| This article is in need of attention. | | More information may be available on the article's talk page. | The municipalities with linguistic facilities or municipalities with facilities (Dutch: "faciliteitengemeenten", French: "communes à facilités") are Belgian municipalities with special law provisions to protect rights of their (historic) linguistic minorities. They are so-called 'municipalities with a special status'. A municipality or general-purpose district (compare with: special-purpose district) is an administrative local area generally composed of a clearly defined territory and commonly referring to a city, town, or village government. ...
Broadly conceived, linguistics is the study of human language, and a linguist is someone who engages in this study. ...
The definition of a minority group can vary, depending on specific context, but generally refers to either a sub-group that does not form either a majority or a plurality of the total population, or a group that, while not necessarily a numerical minority, is disadvantaged or otherwise has less...
Basically, in these municipalities it is possible to relate with the local and federal administration, in another language than the official language of the Region 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). Flanders (Flemish, Fleming) (Dutch: Vlaanderen (Vlaams, Vlaming)) has-diddley two-diddley main-diddley designations-diddley: a-diddley geographical-diddley region-diddley in-diddley-diddley-diddley the-diddley north-diddley of-diddley Belgium-diddley, corresponding-diddley to-diddley the-diddley Flemish Region, a-diddley consituent-diddley part-diddley of-diddley the...
Wallonia (French: Wallonie) or the Walloon Region (French: Région Wallonne) 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 linguistic regions as from the July 31, 1921 law: the Dutch-speaking Flemish region, the French-speaking Walloon region, and the bilingual region of Brussels (capital city). The linguistic regions of 1921 had actually no institutional translation in the structure of the Belgian state, then still constitutionaly divided into provinces and municipalities. Thence a French-speaking unilingual municipality could for instance be part of the West Flanders province.
The Belgian linguistic 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 linguistic region 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 Luxemburgian-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 Commissionner. There was, and still is, a Luxemburgian-speaking minority in some municipalities bordering the Grand-Duchy of Luxemburg. It has been suggested that Irreconcilables be merged into this article or section. ...
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 linguistic facilities for the French-speaking minority (Evere, Ganshoren and Berchem-Sainte-Agathe/Sint-Agatha-Berchem) to the bilingual region of Brussels, thus and introduced linguistic facilities for the French-speaking minority in four previously unilingual Flemish municipalities (Drogenbos, Kraainem, Wemmel and Linkebeek). 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 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 linguistic areas were formally determined: the Dutch language area (now also corresponding with the Flemish Region), the bilingual area of Brussels-capital, 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. ...
National motto: Walon todi ! (Walloon forever!) Official languages French, German Capital Namur Minister-President Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe Area - Total 16,844 km² Population - Total (2002) - Density 3,358,560 inhabitants 199. ...
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. There, 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. ...
1962 and August 2, 1963's laws. 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...
August 2 is the 214th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (215th in leap years), with 151 days remaining. ...
1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ...
Actual implementation of linguistic facilities Currently, both Flemings 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 sollicited to arbitrate. Political discussions are often held in various competent assemblies as the Belgian 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. Flemings (Dutch: Vlamingen) are inhabitants of Flanders in the widest sense of the term, i. ...
The Belgian Federal Parliament is a bicameral parliament, it consists of two chambers. ...
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 Flemings. Both are legally required to do so, but the French Community claims the number of interested students is below the viable threshold to maintain a school in the concerned municipalities. Note also that 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.
- That Belgian courts are extremely reluctant to arbitrate in all matters related to the linguistic and ethnic rights of the various ethnic and linguistic groups in Belgium.
The term Walloon may refer to either the Walloon language, or to the ethnic people of the same name. ...
Flemings (Dutch: Vlamingen) are inhabitants of Flanders in the widest sense of the term, i. ...
Recent trends Given some problems of French-speakers who migrated towards the "rim municipalities", Flemings grew dissatisfied by the continued presence of those French-speakers. As a result, there is now a reaction in Flanders demanding that the current linguistic facilities should not be maintained, 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 (Flemish, Fleming) (Dutch: Vlaanderen (Vlaams, Vlaming)) has-diddley two-diddley main-diddley designations-diddley: a-diddley geographical-diddley region-diddley in-diddley-diddley-diddley the-diddley north-diddley of-diddley Belgium-diddley, corresponding-diddley to-diddley the-diddley Flemish Region, a-diddley consituent-diddley part-diddley of-diddley the...
Militant French-speakers want to maintain all current facilities in Flanders, extend them in scope and in area. This would result in a de facto extension of the bilingual area of Brussels. French-speaking political parties especially protested against the Flemish ministerial circular letters from the socialist minister Leo Peeters. Their complaint with the Council of State is still pending. Flanders (Flemish, Fleming) (Dutch: Vlaanderen (Vlaams, Vlaming)) has-diddley two-diddley main-diddley designations-diddley: a-diddley geographical-diddley region-diddley in-diddley-diddley-diddley the-diddley north-diddley of-diddley Belgium-diddley, corresponding-diddley to-diddley the-diddley Flemish Region, a-diddley consituent-diddley part-diddley of-diddley the...
The Council of State is the name of an organ of government in many states, and especially in republics. ...
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. Moreover, this recommendation is seen by several 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). ...
For the Cusco album, see 2002 (album). ...
The Palace of Europe in Strasbourg The Council of Europe (French: Conseil de lEurope, German: Europarat) is an international organisation of 46 member states in the European region. ...
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. Flanders (Flemish, Fleming) (Dutch: Vlaanderen (Vlaams, Vlaming)) has-diddley two-diddley main-diddley designations-diddley: a-diddley geographical-diddley region-diddley in-diddley-diddley-diddley the-diddley north-diddley of-diddley Belgium-diddley, corresponding-diddley to-diddley the-diddley Flemish Region, a-diddley consituent-diddley part-diddley of-diddley the...
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) or the Walloon Region (French: Région Wallonne) is the predominantly French-speaking region that constitutes one of the three federal regions of Belgium, with its capital at Namur. ...
Rim municipalities 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) 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 Flemish province of East Flanders, in 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 Wallonia (French: Wallonie) or the Walloon Region (French: Région Wallonne) is the predominantly French-speaking region that constitutes one of the three federal regions of Belgium, with its capital at Namur. ...
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 is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. ...
Plombières is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. ...
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 build 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: The German-speaking Community of Belgium or Deutschsprachige Gemeinschaft Belgien in German is one of several federal communities in Belgium. ...
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 (French: Néau) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège, 10 miles 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. ...
Raeren is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. ...
Sankt Vith (French: Saint-Vith) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Li ge. ...
See also Belgium is divided into 589 municipalities (Dutch: gemeenten, French: communes, German: Gemeinde) grouped into three regions and 10 provinces, except the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital region which do not belong to any of the 10 provinces. ...
Wallonia has the following 262 municipalities: ...
The Flemish region has 308 municipalities. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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