The Basque Confederation welcomes the fact that these two deliberations have been voted on by a large majority. As for the first debate, in July 2016, the Basque Confederation, in its Roadmap for Basque Language–New Language Policy, stressed that Basque should be officially recognized as a territorial language. Likewise, in the joint declaration that we launched with the Basque Government in November 2016, we reaffirmed the need to recognize a certain official character of the Basque language.

Official recognition of Basque. Although this debate on Saturday seems symbolic or obvious, it should be remembered that this is the first time that an institution of the Basque Country has officially recognized Basque as the language of this territory through a vote. On the other hand, this deliberation confirms and strengthens the will of the Basque College to carry out a bold linguistic policy in favour of the Basque language.

Language policy project. With regard to the language policy project, the Basque Confederation considers it appropriate and substantial. In fact, after reminding us that the steps that are currently being taken in favor of Basque are thanks to the work done by the dialect for many years, we can say that, without going into a very detailed analysis of the twenty-one areas of intervention, in addition to the ambitious objectives and measures set by areas, other points of interest as important as others appear in the document, such as:

Language experimentation to determine the project. As we have stressed, although the draft language policy is courageous, it is limited by the lack of adequate French legislation. In order to overcome the current legal blockades by mobilizing legal resources, it is absolutely necessary for the College to undertake this type of work. It is plausible to see this passion for changing the legal framework through experimentation, in order to go further in the development of the Basque language, in order to promote co-officiality.

The intention to set clear objectives. In the analysis of the linguistic policies that have been implemented so far in the North Basque Country from the Xu, the lack of an encrypted objective to locate them in time is a shortcoming that the Basque Confederation has often highlighted. The desire to set such objectives in the course of the project is positive, just as it is positive to include in the project the monitoring and permanent evaluation of language policy, since these two issues are strictly interrelated.

The desire for encouragement and encouragement within the ENP. Although the competence of language policy is shared among the different institutional levels, the Basque Confederation insisted that one should give it a political impulse. Therefore, the Basque Confederation welcomes the fact that, in addition to supporting the agents of the popular blockade, they want the role of stimulator and instigator within the PEI so that the other institutions – the State, the Region, the Department – increase the presence and use of the Basque language in their services and infrastructures in the Northern Basque Country.

Create a mutual listening device. The first draft of the language policy project was presented to the different actors of the dialect so that they could make notes, proposals for improvement... The Basque Confederation appreciated the consultation of these agents of the terreno. The fact that the language policy project is now ready and voted upon to continue the concert with the popular movement through such a mutual listening device, for the benefit of language public policy, is as appropriate as it is necessary for the Basque Confederation.

Since in February 2017 he decided to assume the competence of the language policy to vote for these two debates last Saturday, passing through the establishment of the Basque Language Commission by the elected representatives, we can say that the trajectory of the Basque Language School so far in its short life is optimistic.

Taking into account the content of these two discussions, we have a solid basis for a qualitative and quantitative leap forward in language policy in favour of the Basque language in the Northern Basque Country. Now it will be the duty of the Basque College to carry out this linguistic policy, that is, to move from good intentions to actions. A nice challenge that will require a lot of work.

In contributing to the construction of the language policy project as has been done so far, the Basque Confederation and its members are ready to work together, from where each one is and taking into account their role, because in this great work we all have what to bring and what to propose.

That Basque is now officially recognized as the language of the Northern Basque Country, so that we can offer you a linguistic policy as you need and deserve!

The Basque Confederation

Bayonne, June 23, 2018.