The municipalities with language facilities, occasionally called municipalities with linguistic facilities or shortly municipalities with facilities (Dutch: "faciliteitengemeenten", French: "communes à facilités", German: "Fazilitäten-Gemeinde"), are municipalities in Belgium with special law provisions to protect rights of their (historic) linguistic minorities. They are so-called municipalities with a special status. A municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly referring to a city, town, or village, or a small grouping of them. ... A minority language is a language spoken by a minority of the population of a country. ...

Basically, in these municipalities it is possible to relate with the local and federal administration, in one official language other than that of the language area within which the municipality lies.

For instance, in those municipalities, French-speakers in Flanders and Dutch-and German-speakers in Wallonia, and French-speakers in the German language area may obtain administrative documents from local public authorities or from certain federal authorities in their mother tongue. In addition, legislation on municipalities also provides for equal public funding for primary schools for the language minority, as well as information in the minority language from the national railway company. For public services and documents from intermediate authorities (such as the provincial and regional authorities), such rights do not exist, or to a very limited measure (e.g. certain summary information). The Flemish region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium (alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region). ... Wallonia (French: Wallonie, German: Wallonien, Walloon: Walonreye, Dutch: Wallonië) or the Walloon Region (French: Région Wallonne, Dutch: Waals Gewest) is the predominantly French-speaking region that constitutes one of the three federal regions of Belgium, with its capital at Namur. ...

History

1921-1962

There were three language areas as from the July 31, 1921, law: the Dutch-speaking Flemish area, the French-speaking Walloon area, and the bilingual area of Brussels (capital city). These language areas of 1921 had actually no institutional translation in the structure of the Belgian state, then still constitutionally divided into provinces and municipalities. Thence a French-speaking unilingual municipality could for instance be part of the West Flanders province. Map of Belgium, its four language areasthree regions ; two of the latter have provinces . Belgium is a federal state comprising three communities, three regions, and four language areas. ...

The Belgian law of June 28, 1932, 'on the use of languages for administrative matters' based the language status of every Belgian municipality on the decennial census that included, since 1846, several language questions about the knowledge as well as the day-to-day practice. The criterion to belong to the Flemish or Walloon language area was the attainment of a threshold of 50%; whereas, over 30% the municipal authorities had to offer services in the minority language as well. A municipality could ask the government to change its linguistic status by a royal decree only after a census would have shown a passage over the 30% or 50% threshold.

The German- and Luxembourgish-speaking minorities in Eastern Wallonia were not mentioned in the 1921 or 1931 laws. The German-speaking minority was mostly settled in the 'Eastern Cantons', several Prussian municipalities ceded to Belgium by the 1919 Treaty of Versailles and administered from 1920 to 1925 by a Belgian military High Commissioner. There was, and still is, a Luxembourgish-speaking minority in some municipalities bordering the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Luxembourgish or Luxembourgian (in French, Luxembourgeois; in German, Luxemburgisch; in Luxembourgish Lëtzebuergesch) is a West Germanic language spoken in Luxembourg. ... The Treaty of Versailles (1919) was the peace treaty which officially ended World War I between the Allied and Associated Powers and Germany. ...

The 1932 law was only implemented once, as the invasion of Belgium by Nazi Germany in 1940 prevented the organization of the decennial census, which was organized in 1947 and only applied on July 2, 1954, when an ad hoc law 'modifying the law of June 28, 1932, on the use of languages for administrative matters' transferred three previously unilingual Flemish municipalities with language facilities for the French-speaking minority (Evere, Ganshoren and Berchem-Sainte-Agathe/Sint-Agatha-Berchem) to the bilingual region of Brussels, thus and introduced language facilities for the French-speaking minority in four previously unilingual Flemish municipalities (Drogenbos, Kraainem, Wemmel and Linkebeek). Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... Evere within the Brussels-Capital Region Evere is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. ... Ganshoren within the Brussels-Capital Region Ganshoren is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. ... Berchem-Sainte-Agathe / Sint-Agatha-Berchem within the Brussels-Capital Region Berchem-Sainte-Agathe (French) or Sint-Agatha-Berchem (Dutch) is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. ... Drogenbos is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. ... Kraainem (French: Kraainem or Crainhem (not officialy) is a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Wemmel is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. ... Linkebeek is a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ...

1962 onwards

In 1962-1963 four language areas were formally determined: the Dutch language area (now also corresponding with the Flemish Region), the bilingual area of Brussels-Capital, (which borders came to determine those of the present Brussels-Capital Region), the French language area and the German language (both now in the Walloon Region). The Flemish region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium (alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region). ... The Brussels-Capital Region (French: R gion de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, German: Region Br ssel-Hauptstadt) or Brussels Region (French: R gion Bruxelloise, Dutch: Brusselse Gewest) is one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Wallonia (French: Wallonie, German: Wallonien, Walloon: Walonreye, Dutch: Wallonië) or the Walloon Region (French: Région Wallonne, Dutch: Waals Gewest) is the predominantly French-speaking region that constitutes one of the three federal regions of Belgium, with its capital at Namur. ...

The situation around Brussels (in the rim municipalities, see below) differs from the situation along the border between Flanders and Wallonia, and between the German and French-speaking areas in Wallonia, where certain municipalities have had linguistic minorities since several centuries. The language border appears quite stable and peaceful, except for the municipalities of Voeren (French: Fourons) and to a much lesser extent Mouscron (Dutch: Moeskroen) and Comines-Warneton (Dutch: Komen-Waasten). Voeren (French: Fourons) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. ... Mouscron (Dutch: Moeskroen) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. ... Comines-Warneton (Dutch: Komen-Waasten) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. ...

In the early 1990s, a revision of the Belgian Constitution has made it more difficult to change the language status of the concerned municipalities, by requiring that any such^{[citation needed]} change should gain a majority in each of the two language groups in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Previously, an overall majority would have been enough, which could have in theory allowed a near unanimity of Flemish representatives to impose an abolition of the facilities against the unanimous French-speaking representatives. This revision of the Constitution was widely seen by French-speakers as a recognition that language facilities had a permanent status.

Actual implementation of language facilities

Currently, both Dutch- and French-speakers voice complaints about poor or absent respect by certain authorities for their linguistic rights. Both competent Belgian and European Courts are frequently solicited to arbitrate. Political discussions are often held in various competent assemblies as the Belgian Federal Parliament (which is institutionally competent in these matters), and in the regional and community parliaments assemblies. Even the Assembly of the Council of Europe became involved and sent two Swiss, then a Romanian representative to investigate the situation. The Belgian Federal Parliament is a bicameral parliament. ...

In terms of objective observations, one notes:

• That the Flemish authorities finance French-speaking schools in the Flemish municipalities with facilities for the French-speakers (see below for a list; annual subvention nearly 10 million Euro); in contrast, the authorities of the French-speaking community do not finance Dutch-speaking schools in the Walloon municipalities with facilities for the Dutch-speakers. Both are legally required to do so, but the French Community claims the number of interested students to be below the viable threshold to maintain a school in the concerned municipalities. That threshold applies to regular French-speaking schools as well. On the other hand, the French Community has tolerated the funding of a Flemish school in Comines-Warneton by the Flemish Community, in spite of the anti-constitutionality of this extra-territorial initiative.

• In terms of local public services and communication, it seems that the Flemish municipalities with facilities have a correct bilingual communication (e.g. their websites are bi- or even multi-lingual), whereas some Walloon municipalities with facilities appear monolingual in their general communication towards their inhabitants.

• However, in the late 1990s, two Flemish ministers, Leo Peeters and Luc Vandenbrande, issued instructions to the administrations of the municipalities with facilities for the French-speakers to the effect that French-speakers who wanted to get a translation of a document had to request it every single time they were asking for it, even if they had explicitly made the demand to get it in French once and for all. Those instructions were in contradiction with the practice until then, which was condoned by the Permanent Commission for Language Control, a paritary body set up by the law to control the correct application of the language laws in Belgium. French speakers sued the Flemish Region to restore the previous practice. After multiple years, the Flemish Chambers of the Council of State, the highest administrative court in Belgium, supported the new instructions, in a rare case of disavowing the recommendation of its auditor. French speakers have generally considered that the ruling of the Flemish Chambers of the Council of State was politically motivated and legally not sound. The Walloon Region has not taken any formal step to restrict the use of facilities in a similar way for Dutch- or German-speakers — although it de facto already severely restricts the facilities for Flemings, e.g. blocking all funding for Dutch-speaking schools, and at least one of the four municipalities required to offer facilities for Dutch-speakers, demands similar repeated requests for documents in their language per every instance.^[1]

• That Belgian courts are extremely reluctant to arbitrate in all matters related to the linguistic and ethnic rights of the various ethnic and language groups in Belgium.

The Flemish region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium (alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region). ... Wallonia (French: Wallonie, German: Wallonien, Walloon: Walonreye, Dutch: Wallonië) or the Walloon Region (French: Région Wallonne, Dutch: Waals Gewest) is the predominantly French-speaking region that constitutes one of the three federal regions of Belgium, with its capital at Namur. ...

Recent trends

Over time, Flemings have become dissatisfied by the continued and growing presence of French-speakers in the "rim" municipalities around Brussels. As a result, there is now a reaction in Flanders demanding that the current language facilities should be phased out, especially around Brussels. For the facilities in the municipalities with historic minorities on the Walloon-Flemish border, there is still a willingness to consider maintaining them on condition of reciprocity (that these facilities are also re-established in practice in the corresponding Walloon cities). Flemings (Dutch: Vlamingen) are inhabitants of Flanders in the widest sense of the term, i. ... Flanders (Dutch: ) has several main meanings: the social, cultural and linguistical, scientific and educational, economical and political community of the Flemings; generally called the Flemish community (others refer to this as the Flemish nation) which is, with over 6 million inhabitants, the majority of all Belgians; the constituent governing institution...

French-speakers want to maintain all current facilities in Flanders, the more militant wing wanting to extend them in scope and/or in area. French-speaking political parties especially protested against the Flemish ministerial circular letters from the socialist minister Leo Peeters (see supra). These circular letters, various additional restrictions put on the use of French in those municipalities, and the claims made by more and more Flemish politicians in favor of the abolition of the facilities has caused a radicalization of the French-speakers, many of whom now think their linguistic rights would be better protected if the "rim" municipalities would join the bilingual Brussels-Capital Region. The Flemish region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium (alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region). ...

Lili Nabholz-Haidegger, a Swiss deputy, made a report on September 5, 2002, inviting Belgium to recognise the fact that there is a French-speaking minority in Flanders. This report was approved by the Council of Europe. However, this assembly, contrary to the Belgian and regional legislators, and to the Belgian and European judiciary, has no legal competency in these matters, only a moral one. Moreover, this recommendation is seen by some experts as on legally unstable grounds as there is no definition of national minorities (not from EU legislation, nor from any other competent international body), nor did it include any such definition that is sufficiently suitable to gain international acceptance. Before the 2002 Nabholz-Haidegger report, there had already another one from the same institution, the Domeni Columberg report, and another one afterwards, all getting to the same conclusions. September 5 is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Anthem Ode to Joy (orchestral)  ten founding members joined subsequently observer at the Parliamentary Assembly observer at the Committee of Ministers  official candidate Seat Strasbourg, France Membership 47 European states 6 observers (Council) 3 observers (Assembly) Leaders  -  Secretary General  Terry Davis  -  Commissioner for Human Rights   Establishment  -  Treaty of London May... In sociology and in voting theory, a minority is a sub- group that forms less than half of the population, and — as a rule — is outnumbered by at least one other sub-group. ...

List of municipalities with facilities

Municipalities in Flanders with French-language facilities

In Flanders there are two kinds of municipalities with facilities. Rim municipalities are situated in the Flemish rim around the Brussels-Capital Region and form part of Flemish Brabant. The other municipalities are called language border municipalities because they lie close to the border with Wallonia. The Brussels-Capital Region (French: R gion de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, German: Region Br ssel-Hauptstadt) or Brussels Region (French: R gion Bruxelloise, Dutch: Brusselse Gewest) is one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Wallonia (French: Wallonie, German: Wallonien, Walloon: Walonreye, Dutch: Wallonië) or the Walloon Region (French: Région Wallonne, Dutch: Waals Gewest) is the predominantly French-speaking region that constitutes one of the three federal regions of Belgium, with its capital at Namur. ...

Rim municipalities

• Drogenbos
• Kraainem
• Linkebeek
• Sint-Genesius-Rode (French: Rhode-Saint-Genèse)
• Wemmel
• Wezembeek-Oppem

Wezembeek-Oppem and Kraainem are sometimes referred to as the "Oostrand" (literally "East rim" in English). In 2005, a survey conducted by an independent research agency, Dedicated Research [1], and published in Le Soir on February 14, 2005, indicated that in all six rim municipalities, the majority of the population was French-speakers (the study was unofficial, since public authorities refuse to undertake any census). More precisely, the survey estimated that the French-speaking population in Drogenbos amounts to 55% of the population, 78% in Kraainem, 79% in Linkebeek, 54% in Wemmel, 72% in Wezembeek-Oppem, and 58% in Sint-Genesius-Rode. Drogenbos is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. ... Kraainem (French: Kraainem or Crainhem (not officialy) is a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Linkebeek is a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Sint-Genesius-Rode (French: Rhode-Saint-Genèse) is a municipality located in Flanders, one of three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of Flemish Brabant. ... Wemmel is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. ... Wezembeek-Oppem is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Le Soir (meaning The Evening) is a Belgian newspaper in French. ... February 14 is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Language border municipalities

• Bever (French: Biévène)
• Herstappe
• Mesen (French: Messines)
• Ronse (French: Renaix)
• Spiere-Helkijn (French: Espierres-Helchin)
• Voeren (French: Fourons)

the coat of arms of the Bever municipality Bever (unofficially Biévène in French) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. ... Herstappe is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. ... Mesen (French: Messines) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. ... Ronse (French: Renaix) is a municipality located in the province of East Flanders, Flemish Region, Belgium. ... Spiere-Helkijn (French: Espierres-Helchin) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. ... Voeren (French: Fourons) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. ...

Municipalities in Wallonia with Dutch-language facilities

• Comines-Warneton (Dutch: Komen-Waasten)
• Enghien (Dutch: Edingen)
• Flobecq (Dutch: Vloesberg)
• Mouscron (Dutch: Moeskroen)

Comines-Warneton (Dutch: Komen-Waasten) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. ... For the town in France, see Enghien-les-Bains. ... Flobecq (Dutch: Vloesberg) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. ... Mouscron (Dutch: Moeskroen) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. ...

Municipalities in Wallonia with limited educational provisions for German- and Dutch-language minorities

• Baelen
• Plombières (Dutch/German: Plombières, not officially: Bleiberg)
• Welkenraedt (German, not officially: Welkenrath, Dutch: Welkenraat)

Baelen is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. ... Geography Country Belgium Region Walloon Region Community French Community Province Liège Arrondissement Verviers Coordinates Area 53. ... Welkenraedt is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. ...

Municipalities in Wallonia with German-language facilities

• Malmedy (German: Malmedy, not officially: Malmünd)
• Waimes (German: Weismes)

Malmedy Cathedral, built in 1777 Malmedy is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. ... Waimes is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. ...

Municipalities in Wallonia belonging to the German language region with French-language facilities

All municipalities in the German language region have French-language facilities:

• Amel (French: Amblève)
• Büllingen (French: Bullange)
• Burg-Reuland
• Bütgenbach (French: Butgenbach)
• Eupen (French: Eupen, not officially: Néau)
• Kelmis (French: La Calamine)
• Lontzen
• Raeren
• Sankt Vith (French: Saint-Vith)

Amel (French: Amblève) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège and the German speaking community in Belgium. ... Büllingen is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. ... Burg-Reuland is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. ... Bütgenbach (French: Butgenbach) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. ... St Nikolaus church in Eupen Eupen is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège, 15 km from the German border (Aachen), from the Dutch border (Maastricht) and from the nature reservation Hohes Venn (Ardennes). ... Kelmis (in French, La Calamine) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. ... Lontzen is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. ... Geography Country Belgium Region Walloon Region Community German-speaking Community Province Liège Arrondissement Verviers Coordinates Area 74. ... Sankt Vith (French: Saint-Vith) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Li ge. ...

See also

• Municipalities in Belgium
• List of municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region
• List of municipalities of the Flemish Region
• List of municipalities of the Walloon Region
• De Gordel
• Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde
• Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities [2] [3] (not ratified by Flanders, which implies that Belgium is the only country in the Council of Europe not to have ratified the Charter)
• European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (not ratified by Flanders)

Belgium comprises 589 municipalities (Dutch: gemeenten, French: communes, German: Gemeinde) grouped into five provinces in each of two regions and into a third region, the Brussels-Capital Region, comprising 19 municipalities that do not belong to a province. ... The Brussels-Capital Region is divided into 19 municipalities: Seven municipalities have only one official name which are usable in Dutch and French although the name is Ducth; the other twelve officially have both a Dutch and a French name. ... The Flemish region has 308 municipalities. ... Wallonia has the following 262 municipalities: Categories: | | ... De Gordel (Dutch for the belt) is a highly political cycling and walking event around Brussels, Belgium. ... Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde (often abbreviated as BHV) is a contentious Belgian electoral district in the center of the country that encompasses both the officially bilingual Brussels-Capital region as well as an officially unilingual Dutch-speaking area, Halle-Vilvoorde, around it. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wikisource. ... // The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML) is a European treaty (CETS 148) adopted in 1992 under the auspices of the Council of Europe to protect and promote historical regional and minority languages in Europe. ...

References

1. ^ Huysentruyt, Stefaan (2005-01-24). Faciliteiten zijn Fransiliteiten (Dutch). De Tijd (financial & economical newspaper). Retrieved on 2007-06-11. “In hun berichten aan de bevolking, moeten de faciliteitengemeenten tweetalig zijn. Maar in Edingen staat in het beste geval in een verloren hoekje van het bericht de mededeling: 'Wenst u een Nederlandstalige kopie van deze brief, gelieve het ons te melden.' In het slechtste geval worden de brieven verstuurd door privé-firma's of VZW's en zijn ze compleet in het Frans. Het delegeren van gemeen-tetaken aan VZW's, om zo de taalwet te omzeilen, is een techniek waaraan alle Waalse faciliteitengemeenten zich gretig bezondigen, net als de Brusselse gemeenten overigens.” (quote attributed to the interviewed Leo Camerlynck)

2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 24 is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... De Tijd (English: The Times), formerly De Financieel-Economische Tijd (The Financial Economical Times), is a Belgian broadsheet newspaper that mainly focuses on business and economics. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... June 11 is the 162nd day of the year (163rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Summary of the report from Lili Nabholz-Haidegger