the territory of Norway are the Sami language(s), Kven/Finnish and the two non-territorial languages: Romani and Romanes. 8. All these languages are covered under Part II of the Charter. The Sami language(s) has/have been granted protection under Part III, with paragraphs and sub-paragraphs chosen separately, as indicated in the instrument of ratification (Appendix I). In the territory where Part III is applied only North Sami is traditionally used. Lule and South Sami will consequently be dealt with as Part II languages. 12. The Romanes language is the language of the Gypsy/Roma population of Norway. The authorities estimate that the total number of people able to speak Romanes is around 400. They are mainly situated in the Oslo area. 13. The Romani language is the language of the Travellers. The Norwegian authorities estimate the number of speakers to be between 100 and a few thousand. The Travellers themselves presented the Committee with the figure of around 700 people able to speak the language. The speakers mostly live in Western, Southern and , as well as in the area around the capital. 16. The general legal framework governing the use of regional or minority languages in Norway is the following: a) Article 110 of the Constitution of Norway b) Section 11 of the Act of 18 May 1990, No. 11, relating to Place Names, Regulations of 5 July 1991, No. 456 laid down pursuant to section 12 of the Act c) Act of 12 June 1987, No. 56 relating to the Sameting and other Sami legal matters (the Sami Act), Chapter 3 concerning the Sami language, No. 79 regarding the language provisions of the Sami Act, adopted pursuant to sections 3-2, 3-3, 3-7, 3-10 and 3-12 of the Sami Act, Regulations of 31 March 1992, No. 204 laid down pursuant to section 3-8 of the Sami Act d) Act of 17 July 1998, No. 61 relating to education, which came into force on 27 November 1998 and 1 August 1999. 17. The Charter was introduced into the Norwegian legal system by a Royal Decree of 1 October 1993. The obligations Norway undertook through its ratification were regarded by the authorities as already covered by existing regulations.

Evaluation Chapter 2 The Committee’s evaluation in respect of Part II and Part III of the Charter 22. The text of the Charter, when read in conjunction with the instrument of ratification, indicates in some detail the exact undertakings that apply in respect of the different languages in the areas covered by the Charter. The Committee has therefore evaluated how the State has fulfilled each undertaking in Article 7 for Part II and in Articles 8-14 in Part III, using the paragraphs and sub- paragraphs specified in the instrument of ratification. Article 7 – Objectives and principles 2.1. The evaluation in respect of Part II of the Charter 23. Part II of the Charter (Article 7) sets out a number of general objectives and principles that a Party is obliged to apply to all the regional or minority languages on its territory. In its initial periodical report, Norway declares that the non-territorial languages used on its territory are the Romanes and Romani languages. The provision applicable to these two languages is therefore Article 7 paragraph 5, whereby Norway must apply, mutatis mutandis, the principles listed in paragraphs 1 to 4 of the said Article to these two languages. The initial periodical report of Norway furthermore identifies the Kven/Finnish language as a regional or minority language in Norway. 26. In the paragraphs that follow, the Committee presents its evaluation of the application of Article 7 to Sami, Kven/Finnish, Romanes and Romani. As the Sami languages are covered by both Part II and Part III of the Charter, some of the observations concerning these languages are further developed under Chapter 2.2 of this report.

6 Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph a 29. The Romanes and Romani languages have been identified in the initial periodical report of Norway as non-territorial languages used on the territory of Norway. This is in itself a certain recognition of these languages by the authorities. There are, however, no provisions in Norwegian law which grant these two languages any kind of recognition in a formal sense. The users of these languages have confirmed that they have not had any difficulty in receiving funding for cultural activities. The Committee has however not identified any policy adopted by the authorities for the furthering of these languages. It should be noted that according to the representatives of the Romanes language there is no wish on their part to have their language protected through official policy.

The Committee encourages the Norwegian authorities to consult with the representatives of the users of the Romani and Romanes, in order to establish whether the users of these languages want special protection and/or promotion.

Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph b This provision is not applicable to non-territorial languages. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph c 33. At present the representatives of the Romanes and Romani languages have only requested funding for cultural activities. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph d 36. The Committee has not been informed of any structured policy for the Romani and Romanes languages with the aim of facilitating the use of these languages in speech and writing, in public and private life. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph e 39. There are national organisations for the Romani and Romanes language users. 40. No structured links have been developed between the users of all the various regional or minority languages in Norway, and there seems to be no general policy towards all the regional or minority languages.

The Committee encourages the Norwegian authorities to contribute to the development of links between the users of the different regional or minority languages.

Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph f 43. No general support scheme exists for the teaching and study of the Romanes and Romani languages. It has been pointed out by the representatives of the Romani language that they would welcome the encouragement of initiatives such as the establishment of a formal method for teaching the language, the organisation of teacher training, the production of teaching materials and the attempt to standardise the language. According to information received by the Committee, the Romanes are not open to public support for their language and do not wish the language to be taught in a structured way. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph g Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph h 47. It is possible to study and research the Kven language at the University of Tromsø. No facilities exist for the study of and research in the Romani and Romanes languages. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph i 50. The users of the Romani language have received support from the Norwegian authorities to attend international conferences. Romanes speakers have received support to organise international music festivals in Oslo. Article 7, paragraph 2 51. Article 110 c of the Norwegian Constitution states that the authorities are obliged to respect and secure human rights. The Act on the strengthening of the position of human rights in Norwegian legislation of 21 May 1999 makes in Article 2 among others the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as the UN Covenant of Social, Economic and Cultural Rights an integral part of

7 Norwegian law. Article 3 of the above-mentioned act states that in case of contradictions with other legislation, the conventions mentioned in Article 2 shall have precedence. The Act entered into force immediately. Article 7, paragraph 3 52. The Committee is aware of initiatives that have been taken to promote mutual understanding between all linguistic groups of the minority languages, especially in the field of education. Article 7, paragraph 4 54. The Committee was informed that the various minority languages have their own representative bodies. During the “on-the-spot visit” the Committee was informed that the Ministry of the Interior consulted representatives of the minorities in the preparation of the White Paper on policy regarding national minorities. Article 7, paragraph 5 55. In the case of Norway, the Romanes and Romani languages are considered non-territorial languages. In its appreciation of their situation vis-à-vis paragraphs 1 to 4 of article 7, the Committee kept in mind that those principles should be applied mutatis mutandis.

Conslusions/Findings The Committee hereby presents its general findings on the application of the Charter in Norway. A. The protection of regional or minority languages in Norway has a long tradition and is a long- term policy of the Norwegian State. The safeguarding and promotion of the Sami languages, in particular North Sami, is significant. The Committee expresses its appreciation of the language policy towards the Sami. In the past years Norway has also developed measures to protect other regional or minority languages. The Committee is aware that since these measures are fairly new, they will have to be further developed. E. The other languages covered by Part II are Romani and Romanes. The speakers of these two languages have different approaches as to the protection and promotion of their languages by the authorities. The speakers of the Romanes language are not open to public support for their language. On the other hand it seems that Romani speakers would welcome the encouragement of various measures that could be supported by the authorities. In the Committee’s opinion, the authorities should continue the dialogue with a view to improving cooperation and developing a policy in relation to these languages. G. The Committee has also noted that there seems to be very little contact between representatives of the various regional or minority languages. The Committee believes that closer cooperation would improve overall understanding, tolerance and respect vis-à-vis all the regional or minority languages. The authorities will have to play an important role in initiating and supporting such a dialogue. The Committee is aware that the Norwegian authorities have started this work and it will welcome further information in Norway’s next periodical report.

Comments by the State Party [ECRML (2001) 6]

In the following, we will comment on the Committee of Experts’ four proposals for recommendations in accordance with article 16, paragraph 3 of the Charter. We have carefully noted the Committee’s more detailed observations, and will take these into consideration in the future work in this field. Moreover, these observations will be commented on in Norway’s next periodical report that is due in 2002. This report will also provide more information about the various topics underlined by the Committee of Experts. Proposal for recommendation No. 3: In paragraph 40 the Committee maintains that no structured links have been developed between the users of all the various regional or minority languages in Norway, and that there seems to be no general policy towards all the regional or minority languages. The government is aware of this, and agrees with the Committee that closer co-operation would help improve tolerance and respect vis-a-vis all the regional or minority languages.

8 The government initiated a conference held at the Glomdal museum in 1999 titled “The national minorities and the authorities, a conference for contact and dialogue.” We will also draw attention to the governments support scheme for organisations representing national minorities. One of the purposes of this scheme is to encourage dialogue and co-operation between the national minorities. The Committee states that there seems to be no general policy towards all the regional or minority languages. As far as the users of Romani and Romanes languages are concerned, the Norwegian authorities consulted with representatives of these groups as a part of the preparations for the Report to the no. 15 (2000-2001) on national minorities, in order to find out whether the users of these languages wanted special protection and/or promotion. The users of Romanes did not want an official policy for their language. The users of Romani pointed out that their language is threatened and expressed concern over its future. However, they also underscored that the Romani language must be kept within their group, and not be exposed to linguistic researchers or teachers from the majority population. One Romani NGO has received some initial funding from the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development to develop teaching materials for Romani. Proposal for recommendation No. 4: When Norway presented its initial report to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in 1999, the Sami Parliament and representatives of the national minorities were not informed. We would, however, like to point out that as a main rule all documents treated by governmental bodies at all levels in Norway are public, cf. The Freedom of Information Act § 2. As a result, anyone can contact the relevant authorities and get a copy of the documents of a file unless specific regulations justify an exception. Norway’s initial report was distributed to the different ministries, the Sami Parliament and representatives of the national minorities in August 2001 for use in the preparation of Norway’s second periodical report, which will be presented to the Secretary General in 2002. As soon as this report is available, the Norwegian authorities will make it public in accordance with article 15, paragraph 2 of the Charter.

Recommendations of the Committee of Ministers [RecChL (2001) 5]

The Committee of Ministers, Recommends that the Norwegian authorities take account of all the observations of the Committee of Experts and, as a matter of priority: 3. take action to improve the dialogue and cooperation between representatives of the various regional or minority languages; 4. make its periodical reports on the application of the Charter public, thus ensuring that all organisations and persons concerned are informed of the rights and duties established through the Charter and its implementation.

9 2nd monitoring cycle State Party Report [MIN-LANG/PR (2002) 3]

Background information 1. Introductory remarks This second periodical report describes the implementation of the provisions of the European Charter for regional or minority languages in Norway. The languages considered as regional or minority languages in Norway covered by the Charter are the Sami language, the Kven/Finnish language, Romanes and Romani. 4. Demography Norway covers an area of 385 155 sq. km, including and Jan Mayen territories, and as of 1 January 2001 the population figure was 4 504 000. No reliable population census of the Sami people has been taken in either of the . Based on the definitions set out in the Norwegian Sami Act, it is estimated that the total Sami population numbers somewhere between 50 000 and 100 000. The majority, at least 70%, lives in Norway. There are no accurate estimates of the number of inhabitants belonging to national minorities in Norway, since no statistics of ethnic origin are kept. A possible estimate is that there are currently around 10 000-15 000 Kven, 1 500-2 000 Jews, a few hundred Skogfinn, 2 000-3 000 Romani people/Travellers and 300-400 Roma/Gypsies. It must be emphasized that the figures are imprecise and reflect the number of people who might conceivably regard themselves as belonging to the minority group, not the number of those who speak the language fluently. 7. Romanes Romanes is considered a non-territorial minority language in Norway, and has been granted protection under Part II of the Charter. Romanes is the language of the Roma (“Gypsy”) minority in Norway. Approximately 400 people have lived in Norway during the last decades, mainly in the Oslo area. All of these are assumed to have Romanes as their mother tongue. During the last ten years some Roma have come to Norway as refugees from Bosnia and Kosovo. The numbers of these are not known, since there is no registration of language affiliation or ethnic origin in Norway (except for the register of Sami electors). 8. Romani Romani is considered a non-territorial minority language in Norway, and has been granted protection under Part II of the Charter. Romani is the language of the Romani people (the so-called “taters” / “travellers”). This group has lived in Norway for several centuries. The number of speakers of Romani has been estimated to some hundreds to some thousands. 9. Recent statements by the Government regarding its policy concerning the protection of regional or minority languages On 8 December 2000 the Government presented a report to the Storting (the Norwegian parliament) on its policy in respect of national minorities (Report No. 15 (2000-2001) to the Storting on National Minorities in Norway). The report deals with policy in respect of Jews, Kven, Roma/Gypsies, the Romani people/Travellers and Skogfinn. The report discusses ways of ensuring equal conditions for participation in society and the preservation of language, culture and cultural identity, and describes official plans for further work in this field.

1. Implementation provisions - Article 110 a of the Constitution of Norway - Act of 18 May 1990 No. 11 relating to Place Names, Regulations of 5 July 1991 No. 456 laid down pursuant to section 12 of the Act - Act of 12 June 1987 No. 56 relating to the Samediggi (the Sami parliament) and other Sami legal matters (the Sami Act), Chapter 3 concerning the Sami language, Regulations of 30 January 1992 No. 79 regarding the language provisions of the Sami Act, laid down pursuant to sections 3-2, 3-3, 3-7, 3- 10 and 3-12 of the Sami Act, Regulations of 31 March 1992 No. 204 laid down pursuant to section 3-8 of the Sami Act

10 - Act of 17 July 1998 No. 61 relating to education, Regulations of 28 June 1999 No. 722 laid down pursuant to section 2-7, 6-2 and 6-3 of the Act Copies of these acts and regulations are annexed to the report, cf. enclosure no. 3-11. The regulations and the Act of 18 May 1990 No. 11 relating to Place Names are not available in English. The Act of 18 May 1990 No. 11 relating to Place Names has not yet been translated into English due to coming amendments to the act and its appurtenant regulations. 2. Bodies or organisations which further the protection and development of regional or minority languages Romanes The Roma in Oslo: Jan Jansen Ryenstubben 4 0679 Oslo International Romani Unions representative in Norway: Raya Bielenberg Kjelsåsveien 28 F 0488 Oslo Romani Romanifolkets Landsforening Postboks 80 2436 Våler Landsorganisasjonen for Romanifolket v/ Egil Kanestrøm Askeveien 27 4515 Mandal Stiftelsen Roma v/ Anne-Jorunn Merkesvik Nettaveien 22 4275 Sævelandsvik Romani Interesse Organisasjon v/ Roger Rydberg Lachmanns v. 24 0495 Oslo Stiftelsen romanifolket/taterne Skarpsnogt. 2 0271 Oslo 4. Measures to promote a broader knowledge of the rights and duties deriving from the implementation of the Charter’s provisions in Norwegian law Norway’s initial report was distributed to the different ministries, the Samediggi and representatives of the national minorities in August 2001 for use in the preparation of Norway’s second periodical report. The Norwegian authorities will make this report public in accordance with article 15, paragraph 2 of the Charter. 5. Measures taken to implement the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers and comments on the observations made by the Committee of Experts in their report The Committee of Ministers adopted its recommendations based on the report by the Committee of Experts with respect to the application of the Charter by Norway at their meeting 21 November 2001. Given the short period of time between the adoption of the recommendations and the time for the submission of Norway’s second periodical report, the Norwegian authorities are not at this time in a position to report on measures taken to implement the recommendations.

11 Some of the recommendations are identical with the observations made by the Committee of Experts in their report. In the following, we will comment on the Committee of Experts’ observations. a.) The Committee encourages the Norwegian authorities to consult with the representatives of the users of the Romani and Romanes languages, in order to establish whether the users of these languages are interested in special protection and/or promotion. As part of the preparations for the Report to the Storting no. 15 (2000-2001) on national minorities, the Norwegian authorities consulted representatives of the users of the Romani and Romanes languages in order to establish whether the users of these languages wanted special protection and/or promotion. The users of Romanes did not want an official policy for their language. The users of Romani pointed out that their language is endangered and expressed concern over its future. However, they also emphasized their wish to keep study of the Romani language within their group, without exposing it to the scrutiny of linguistic researchers or teachers from the majority population. One Romani NGO has received some initial funding from the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development to develop teaching materials for Romani. b.) The Committee encourages the Norwegian authorities to contribute to the development of links between the users of the different regional or minority languages. We refer to our comments on the report adopted by the Committee of Experts on 1 June 2001. We would like to add that the Government has discussed this issue on a informal basis with representatives of the various NGOs. Meetings were held in 1999 and 2001 which were attended by representatives of the various national minorities, and there are plans to hold similar meetings either annually or every other year. Part II Article 7 – Objectives and principles Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph a Each Ministry is responsible for measures concerning national minorities within its respective sphere. Below follows a survey of the different measures taken by the Government to support minority languages and ensure official recognition of these languages pursuant to Article 7. In 2001, the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development granted financial support to the following language measures: - NOK 50 000 to Stiftelsen Roma (Romani NGO) for compilation of a book for children in Romani/Norwegian; - NOK 60 000 to Stiftelsen Roma for compilation of education materials in Romani; The Ministry of Cultural Affairs has implemented a number of measures to support the Kven/Finnish, Romanes, and Romani languages as part of an overall effort to acknowledge these languages as an expression of cultural wealth. Measures taken with regard to cultural activities and facilities for the Sami people, will be presented later in this report, cf. Article 12. Museums The Norwegian Council for Cultural Affairs provides support to projects involving the conservation of Norwegian cultural heritage or efforts to make this heritage accessible to as many people as possible. Both intramuseal projects and independent initiatives are eligible to apply for such funding. The cultural heritage of the national minorities is afforded the same status as the ethnic Norwegian cultural heritage. Several projects relating to national minorities have been allocated support or are currently under consideration. A project to collect traditional Kven cultural material initiated by the Norwegian Association of Kvens has received such funding. The Association has presented its views on this matter in a letter submitted to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs in connection with the preparation of this report, cf. enclosure no. 2. The Glomdal Museum in Elverum is working on a documentation and information project regarding Traveller culture in Norway (Romani). Both the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and the Norwegian Council of Cultural Affairs have allocated funding for this project. The main purpose of the foundation in memory of Maria and V. Børresen /The Levanger Museums is to pass on the Traveller’s culture. The Norwegian Council of Cultural Affairs made a financial contribution in connection with the purchase of an old Traveller estate, “Solheim”.

12 The Association of Norwegian Museums has conducted a major project, “Document 2000”, which is partly focused on the childhood, adolescence and sex roles patterns among the Travellers. Language/Literature/Library: The Travellers have received state support to compile and publish a Norwegian-Romani dictionary. These efforts have been carried out by the Travellers themselves, because many members of the Romani-speaking population are unwilling to subject their language to linguistic scrutiny by scholars from the majority population. The dictionary will therefore only be available to members of the Traveller population. The Norwegian Council for Cultural Affairs has given financial support to author Thor Gotaas, enabling him to publish two books about the Travellers. Music Since 1999 a Rom music festival has been held each year in Oslo. This is primarily a music festival aimed at promoting the Rom culture. The festival receives funding from the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and the Norwegian Council for Cultural Affairs. In 1999 the Norwegian Council for Cultural Affairs provided funding for a conference called “The Travellers and their Music” held in Gol on 13-14 February. In 2001 the Council supported the Ethnic Music Club’s production of a documentary phonogram about the Romani culture in Norway. Art In the period from 1998 to 2000 the Norwegian Council of Cultural Affairs implemented a programme called “Art and the Multicultural Society.” This programme was designed to promote multicultural initiatives within national cultural institutions and institutions at the local and regional level, as well as to encourage actions to strengthen the position of artists with minority backgrounds in cultural circles and support artistic exchange. The Ministry of Cultural Affairs has established a support scheme for artists. Artists working in the various genres can apply for grants (and scholarships) pursuant to regulations issued by the Ministry. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph b Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph c Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph d Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph e Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph f, g, h Statutory right to tuition in the pupils' mother tongue: Pursuant to Chapter 2 section 8 of the Education Act, the Ministry may adopt regulations concerning the provision of special tuition to pupils belonging to language minorities. According to Section 24 first paragraph of the regulation pursuant to the Education Act, the municipalities shall provide necessary mother tongue instruction, bilingual teaching and specially adapted instruction in Norwegian to pupils in primary and lower secondary education with another mother tongue than Norwegian and Sami, until they have acquired sufficient knowledge of Norwegian to follow the ordinary teaching programmes at the school. Educational provisions to pupils belonging to the Romani and Romanes language groups: One of the primary and lower secondary schools in Oslo has participated in a Comenius project aimed at improving the school's relations with parents of children with a Rom background and developing teaching programmes likely to make school more attractive for such children. The project has been financed over the European Union's Socrates Programme, the Ministry of Education and Research and the City of Oslo. The Ministry is investigating to which extent ICT technologies combined with improved relations between the school and the parents may be used to meet the educational needs of children with a Rom or Romani background, whose families spend parts of the year travelling. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph i According to the circular regarding the government grant scheme for national minorities, applications may be submitted for support to projects designed to create contacts and cooperation between national minorities across national frontiers. In 2000, the authorities provided funding for the following projects for this purpose: The International Romani Union’s meeting on Roma and Migration in Oslo in

13 May 2000, the Norwegian Kven Foundation’s project “Cooperation between National Minorities in the Barents Region”, and the participation of representatives of Norwegian Rom in the Czech Republic’s annual Roma conference, in International Roma Day in Kosovo in April 2000, in the OSCE’s Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues (CPRSI) and in a Roma festival in Scotland in autumn 2000. In 2001, the authorities provided funding for the Norwegian Kven Foundation’s pilot project “Nordic Cooperation on Kven newspapers and publications”. Article 7, paragraph 2 Article 7, paragraph 3 The Ministry of Children’s and Family Affairs provides funding for bilingual measures for child-care facilities with children from linguistic and cultural minorities. This funding is intended to enable municipal and private child-care facilities to provide a satisfactory and developmentally beneficial programme for these children. Such activities include helping children to understand and make themselves understood to the adults and other children at the facility, as well as bridging the differences between the cultures of children with minority language backgrounds and children with an ethnic Norwegian background. Children belonging to national minorities are also encompassed by this scheme. Article 7, paragraph 4 Article 7, paragraph 5

Evaluation Report of the Committee of Experts [ECRML (2003) 2]

Chapter 1 - Background information 1. Norway signed the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (hereafter referred to as the Charter) on 5 November 1992 and deposited its instrument of ratification on 10 November 1993. The Norwegian authorities published the text of the Charter in a Royal Decree of 1 October 1993. The Charter entered into force in Norway on 1 March 1998. 2. Article 15, paragraph 1 of the Charter requires States Parties to submit three-yearly reports in a form prescribed by the Committee of Ministers2. The Norwegian authorities presented their second periodical report to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in March 2002. The work on the second Norwegian report began in August 2001, when the Sami parliament and national minority representatives were invited to present their view on the situation of their languages. 3. In its previous evaluation report on Norway (ECRML (2001) 6), the Committee of Experts outlined particular areas where policy and practice could be further improved. The Committee of Ministers took note of the report submitted by the Committee of Experts and adopted Recommendation RecChl (2001) 5, which was addressed to the Norwegian authorities. This second evaluation report contains information on how the authorities have taken into consideration the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers, as well as the observations made by the Committee of Experts, contained in its previous evaluation report. 4. This report has been drafted in a manner which allows the reader to have a complete overview of the situation of regional or minority languages in Norway, as well as to comment on the extent to which Norway fulfils its undertakings. The Committee has nevertheless focused especially on the recommendations made by the Committee of Ministers, and on the particular observations made by the Committee of Experts. 5. The Committee recognises the short time the Norwegian authorities had to implement the Recommendations as they were adopted only in November 2001 by the Committee of Ministers and the authorities were due to present their second report only a year later. Furthermore, the new outline for three-yearly periodical reports was adopted by the Committee of Ministers in February 2002. The delay in adopting the outline did not, however, prevent the authorities from submitting their periodical report to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on time in June 2002. 1.1. The work of the Committee of Experts 6. In its evaluation, the Committee of Experts tried, in particular, to assess the measures taken by the authorities to improve the situation of regional or minority languages.

2 MIN-LANG (2002) 1 Outline for 3-yearly periodical reports as adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

14 7. The Committee of Experts then organised an “on-the-spot” visit to Oslo, Norway on 6-7 November 2002, with representatives of the Romani and Romanes languages, and Kven and Sami, taking part. On the second day of its visit the Committee met the authorities responsible for implementing the Charter. 8. This evaluation report is based on the information the Committee obtained from Norway’s second periodical report , interviews held with representatives of the regional or minority languages in Norway and the Norwegian authorities and from other independent sources, in accordance with Article 16.2 of the Charter. The Committee adopted the report on 26 March 2003. 1.2. Presentation of the regional or minority language situation in Norway 10. The languages on the territory of Norway afforded protection under the Charter are Sami, Kven/Finnish and the two non-territorial languages: Romani and Romanes. All these languages are covered by Part II of the Charter. 15. The Romanes language is the language of Norway’s Gypsy/Roma population . The authorities estimate that the total number of Romanes speakers is around 400. They are mainly situated in the Oslo area. 16. The Romani language is the language of the Travellers. The Norwegian authorities estimate the number of speakers to be between 100 and a few thousand. The Travellers themselves informed the Committee that approximately 700 people are able to speak the language. The speakers live mostly in western, southern and eastern Norway, as well as in the area around Oslo. 18. The general legal framework governing the use of regional or minority languages has not changed since the Committee's last evaluation and is composed of the following legal acts: a. Article 110 of the Constitution of Norway b. Section 11 of the Act of 18 May 1990, No. 11, relating to Place Names, Regulations of 5 July 1991, No. 456 laid down pursuant to section 12 of the Act c. Act of 12 June 1987, No. 56 relating to the Sameting and other Sami legal matters (the Sami Act), Chapter 3 concerning the Sami language, No. 79 regarding the language provisions of the Sami Act, adopted pursuant to sections 3-2, 3-3, 3-7, 3-10 and 3-12 of the Sami Act, Regulations of 31 March 1992, No. 204 laid down pursuant to section 3-8 of the Sami Act d. Act of 17 July 1998, No. 61 relating to education, which came into force on 27 November 1998 and 1 August 1999. 19. The Charter was incorporated into Norwegian domestic law by Royal Decree of 1 October 1993. The obligations Norway undertook through its ratification were regarded by the authorities as already covered by existing regulations.

Chapter 2 - Measures taken to implement the Committee of Ministers’ recommendations 24. In November 2001, the Committee of Ministers adopted four recommendations for the attention of the Norwegian authorities (the recommendations are set out in Appendix II). In the report the authorities state that, given the short time between the adoption of the recommendations and the submission of Norway’s second periodical report, the Norwegian authorities were not in a position to report on measures taken to implement the recommendations. 25. The Committee of Experts is aware of the time problem mentioned in the report (see Chapter 1 of the present report). Nevertheless, some progress has been made in Norway to implement some of the recommendations and this should be noted. The Committee will, as a matter of principle, report to the Committee of Ministers on the status of the adopted recommendations. Recommendation 3: Take action to improve the dialogue and co-operation between representatives of the various regional or minority languages 32. The Norwegian authorities have discussed the issue informally with representatives from the various NGOs. They report that meetings attended by representatives of the various national minorities were held in 1999 and 2001, and that there are plans to hold similar meetings annually or every other year. 33. The Committee regards these measures as important, since this type of continuous dialogue may contribute constructively to the protection and promotion of the minority languages. The meetings are held between the authorities and national minority representatives . The Committee was informed that the Sami do not wish to be considered as a national minority, but as indigenous people, and that

15 the Sami have received such status through Norway's ratification of the ILO Convention on Indigenous Peoples. The type of dialogue mentioned in the report therefore does not seem to include the Sami, who have established a system of consultations and co-operation with the authorities through the Sami Parliament. 34. The Committee has not been informed of any forum where representatives of the various minority languages may develop dialogue and co-operation amongst themselves on a continuous basis, either through public or private initiatives. The European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages (EBLUL ) has, for instance, no national committee in Norway even though EBLUL has made attempts to create such a national committee. The Committee is of the opinion that minority languages in Norway would benefit from improved dialogue and co-operation between all national minority representatives . The Committee therefore looks forward to this issue being addressed in the forthcoming Norwegian periodical report. Recommendation 4: Make its periodical reports on the application of the Charter public, thus ensuring that all organisations and persons concerned are informed of the rights and duties established through the Charter and its implementation 35. The Norwegian authorities have reported that the work on the second periodical report has included contributions from representatives of the various minority languages, and that the Committee of Experts' report with the comments from the authorities attached to it has been distributed to the same organisations. The initial Norwegian report was also distributed to the different ministries and to representatives of the minority languages in August 2001 for use in preparing contributions for the second periodical report. 36. In accordance with Article 15, paragraph 2 of the Charter the government has made the periodical report public on its internet website in English. The Committee is not aware of other steps that have been taken to make the report public.

Evaluation Chapter 3 - The Committee’s evaluation in respect of Parts II and III of the Charter 37. The text of the Charter, when read in conjunction with the instrument of ratification, indicates in some detail the exact undertakings that apply in respect of the different languages in the areas covered by the Charter. The Committee has therefore evaluated to what extent the State has fulfilled each undertaking in Article 7, Part II and in Articles 8-14, Part III, using the paragraphs and sub- paragraphs specified in the instrument of ratification. 3.1. The evaluation in respect of Part II of the Charter 38. Part II of the Charter (Article 7) sets out a number of general objectives and principles that a Party is obliged to apply to all the regional or minority languages on its territory. For Norway, this evaluation will include the North, South, Lule and Eastern Sami languages, Kven/Finnish and the Romani and Romanes languages. As the North Sami language is covered by both Part II and Part III of the Charter, some of the observations concerning North Sami will be further developed under Chapter 3.2 of the report. Part II Article 7 – Objectives and principles Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph a 39. In the report the Norwegian authorities mention different measures aimed at promoting the minority languages and the cultures they represent. The Committee acknowledges the effort made. 41. The Norwegian authorities have stated in their second periodical report that the users of the Romanes language do not wish their language to be protected or promoted. The authorities invited the representatives of the Romanes to take part in a consultation for drafting a report to the Storting (No. 15(2000-2001). At that time the Romanes neither wanted to take part in any consultation nor did they want their language to be protected. During the Committee of Experts' second on-the-spot visit to Norway, representatives of both Romani and Romanes languages maintained that they would like their languages to be protected and promoted. The Romanes speakers would like to maintain a certain level of discretion in respect of their language and expressed the wish that the Romanes languages should be studied and taught primarily by the Romanes experts. Representatives of the Romani language were less sensitive to the language being exposed to non-Roma, exhibiting the same tendency towards openness observed among users of Romani in and .

16 42. No legislative measures for ensuring the promotion and protection of the Romani and Romanes languages have been adopted to date. This does not mean that the authorities are hostile to supporting activities organised by the representatives of these languages. On the contrary, the authorities are in contact with the different organisations. However, it seems that the information flow between them is not efficient enough. Setting up a more permanent consultation body could be a positive step towards ensuring that the authorities are able to disseminate necessary information to the language groups, as well as towards enabling language groups to draw the authorities’ attention to specific areas of concern. 43. The Committee can confirm, however, that the Norwegian authorities do recognise the existence of the two languages as an expression of cultural wealth. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph b Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph c 60. At present the representatives of the Romanes and Romani languages have only requested funding for cultural activities. In the past, Romani and Romanes language representatives were not sufficiently involved in the various forms of co-operation with the authorities, but this appears to be changing, which the Committee considers commendable. This would therefore be an opportunity for the authorities to assist representatives of these languages in creating a forum where concrete action could be defined. A specific action plan for the Romanes and Romani languages could be discussed by the language users and the central authorities. The Committee encourages the Norwegian authorities to consult with the representatives of the users of the Romani and Romanes languages, in order to establish whether the users of these languages want special protection and/or promotion.

Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph d 64. The Committee observes that representatives of the Romanes and Romani languages in contact with the authorities have so far not wanted their languages to be used in public life. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph e 65. National organisations exist for all regional or minority languages in Norway, but there are no structured links between the different organisations. All associations are supported by the Norwegian authorities in different ways. 66. The Norwegian authorities have replied to Committee of Ministers’ Recommendation of 21 November 2001 by pointing out a conference organised by the government in 1999 on “national minorities and the authorities: a conference for contact and dialogue”. The Committee regards this as a positive initiative that should be followed up with concrete action. It should be noted, however, that the recommendation concerns not only national minorities, but also representatives of regional or minority languages. It is also worth mentioning that speakers of the Sami languages do not participate in this co-operation since they prefer to be defined as an indigenous people rather than a national minority. 67. It is the view of the Committee that a more comprehensive and positive dialogue and cooperation could be enhanced between users of the Romanes, Romani, Kven/Finnish and Sami languages. 68. The Norwegian authorities informed the Committee of Experts during its visit that they do in fact organise regular meetings with representatives of the different languages, but always separately. The main reason for this is that they consider the languages to have no natural links. The Committee, however, has observed that in other countries speakers representing regional or minority languages seem to have benefited from established fora for dialogue and co-operation, and that via such common fora constructive links between the various languages have been created. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph f 72. No general support scheme exists for the teaching and study of the Romanes and Romani languages. Representatives of both languages told the Committee that they would welcome the encouragement of initiatives such as formal methods for language teaching, teacher training, teaching materials and attempts to standardise the language. The authorities have informed the Committee that there are plans to create special contact schools for the Romani and Romanes population. In order to achieve this there is a real need for the Romani and Romanes to co-operate openly and actively with the national education authorities.

17 Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph g 75. In view of the non-territorial character of the Romani and Romanes languages and, in particular, that the languages are traditionally used in closed circles, the Committee recognises that this paragraph would be difficult to apply to these two languages. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph h 78. No facilities exist for the study of and research in the Romani and Romanes languages. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph i 80. The authorities support contacts with speakers of Romani languages in Sweden, other Nordic countries and other parts of Europe. Romani language users have received support from the Norwegian authorities to attend international conferences. Romanes speakers have received support for organising international music festivals in Oslo. Article 7, paragraph 2 81. Article 110 c of the Norwegian Constitution states that the authorities are obliged to respect and secure human rights. Under Article 2 of the Act on the Strengthening of the Position of Human Rights in Norwegian legislation of 21 May 1999, the following acts form an integral part of Norwegian law: the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Covenant of Social, Economic and Cultural Rights. Article 3 of the above-mentioned Act states that in the case of conflict with other legislation, the conventions mentioned in Article 2 shall have precedence. The Act came into force with immediate effect. Article 7, paragraph 3 82. The Norwegian curriculum includes respect, understanding and tolerance in relation to minority languages among its educational objectives, as was mentioned in the first report on Norway. The National Education Curriculum also includes references to Romani, Romanes, Skogfinns, and Kven/Finnish. Article 7, paragraph 4 85. However, there is no special body for co-ordinating permanent constructive dialogue between the authorities and the representatives of the regional or minority languages. Article 7, paragraph 5 86. In the case of Norway, Romanes and Romani are considered non-territorial languages. In evaluating their situation under paragraphs 1 to 4 of Article 7, the Committee kept in mind that those principles should be applied mutatis mutandis.

Chapter 4 - Findings of the Committee The Committee hereby presents its general findings on the application of the Charter in Norway. A. The Committee acknowledges the efforts made by the Norwegian authorities to further improve the implementation of the Charter in Norway in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers. The Committee of Experts is aware of the short period of time which was available to the Norwegian authorities to respond to the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers in their second report. Nevertheless, the Committee has found that the Norwegian authorities seriously took into consideration the first observations of the Committee and in particular the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers. Some progress has already been made in this respect as reflected in the report. D. The authorities do not seem to have sufficiently developed measures in favour of Kven/Finnish, Romani and Romanes. The situation of Kven is especially difficult because of the lack of clarity concerning the status of the language. Regarding Romanes and Romani a major problem seems to be the lack of a forum for regular contacts with the authorities. The dialogue between the authorities and representatives of the Romani and Romanes languages appears to have improved lately, and it is to be hoped that this will bear fruit with new concrete action. The Committee wishes to make the following observations regarding the recommendations made by the Committee of Ministers on 21 November 2001: G. Concerning Recommendation No.3: take action to improve the dialogue and co-operation between representatives of the various regional or minority languages, the Norwegian authorities

18 report that meetings attended by representatives of the various national minorities were held in 1999 and 2001, and that there are plans to hold similar meetings annually or every other year. During the “on-the-spot” visit, the Committee was informed about some difficulties arising in practice concerning the meetings which should be held between the authorities and representatives of all national minorities. Representatives of the various minority languages maintain that there is no common forum in Norway where representatives of the various minority languages may develop dialogue and co- operation amongst themselves. The Committee observes that at present the dialogue and co- operation is infrequent or carried out on an ad hoc basis. H. Concerning Recommendation No.4: make its periodical reports on the application of the Charter public, thus ensuring that all organisations and persons concerned are informed of the rights and duties established through the Charter and its implementation, the Norwegian authorities have reported that the work on the second periodical report has included contributions from representatives of the various minority languages, and that the Committee of Experts' report with the comments from the authorities attached to it has been distributed to the same bodies. The initial Norwegian report was also distributed to the different ministries and to representatives of the minority languages in August 2001 for use in preparing contributions for the second periodical report. However, the second periodical report has only been made available in English and the authorities should take steps to make the reports available in Norwegian as well.

Comments by the State Party [ECRML (2003) 2]

The report of the Committee of Experts, describing the Norwegian policies that have been pursued and the measures that have been taken to fulfill the obligations in the Charter, has been carefully considered by the relevant government ministries. The Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs thanks the Committee for its thorough work with the present report. The Ministry notes with satisfaction that the Committee understands that the protection of regional or minority languages is considered a priority in Norway. We would like to comment on the Committee's four proposed recommendations in accordance with article 16 of the Charter. We have noted the Committee's more detailed observations, and these observations will be taken into consideration and will be used in the future work in this field. The next Norwegian periodical report is due in 2005, and will provide more information on topics underlined by the Committee. Proposal for recommendation No. 1: Collaboration between representatives of the various regional or minority languages. The Norwegian government concurs with the expert committee that minority languages would benefit from collaboration between representatives of the respective languages. The government therefore continues to attempt to facilitate collaboration between the different groups. However practical and cultural differences between the groups constitute a barrier, resulting in a situation where there currently is no common wish for such collaboration. The attempts to facilitate such collaboration will nevertheless continue.

Recommendations of the Committee of Ministers [RecChL (2003) 2]

The Committee of Ministers, Recommends that the Norwegian authorities take account of all the observations of the Committee of Experts and, as a matter of priority: 1. continue to improve the dialogue and co-operation with representatives of the various regional or minority languages;

19 3rd monitoring cycle State Party Report [MIN-LANG/PR (2005) 3]

Background information Preliminary section 1. Introductory remarks This third periodical report describes the implementation of the provisions of the European Charter for regional or minority languages in Norway. The languages recognized as regional or minority languages in Norway, thus granted protection by the Charter; are the Sámi language, the Kven/Finnish language, and the Romanes and Romany languages. Reference is made to the clarification of the status of Kven language under part I paragraph 5 below. 2. Constitutional and administrative structure In most respects, the text in this paragraph is identical to the corresponding text in the previous periodical reports. However, some of the information, facts and figures are updated and modified. Norway is a constitutional monarchy. The Storting is Norway’s national assembly. Being under parliamentary rule, the majority of the Storting determines which party or coalition of parties will have the power of Government. Norway's present government is a coalition headed by Mr. Kjell Magne Bondevik, his second government. King Harald V appointed the present government on 19 October 2001. It is a minority government representing the Christian Democratic Party, the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party. The present government has 19 members, the Prime Minister and 18 Ministers in head of 17 Ministries. The next Parliamentary election will take place in September 2005. The country is divided into 19 counties and 434 municipalities. The Sámi Parliament3 was established in 1989 pursuant to Chapter 2 of the Sámi Act. The agenda of the Sámi Parliament comprises any matter that in the view of the Sámi Parliament affects the Sámi people in particular. The Sámi Parliament may, on its own initiative, raise an issue or voice an opinion with regard to any matter within the scope of its responsibilities. 3. Economy In 2005, Norway’s gross national product amounts to a total of NOK 1 561 951 million. Gross national income amounts to NOK 1 571 293 million. 4. Demography Norway covers an area of 385 155 square kilometres, including the Svalbard and Jan Mayen territories, and as of 1 January 2004 the population figure was 4 577 457. There has been no reliable population census of the Sámi people in either of the Nordic countries. Based on the definitions set out in the Norwegian Sámi Act, the estimated total number of Sámi population varies from 50 000 to 100 000. The majority, i.e. at least 70 per cent, lives in Norway. In 2005, a number of approximately 10 000 persons are registered on the Sámi electoral list. There is no agreed total number of inhabitants with an ethnic minority background in Norway, since there is no statistics on ethnic affiliation. According to estimates there are, at present, approximately 10 000 - 15 000 Kvens, 1 500 - 2 000 Jews, a few hundred Skogfinns4, 2 000 - 3 000 Romanies (Travellers) and 300-400 Romas (Gypsies). It should be pointed out that the figures are rather inaccurate, reflecting the number of people who claim they belong to the minority group, and not necessarily those having a fluent command of the language.

Part I Implementation provisions - Article 110, a of the Constitution of Norway - Act of 18 May 1990 No. 11 relating to Place Names, Regulations of 5 July 1991 No. 456 laid down pursuant to section 12 of the Act.

3 The “Sámidiggi” in Sámi language 4 ”Skogfinn” is the Finnish speaking population living in the vast forestland near the border to Sweden.

20 - Act of 12 June 1987 No. 56 relating to the Sámi Parliament and other Sámi legal matters (the Sámi Act). Chapter 3 concerning the Sámi Language, Regulations of 30 January 1992 No. 79 regarding the language provisions of the Sámi Act, laid down pursuant to sections 3-2, 3-3, 3-7, 3- 10 and 3-12 of the Sámi Act; Regulations of 31 March 1992 No. 204 laid down pursuant to section 3-8 of the Sámi Act. - Act of 17 July 1998 No. 61 relating to Education, Regulations of 28 June 1999 No. 722 laid down pursuant to section 2-7, 6-2 and 6-3 of the Act. Copies of these statutes were enclosed in Norway’s second report to the Council. Certain amendments have been drafted with regard to the Chapter pertaining to language in The Sámi Act, and with regard to the Act relating to Place Names. A more detailed account of the amendments will follow in the paragraphs 5 and part II paragraph 2D below. 2. Bodies or organizations that work for the protection and development of regional or minority languages Since the second periodical report, there has been some address changes concerning the following list of associations and organizations working for the protection and the promotion of minority languages in Norway: The Sámi language The Sámi Parliament Department of Language Bredbuktnesvn. 50 N-9520 Guovdageaidnu-Kautokeino Norway Kven/Finnish language The Norwegian Association of Kvens /Ruijan Kveeniliitto Hansjordnesgt. 9 9009 Tromsø Romanes language Den Norske Rom Forening Boks 1032 Majorstua Majorstuveien 17 0367 Oslo Norsk Rom-befolkning v/Alex Karoli Josefinesgate 10A 0351 Oslo Foreningen Roma v/Herman Karlsen Lillebyveien 4 1637 Fredrikstad International Romany Unions representative in Norway: Raya Bielenberg Kjelsåsveien 28 F 0488 Oslo Romany language The Roma Foundation/o Anne-Jorunn Merkesvik Nettaveien 22 4275 Sævelandsvik The National Association of the Romany people Postboks 80 2436 Våler Landsorganisajonen for Romanifoket (LOR) Vikstølen 4885 Grimstad

21 Romani Interesseorganisasjon Knut Avsonsvei 13 0574 Oslo Nordisk Romanesråd avdeling Norge Postboks 2052 4668 Kristiansand 3. The preparation of the third periodical report The preparation of Norway’s third periodical report has been co-ordinated by the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs and has been based on reports from other Ministries as far as their respective fields of responsibilities are concerned. By letter of 14 October 2004, the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs invited the Ministries, the Sámi Parliament and representatives of the national minority groups to express their observations as to the current state of the minority languages, as part of the preparations for this report. The representatives of the national minority groups received information about the preparation procedure for Norway’s third report to the Council in a meeting that took place on 16 December 2004. The Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs also sent a letter of 4 February 2005 to the representatives of the Roma and the Romany communities, inviting them to give their opinions regarding the present situation of their languages. So far, the Norwegian governmental authorities are still awaiting response from the representatives of the respective languages in this matter. However, the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs will continue to take appropriate initiatives to follow up this matter in relation to the respective minority groups. The report of the Committee of Experts and the Norwegian authorities’ comments on the draft recommendations and observations made by the Committee of Experts have been submitted to the Sámi Parliament and representatives of the national minority groups in a letter from the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs dated 23 January 2004. The relevant documents have also been published on the government’s internet website, ODIN, on the following address: http://www.dep.no/kkd/norsk/samarbeid/europeisk/europa_kultur/043031-990110/dok-bn.html 4. Measures taken to spread information about the rights and duties deriving from the implementation of the Charter in Norwegian legislation Reference is made to the statement of Norway’s second report to the Council, accounting for the efforts made to communicate to the public the rights and duties deriving from the application of the Charter. The European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages has been published in Norwegian and English on the following internet website: http://www.dep.no/kkd/norsk/tema/kultur/internasjonalt/043031-990071/dok-bn.html The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development is regularly publishing a newsletter on government policy in matters concerning national minority groups5. Several issues have been dealing with the Charter for Regional and Minority Languages. Likewise, the newsletter has been made available on ODIN, the official website of the public authorities: http://www.dep.no/odinarkiv/norsk/dep/krd/2004/annet/016091-990083/dok-bn.html The governmental authorities will take measures to publish the present report in compliance with article 15, paragraph 2 of the Charter. The Norwegian governmental authorities appreciate the pertinence of the observation made by The Committee that the governmental authorities should take appropriate steps to make the reports available in Norwegian, as well as in English. The Norwegian governmental authorities recognize the importance of making the report available in Norwegian, and assessment will be made as to decide which relevant measures should be taken to implement this request from the Council of Europe. 5. Measures taken to implement the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers and comments on the observations made by the Committee of Experts Some of the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers are identical to the observations made by the Committee of Experts in their report. Therefore, in the following, comments have been made coherently to the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers.

5 Nasjonale minoriteter – Informasjon om statlig politikk

22 A. Continue to improve the dialogue and cooperation with representatives of the various regional or minority languages The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development undertakes to convene annual meetings with national minority language groups and relevant governmental bodies to inform about and discuss the implementation of the Charter. The last meeting took place on 16 December 2004. On that occasion, the Deputy Ministers of Culture and Church Affairs and of Local Government and Regional Development were also attending. Comprehensive presentations were given on the topic ‘language and culture’, followed by observations and comments from the participants. Furthermore, every six months the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs consults with the Sámi Parliament on matters of Sámi concern, language issues being of topical interest in this context. Evaluation Part II Article 7 – Objectives and principles Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph a Literature The Arts Council Norway is the main public body allocating financial support to the publishing of fiction in Norway. While text books for primary and secondary schools and for university students are mostly published on a commercial basis with little or no public support, Norwegian fiction has since the 1960s been part of a large national programme, the State Purchasing Programme for Contemporary Fiction. Included in this programme are the books written by all authors living in Norway, independent of their linguistic background. A manuscript written in a minority language will be translated into Norwegian once it has been approved for publishing. For most of these books, translation costs will be met by grants from the Arts Council. So far, no applications have been submitted to the Purchasing Programme regarding books published in Romanes or Romany languages. Non-fiction books in Norwegian about the Sámi, the Kven or the Romany people may also receive allocations from the Arts Council. Language and Libraries During the past decade, the Romany people have experienced a growing understanding and recognition among the majority population for its special traditions and culture. Several CD recordings by Romany musicians have been launched during the past few years, and efforts have been made to revitalize the language, for instance by initiating a range of projects regarding registration and documentation with support from the Arts Council. The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development has received several applications concerning measures to enhance the Romany language. In meetings with representatives of the Romany and Roma communities, public authorities have made note of their statements as to the need for resolute actions in support of the Romany and Romanes languages. The new museum at Elverum - The Romany Section of the Regional Museum of Glomdal - will be an important site for featuring Romany culture and language. The Romany language will be demonstrated to the public in writing by attaching labels with information in Romany language to the exhibited items, and aurally, by giving visitors the opportunity of listening to the spoken language. There is an ongoing three-year research programme under the direction of the Research Council of Norway concerning the Romany language and its linguistic origins. Representatives of the Romany people are participating in the Programme Reference Group. Museums and cultural buildings Two construction projects with relevance to national minorities are now about to be completed: - a new section designated for the presentation of the history and culture of the Romany people - a centre designated for the preservation of the language and the culture of the Kven people. Both projects are receiving funding from the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs. The Directorate of Public Construction and Property6 is responsible for the construction works. The Romany Section of the Regional Museum of Glomdal

6 Statsbygg

23 The new section designated at documenting and presenting the history and culture of the Romany people will be part of The Regional Museum of Glomdal at Elverum. The budget amounts to NOK 51, 6 million. Presentations will be made by showing films as well as exhibitions. The permanent exhibition will elucidate the historical and cultural features of the Romany people, including their interaction with the greater society and the encroachments of the majority population on the minority group. According to plans, the exhibitions will expand as new knowledge is being produced and new challenges arise. Furthermore, specific temporary exhibitions will take place in relation to issues of current interest. The list below shows some of the projects at the Regional Museum of Glomdal which have received funding from the Norwegian Archives, Library and Museum Authority: - The history and culture of the Romany people. Development project: NOK 30 000 (the former Norwegian Museum Authority 2002) - The “Travellers” – the history of the Romany people of Norway. Film/video: NOK 50 000 (the former Norwegian Museum Authority 2002) - The Culture of the Romany people – compilation and presentation of factual information. NOK 515 000 (the former Norwegian Museum Authority 2001) - The Culture of the Romany people – compilation and presentation of factual information. NOK 500 000 (the former Norwegian Museum Authority 2000) The Norwegian Archives, Library and Museum Authority has also allocated funding to other relevant projects, for instance: - The Regional Museum of Karmsund: The Romany people – compilation and presentation of factual information. Development project: NOK 150 000 (2005) - The Regional Museum of Telemark: Prevailing Romany values – compilation and presentation of factual information and exhibition on tour. Development project: NOK 30 000 (2005) - The history of the Romany people of Telemark: Development project: NOK 40 000 (2004) Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph b No information was given by the State Party. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph c No information was given by the State Party. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph d No information was given by the State Party. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph e No information was given by the State Party. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph f, g, h The Roma people Norwegian school authorities consider cooperation with skilled representatives from the minority communities an important prerequisite for succeeding in their efforts to introduce new measures in support of the respective minority groups. Traditionally, both the Roma and the Romany people have been living on the edge of the greater society, secluded and isolated from the majority population. Travelling is a distinctive feature of their culture, while the school is, first and foremost, an institution which is accommodating people living in permanent domiciles. Accordingly, the views of what is important knowledge are bound to differ between travelling people and permanent residents. On this background, the government has been concentrating efforts on the liaising between school authorities and the Roma population. In Oslo, one primary and one lower secondary school have participated in a Comenius7 project, thereby receiving information and knowledge that will enable these schools to cultivate a good relationship between the school system on one hand and the Roma parents and their children on the other. Several years after the finalization of the project, Roma parents still prefer these schools to other schools in Oslo. The local school authorities have expressed the view that their efforts have been worthwhile. There is an on-going debate in Norwegian newspapers on the education of Roma children.

7 EU-programme regarding European Cooperation on School Education

24 As for the training of teachers, the ongoing work at the above-mentioned Oslo schools includes the teachers in the process of adapting the schools to the needs of Roma children and their parents. To the government’s knowledge, there are no scholars in Norway with significant knowledge of the Romany and Romanes languages. The Romany people Compared to the Roma people, the situation of the Romany people (the Travellers) has improved considerably. One of the Romany organizations in Norway has set up a working group to promote their culture in the Norwegian society. The Working Group has charged the Queen Maud's College of Early Childhood Education and Care8 with the combined task of carrying out a survey study with regard to the specific requirements of Romany children in nursery schools and in primary schools, and developing a programme of measures and actions to meet these requirements. In 2004, the Queen Maud's College of Early Childhood Education received financial support from three ministries to this project, which will continue for three more years. Hopefully, this work could be an important step towards improving the situation for the Romany children in pre-school and in primary school. The Ministry of Children and Family Affairs supports a project at Queen Maud’s College, which aims to give ECEC 9 and schools more knowledge about the Romany people. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph i No information was given by the State Party. Article 7, paragraph 2 No information was given by the State Party. Article 7, paragraph 3 No information was given by the State Party. Article 7, paragraph 4 No information was given by the State Party. Article 7, paragraph 5 No information was given by the State Party.

Evaluation Report of the Committee of Experts [ECRML (2007) 3]

Background information Chapter 1 - Background information 1.1 Ratification of the Charter by Norway 1. Norway signed the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (hereafter referred to as the Charter) on 5 November 1992 and deposited its instrument of ratification on 10 November 1993. The Norwegian authorities published the text of the Charter in a Royal Decree of 1 October 1993. The Charter entered into force in Norway on 1 March 1998. 2. Article 15, paragraph 1 of the Charter requires States Parties to submit three-yearly reports in a form prescribed by the Committee of Ministers10. The Norwegian authorities presented their third periodical report to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in May 2005. 3. In its previous evaluation report on Norway (ECRML (2003) 2), the Committee of Experts outlined particular areas where policy and practice could be further improved. The Committee of Ministers took note of the report submitted by the Committee of Experts and adopted Recommendation RecChL (2003) 2, which was addressed to the Norwegian authorities. 1.2. The work of the Committee of Experts 4. In the present report, the Committee of Experts will give a general presentation of the situation regarding regional or minority languages in Norway. It will nevertheless focus on the provisions and issues which were singled out in the first and second evaluation reports as raising particular problems as well as the new issues which arose during this third monitoring round. In addition, the Committee of

8 Dronning Mauds Minne - Høgskole for førskolelærerutdanning 9 Early Childhood Education and Care 10 MIN-LANG (2002) 1 Outline for 3-yearly periodical reports as adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

25 Experts will assess the measures taken by the authorities to improve the situation of regional or minority languages, in the light of its findings and of the Committee of Ministers' Recommendations11. 5. After a preliminary examination of the third periodical report of Norway, a questionnaire was drawn up and addressed to the Norwegian authorities. The Committee of Experts organised an “on- the-spot” visit from 19 to 23 June 2006, in , Karasjok, Kautokeino, Tromsø and Oslo where the Delegation met with representatives of the Sámi, Kven and Romanes languages, as well as Norwegian public institutions and the Norwegian State authorities responsible for implementing the Charter. 6. In accordance with Article 16 paragraph 2 of the Charter, the Committee of Experts received written comments on the situation of the Kven language from the Norske Kveners Forbund, the NRK Finsksending (Finnish radio), Ruijan Kaiku (Kven Newspaper), the Kven Institute and the association Kveenimaa Yhistys. As regards the Sámi language, the Committee of Experts received comments from the University of Tromsø. 7. This evaluation report is based on the information the Committee of Experts was able to obtain through the above-mentioned sources, and on the political and legal situation prevailing at the time of the Committee of Experts' on-the-spot visit to Norway. 8. The Committee of Experts adopted the present report on 1 December 2006. 1.3. Presentation of the regional or minority language situation in Norway: up-date 9. The languages on the territory of Norway which are protected under the Charter are Sámi, Kven and the two non-territorial languages, Romani and Romanes. The Committee of Experts refers to the relevant paragraphs of the first and second evaluation reports for the general presentation of the situation of these languages in Norway (cf. ECRML (2001)6 paragraphs 7-17 and ECRML (2003)2 paragraphs 9-21). 14. The information provided on the Romani and Romanes languages is identical to that provided in the previous cycle and the number of speakers of Romanes remains uncertain (cf. paragraphs 12-13 of the first evaluation report ECRML(2001)6) and paragraphs 15-16 of the second evaluation report (ECRML(2003)2). 15. In the absence of official statistics, the Norwegian authorities provide only rough estimates of the numbers of speakers12. The Kven speakers seem to be particularly affected by the lack of reliable statistics. According to the Norwegian authorities, the estimated number of users of this language varies from 2 000 to 8 000 depending on the criteria and methods used13. However, a recent study carried out in 2004-200514 indicates that the number of Kven speakers exceeds 10 000, and the Norske Kveners Forbund/Ruijan Kveeniliittoo maintains there are at least 50 000-60 000 Kvens in Norway. 16. The Committee of Experts is aware of the sensitive nature of the question of collecting data on people's linguistic background. Nevertheless, it is important to have more reliable data concerning the number of users of regional or minority languages and their geographic distribution. Indeed, as has also been pointed out by the Advisory Committee of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities15, the lack of reliable figures makes it difficult for international monitoring bodies, including the Committee of Experts, to evaluate to what extent Norway fulfils its international undertakings. 17. This type of work should be conducted in co-operation with the speakers of regional or minority languages and could be based on ad hoc studies, special surveys, polls or any other scientifically sound methods to improve the scope and accuracy of the data. The Committee of Experts encourages the Norwegian authorities to initiate such work (cf. for instance the Committee of Experts' 2nd evaluation report on Sweden - ECRML (2006) 4, paragraph 13). 18. The general legal framework governing the use of regional or minority languages has been slightly revised since the last monitoring cycle. The changes have strengthened the protection or promotion of regional or minority languages16. The following legal acts have been amended: Section 11 of the Act of 18 May 1990, No. 11, relating to Place Names, Chapter 3 of the Act of 12 June 1987,

11 The boxes which appeared in the first and second report will be found in the present report as underlined sentences. 12 Norway’s third Periodical Report preliminary section item 4 p. 5 13 ibid, p. 6 14 Rasmussen, Torkild 2004 -2005: Hvor mange kan finsk og kvensk i Nord-Norge? Arina, Nordisk tidsskrift for kvensk forskning, Nummer 1/2004-2005 pp. 48-54. 15 Opinion on Norway, ACFC/INF/OP/I(2003)003, paragraph 11. 16 For a comprehensive list of legal acts, cf. ECRML (2001)6 paragraphs 16-17 and ECRML (2003)2 paragraphs 18-19

26 No. 56 relating to the Sameting and other Sámi legal matters (the Sámi Act) concerning the Sámi language. The Anti-Discrimination Act, which entered into force on 1st January 2006, prohibits discrimination based on language among other criteria17.

Evaluation Part II Chapter 2 - The Committee of Experts’ evaluation in respect of Parts II and III of the Charter 2.1. Evaluation in respect of Part II of the Charter 24. Part II of the Charter (Article 7) sets out a number of general objectives and principles that a Party is obliged to apply to all the regional or minority languages on its territory. For Norway, this evaluation will include Sámi, as well as the Kven, Romani and Romanes languages. North Sámi is covered by Part III of the Charter, but will also be covered by Part II outside the Sámi administrative district. Some of the observations concerning North Sámi will be further developed under Chapter 3.2 of the report. Article 7 – Objectives and principles Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph a 25. In the third report, the Norwegian authorities refer to various measures aimed at promoting the regional or minority languages and the cultures they represent. The Committee of Experts acknowledges the efforts made. 27. The Committee of Experts reiterates that Romani and Romanes exist as an expression of cultural wealth (cf. ECRML (2003)2 paragraph 43) and considers that public authorities have demonstrated their willingness to support both Romani and Romanes and the culture they reflect, in cooperation with the representatives of the speakers (cf. Norway third periodical report pp 15-17). 28. However, no specific legislative measures have been adopted for ensuring the promotion and protection of Romani and Romanes. The Committee of Experts feels that there is room for improvement (cf. ECRML (2003) 2 paragraph 42) and looks forward to receiving more information in the next periodical report. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph b Not applicable. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph c 49. In the previous evaluation report, the Committee of Experts encouraged the Norwegian authorities to consult with the representatives of the users of the Romani and Romanes languages, in order to establish whether the users of these languages wanted special protection and/or promotion (cf. ECRML (2003)2 paragraph 60). 50. The Committee of Experts is pleased to note that the Norwegian authorities have pursued the co-operation with the users of these languages, notably in the field of culture. In addition, public authorities have formally recognised the need for resolute action in support of the Romani and Romanes languages in meetings with representatives of these communities. 51. The Norwegian authorities report that efforts have been made to develop these languages, for instance by initiating different projects supported by the Arts Council and the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development. 52. However, despite those positive measures, the authorities confirmed during the on-the-spot visit that they have still unsolved challenges in dealing with the speakers of Romani and Romanes. The Committee of Experts encourages the authorities to intensify their efforts to protect and promote Romani and Romanes, in co-operation with the speakers, especially in the field of education.

17 cf. the follow-up report of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights on Norway (2001 – 2005) Assessment of the progress made in implementing the recommendations of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, CommDH(2006)10 paragraph 39.

27 Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph d 67. The Committee of Experts is pleased to note that the authorities have taken measures to support Romani and Romanes (cf. under Article 7 a). 68. There are no media policy measures directed specifically towards Romani and Romanes. Speakers of Romani and Romanes have access to the same support measures as other minority groups, and in particular to the support schemes of the Norwegian Media Authority for local radios and newspapers in minority languages. However, the Committee of Experts has not been informed about any support given with a view to promoting Romani and Romanes in the media. 69. The use of Romani and Romanes in public life is hampered by the reluctance to use them outside the private sphere and the limited opportunities to do so. The Committee of Experts encourages the authorities to take further measures to promote the use of Romanes and Romani in public life, in co-operation with the speakers18. It looks forward to receiving more information and precise figures on their use in the public sphere in the next periodical report. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph e 70. The Committee of Experts stressed in its previous reports, as did the Committee of Ministers, the benefit for speakers of different regional or minority languages of having a forum where they can dialogue and create constructive links (cf. ECRML (2003)2 paragraph 68). 71. The authorities informed the Committee of Experts that since 2003 the Ministry of local government and regional development has convened annual meetings with national minority groups and relevant governmental bodies to pass on information, and as a forum for dialogue to find good solutions for questions regarding national minorities, including matters pertaining to minority languages19. The setting up of the Contact Forum was intended to gather representatives of national minorities’ organisations and not of regional or minority language groups as such. The authorities hold separate meetings with representatives of the different languages to address questions such as cultural buildings, museums, etc., but no common forum has been created (cf. ECRML (2003)2 paragraph 68). 72. The Committee of Experts recalls that in other countries speakers representing regional or minority languages seem to have benefited from established fora for dialogue and co-operation, and that via such common fora constructive links have been created. The Committee of Experts encourages the authorities to establish a forum for dialogue and co-operation with representatives of all the regional or minority languages. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph f 91. According to the information available to the Committee of Experts, there is no general support scheme for the teaching and study of Romani and Romanes, but the Committee of Experts is pleased to note that the Norwegian authorities have taken a set of measures to improve the situation of Roma children's education at pre-school, primary and secondary level. In Oslo, on-going efforts are being made to improve links between the school authorities and the Roma population at primary and lower secondary level. So far, these efforts have had positive effects, and the municipality of Oslo, in co- operation with the National School authorities, is seeking solutions to facilitate the school situation for Roma pupils. Furthermore, two university colleges in Trondheim have for some years been administering a project to find means of facilitating the situation for Romani speakers in pre-schools, primary and lower secondary schools. 92. In addition, a Working Group set up by the Romani organisations requested the Queen Maud's College of Early Childhood Education and Care to carry out a survey on the specific requirements of Romani children in nursery schools and in primary schools, and develop a programme of measures and actions to meet these requirements. Since 2004 the Norwegian authorities have granted funding to support this programme, which shall continue for three more years. The Committee of Experts looks forward to receiving more information on the outcome of this programme and the measures taken to implement the recommendations on pre-schools and primary schools. 93. The Committee of Experts was informed by the Ombudsman that in many cases the situation has not improved and that the Roma children still suffer from the education system which is not adapted to the travellers’ way of life. The Committee of Experts recalls the statement of the European

18 cf. Second Opinion of the Advisory Committee of the Framework Convention on the protection of national minorities on Norway adopted on 5 October 2006 (ACFC/OP/II(2006)006), in particular paragraphs 66, 102 and 141. 19 cf. also the follow-up report of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights on Norway (2001 – 2005) CommDH (2006)10, paragraph 46

28 Commission against Racism and Intolerance 20 according to which “only a minority of the members of the Romani community are itinerant or partially itinerant and that the itineraries are reported to be generally well established. This should make the organisation of education for children of itinerant families less difficult”. Therefore, the Committee of Experts encourages the Norwegian authorities to intensify their efforts to support the Romani language and to provide children of itinerant families with regular education. The Committee of Experts encourages the authorities to pursue their efforts in co- operation with the speakers to develop alternative ways and appropriate forms of teaching for Roma children, long distance training, or scholarships for potential trainers to be trained in Norway or abroad, and to produce adequate teaching materials (cf. also the report of the Committee of Experts on Sweden, ECRML (2006) 4 paragraph 56). 94. There is a clear lack of teachers with sufficient knowledge of Romani and/or Romanes. According to the information received, Romani is not offered as a subject in schools anywhere in Norway. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph g The Committee of Experts did not comment upon this undertaking. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph h 99. In its previous evaluation report, the Committee of Experts noted that no facilities existed for the study of and research in the Romani and Romanes languages. 100. The Committee of Experts is pleased to note that several programmes, mainly on culture, are supported by the Norwegian authorities in co-operation with the speakers (the Research Council of Norway is running a three-year research programme concerning the Romani language and its linguistic origins, the University of Trondheim has developed a research programme on Romani culture). The Committee of Experts encourages the authorities to continue its support for those positive initiatives. 101. During the on-the-spot visit, the Research Council of Norway informed the Committee of Experts that several projects have been initiated to develop the Romani language but that these initiatives have not been successful so far. The Committee of Experts has been informed that there is a clear lack of qualified persons to carry out research in that field. Therefore, it encourages the authorities to find alternative solutions to overcome this unsatisfactory situation. Article 7, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph i 107. The authorities support contacts with speakers of Romani in Sweden, other Nordic countries and other parts of Europe. Romani users have received support from the Norwegian authorities to attend international conferences. Romanes speakers have received support for organising international music festivals in Oslo. Article 7, paragraph 2 108. The Committee of Experts has not been made aware of any problems relating to this undertaking and refers to its previous evaluation report (cf. ECRML (2003)2 paragraph 81). Article 7, paragraph 3 109. In its previous report, the Committee of Experts stated that the Norwegian curriculum includes respect, understanding and tolerance in relation to minority languages among its educational objectives. The National Education Curriculum includes references to Romani, Romanes, Skogfinns, and Kven (cf. ECRML (2003)2 paragraph 82). During the on-the-spot visit, the Association of Kven Speakers informed the Committee of Experts that attitudes towards the Kven language have improved, both among the Kvens and in mainstream society. 110. The authorities have also informed the Committee of Experts that they are supporting a pilot project where young Sámi persons visit secondary schools throughout the country to raise awareness of Sámi culture and identity among the other pupils. This project is successful and has had a positive impact. The Committee of Experts encourages the authorities to pursue this pilot project on a longer term, and to consider extending it to other regional or minority languages. 111. The Committee of Experts underlines the importance of this provision and commends the authorities for the measures taken with regard to Sámi and Kven, but underlines the importance of strengthening their efforts and taking measures with regard to Romani and Romanes.

20 ECRI Third report on Norway adopted in June 2003, CRI (2004)3, paragraphs 61 and 63

29 Article 7, paragraph 4 112. The authorities have submitted to the Sámi Parliament and other regional or minority language groups the second report of the Committee of Experts as well as the Norwegian authorities' comments on the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers and observations of the Committee of Experts. All documents were made available on the government’s website. In addition, the authorities consulted Associations and bodies during the preparation of the third Periodical report, in particular during the annual meeting of the last Contact Forum (cf. paragraph 71 above). 113. The Committee of Experts is pleased to note that representatives of speakers are consulted on a regular basis. However, during the on-the-spot visit, the Association of Kven Speakers pointed out to the Committee of Experts that the authorities could have a more pro-active approach towards the speakers' needs and follow their advice in the context of the development of the language. The Committee of Experts hopes that the recognition of Kven as a separate language will have a positive impact on the dialogue between the authorities and the representatives of the Kven language, and that meetings between the authorities and the speakers will be organised on a regular basis. Article 7, paragraph 5 114. In the case of Norway, Romanes and Romani are considered non-territorial languages. In evaluating their situation under paragraphs 1 to 4 of Article 7, the Committee of Experts kept in mind that those principles should be applied mutatis mutandis.

Conclusions/Findings Chapter 3 – Conclusions 3.1 – Conclusion on the way the Norwegian authorities implemented the recommendation of the Committee of Ministers Recommendation No.1: “Continue to improve the dialogue and cooperation with representatives of the various regional or minority languages” 181. The third periodical report of Norway states that the authorities convene regular meetings with national minority groups and relevant governmental bodies to inform the representatives of national minorities and exchange views on issues of common interest. The last meeting took place on 16 December 2004 on ‘language and culture’, and the Committee of Experts has not been informed of any meetings of this nature since then. In addition, separate bilateral meetings on cultural aspects are organised on a regular basis and the authorities hold meetings every six months with the Sámi Parliament on Sámi matters. 3.2 Findings of the Committee of Experts in the third monitoring round A. The Committee of Experts praises the Norwegian authorities for the excellent level of cooperation, and especially expresses its gratitude with regard to the preparation and organisation of the on-the- spot visit. This has allowed the Committee of Experts to obtain precise and relevant information on policy and legal developments in the promotion and protection of regional or minority languages in Norway. B. The Committee of Experts commends the Norwegian authorities for their continued efforts to further improve the implementation of the Charter in Norway. The Norwegian authorities have taken into consideration the observations of the Committee of Experts and in particular the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers, and significant progress has been made. All the undertakings which the Committee of Experts found to be fulfilled during the first and second monitoring rounds are still fulfilled. Norway has fulfilled a large majority of the undertakings chosen under Part III. C. Norway does not collect official statistics regarding the users of regional or minority languages. The figures at the disposal of the Committee of Experts are only rough estimates and recent surveys indicate that the actual figures may be higher (cf. paragraph 15). The lack of reliable statistical data limits the ability of the Norwegian authorities to plan and to take appropriate measures for the protection and the promotion of Norway’s regional or minority languages. It also reduces the visibility of regional or minority languages in Norway. Methods that respect privacy and personal integrity but nevertheless provide more reliable information regarding the number of users of regional or minority languages, could be developed on a scientific basis, in co-operation with the speakers.

30 G. Romani and Romanes are protected as non-territorial languages under the Charter. Both remain largely absent from public life in Norway. Nevertheless, there have been positive developments, in the cultural field in particular. Serious difficulties persist in the field of education, notably resulting from the chronic shortage of teachers, as well as the lack of flexibility of the educational system. The authorities should develop innovative solutions in close consultation with the users of Romani and Romanes. I. While welcoming the positive steps taken, the Committee of Experts considers that there is still a need to raise the awareness of the Norwegian-speaking majority population about Norway’s regional or minority languages as an integral part of Norway’s cultural heritage, in particular regarding Kven, Romani and Romanes.

Comments by the State Party [ECRML (2007) 3]

No comments were given by the State Party.

Recommendations of the Committee of Ministers [RecChL (2007) 3]

The Committee of Ministers, […] Recommends that the Norwegian authorities take account of all the observations of the Committee of Experts and, as a matter of priority: - strengthen their efforts to provide teaching materials and teacher training for Kven, Lule and South Sámi, Romani and Romanes.

31