Source: European Parliament
In its answers to written questions E-001876/2019[1], E-003446/2019[2], E-005238/2020/rev.1[3], and P-003875/2022[4], the Commission outlined that the legal status of languages in each national legal order is a matter falling under national competence.
Apart from the implementation of EU law, it is for Member States to ensure compliance with fundamental rights in accordance with their constitutional order and their obligations under international law.
As parties to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, they are bound by the provisions on sign language contained therein.
Regulation 1/58[5] lists all the official languages and the working languages of the institutions of the Union; sign languages are not included.
That regulation is adopted by the Council, acting unanimously and without a Commission proposal, on the basis of Article 342 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union[6].
The Commission is taking steps to reinforce the availability of international sign interpreters for EU conferences and meetings. In the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030[7], it committed to increase the accessibility of audiovisual communications and publications as well as interpretation in international sign language.
Each institution is competent for the provision of sign language interpretation. The interpretation service of the Commission provides sign language interpretation into and from international sign in meetings and conferences where this service is requested by the meeting organiser and according to the needs of the participants.
To the best of its ability, the interpretation service also provides interpretation into and from national sign languages if specific requests are made in this sense.
- [1] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-8-2019-001876-ASW_EN.html
- [2] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2019-003446-ASW_EN.html
- [3] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2020-005238-ASW_EN.html
- [4] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/P-9-2022-003875-ASW_EN.html
- [5] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:01958R0001-20130701
- [6] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/treaty/tfeu_2016/art_342/oj/eng
- [7] For more information, please see: https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/disability/union-equality-strategy-rights-persons-disabilities-2021-2030_en