91998E3030

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3030/98

by Raimo Ilaskivi (PPE) to the Commission

(8 October 1998)

Subject: Finnish teaching in the Åland Islands

According to recent press reports an official of the Åland provincial government refused another official authorisation to learn Finnish, Finland's first official language, during working hours. The official concerned would have been allowed to learn other languages, however. The reason given was that knowledge of Finnish was unnecessary, since the Åland Islands are a monolingual autonomous area, despite the fact that many of the tourists visiting the Islands are Finnish. The decision refusing authorisation to learn Finnish, but not other languages, is discriminatory and demeaning.

Does the Commission take the view that the ban is, for example, consistent with the status granted to the Åland Islands by the EU? If not, what measures does the Commission plan to take in order to enable the official concerned from the Åland provincial government to learn Finnish on the same basis as other languages?

Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission

(24 November 1998)

The Commission has no jurisdiction to deal with the question asked, which is a matter solely for the national authorities concerned.