Sign Language Legislation in the European Union Mark Wheatley & Annika Pabsch European Union of the Deaf Brussels, Belgium 3 Sign Language Legislation in the European Union All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity, including internet search engines or retailers, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of the authors. ISBN 978-90-816-3390-1 © European Union of the Deaf, September 2012. Printed at Brussels, Belgium. Design: Churchill’s I/S- www.churchills.dk This publication was sponsored by Significan’t Significan’t is a (Deaf and Sign Language led ) social business that was established in 2003 and its Managing Director, Jeff McWhinney, was the CEO of the British Deaf Association when it secured a verbal recognition of BSL as one of UK official languages by a Minister of the UK Government. SignVideo is committed to delivering the best service and support to its customers. Today SignVideo provides immediate access to high quality video relay service and video interpreters for health, public and voluntary services, transforming access and career prospects for Deaf people in employment and empowering Deaf entrepreneurs in their own businesses. www.signvideo.co.uk 4 Contents Welcome message by EUD President Berglind Stefánsdóttir ..................... 6 Foreword by Dr Ádám Kósa, MEP ................................................................. 7 European Union of the Deaf (EUD) ............................................................... 8 Authors’ Biographies ........................................................................................ 9 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................ 10 Abbreviations ...................................................................................................11 1. Introduction ............................................................................................. 12 2. Sign Languages ........................................................................................ 12 a. Sign Languages as Natural Languages ................................. 13 b. National Sign Languages ........................................................ 14 c. International Sign ..................................................................... 15 3. Sign Language as Mother Tongue ......................................................... 16 4. Sign Language Interpreting in Europe ................................................. 18 a. Definitions ................................................................................. 18 b. Ratios .......................................................................................... 18 c. Guidelines ................................................................................. 21 5. Deaf People as Right Holders ................................................................ 21 a. Human Rights .......................................................................... 22 b. Minority Rights ........................................................................ 23 c. Linguistic Human Rights ....................................................... 24 6. Sign Language Legislation at Supranational Level ............................ 26 a. UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ... 27 b. European Union ....................................................................... 29 i. Sign Language Resolutions ................................ 29 ii. Mobility Report & Brussels Declaration ........... 30 iii. European Accessibility Act ................................. 31 iv. Written Declaration on the Need for Accessible 112 Emergency Services ................... 32 v. Anti-discrimination Directive ............................ 33 c. Council of Europe ..................................................................... 35 i. Recommendations ............................................... 35 ii. Publications .......................................................... 36 5 Sign Language Legislation in the European Union 7. Sign Language Legislation in the EU .................................................... 37 a. Austria ........................................................................................ 38 b. Belgium ...................................................................................... 41 i. Flanders ................................................................. 42 ii. Wallonia ................................................................ 44 c. Bulgaria ...................................................................................... 46 d. Cyprus ........................................................................................ 48 e. Czech Republic ......................................................................... 49 f. Denmark .................................................................................... 51 g. Estonia ........................................................................................ 54 h. Finland ....................................................................................... 56 i. France ......................................................................................... 61 j. Germany .................................................................................... 62 k. Greece ......................................................................................... 65 l. Hungary ..................................................................................... 67 m. Ireland ........................................................................................ 69 n. Italy ............................................................................................. 71 o. Latvia .......................................................................................... 73 p. Lithuania .................................................................................... 75 q. Luxembourg .............................................................................. 76 r. Malta ........................................................................................... 79 s. The Netherlands ....................................................................... 81 t. Poland ........................................................................................ 83 u. Portugal ...................................................................................... 85 v. Romania ..................................................................................... 88 w. Slovakia ...................................................................................... 90 x. Slovenia ...................................................................................... 93 y. Spain ........................................................................................... 94 z. Sweden ....................................................................................... 96 aa. United Kingdom ....................................................................... 98 8. Sign Language Legislation Worldwide............................................... 101 a. Bosnia & Herzegovina ........................................................... 102 b. Iceland ...................................................................................... 103 c. New Zealand ........................................................................... 105 d. Norway .................................................................................... 106 e. Switzerland ............................................................................. 107 f. Uganda .................................................................................... 109 9. Outlook ....................................................................................................110 10. Bibliography ............................................................................................111 6 Contents 11. Appendix - Sign Language Legislation (original texts) a. Austria ...................................................................................... 124 b. Belgium i. Flanders ............................................................... 126 ii. Wallonia .............................................................. 142 c. Bosnia & Herzegovina ........................................................... 154 d. Bulgaria .................................................................................... 162 e. Cyprus ...................................................................................... 174 f. Czech Republic ....................................................................... 177 g. Denmark .................................................................................. 184 h. Estonia ...................................................................................... 199 i. Finland ..................................................................................... 201 j. France ....................................................................................... 217 k. Germany .................................................................................. 222 l. Greece ....................................................................................... 232 m. Hungary ................................................................................... 236 n. Iceland .....................................................................................