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Memorandum 6th July 2010

On 6th July, the third meeting of the Official Languages Council was held, chaired by the Secretary of State for Territorial Cooperation, Gaspar Zarrías Arévalo.

Contents of the meeting

¨ The 2009 Report of the Official Languages Office was presented to the Council, as required by article 8.3 of Royal Decree 905/2007, and commissioned by the Council at its previous meeting. The report has been drawn up following a series of consultations made to all Ministerial Departments and certain bodies that are specifically affected.

The Report analyses the progress and significant improvements made in 2009 regarding the use of official languages in Central Government, particularly in relation to language training for employees, printed documentation, forms, posters, signs and signage, webpages, and the continuance of outstanding examples of good practices in certain bodies, for example, the Directorate General of Traffic, the Tax Authority, Social Security or the National Institute of Public Administration (INAP).

¨ Reports have been received and analysed from the representatives of all Ministerial Departments regarding the status and actions taken in the area of official languages and, in particular, their webpages and electronic headquarters.

¨ The eight complaints received by the Official Languages Office in 2009 have been examined and evaluated.

¨ The Council has agreed to adopt the recommendations made in the 2009 Report submitted by the Official Languages Office at the meeting and which are summarised below:

· Determine which positions require knowledge of an official language as a requirement or desirable skill.

· Provide intensive training to staff in positions that will require knowledge of an official language as a requirement.

· Develop specific projects for training in official languages and Ministries and organisations with sufficient staffing provisions in Autonomous Regions with a joint official language.

· Encourage online training in official languages.

· Final culmination of the process of translating printed documentation, forms, posters, signs and signage into official languages.

· Immediate translation of new standardised printed documents and forms.

· Complete full accessibility to webpages in official languages.

· Complete the offer of contents and services available through the electronic headquarters of Ministries and public bodies.

· Ensure the use of official languages in institutional publicity and communication campaigns run by Central Government.

· Promote and spread examples of good practices in Central Government.

· Institutionalise collaborative relations with the Autonomous Regions to exchange information, carry out joint studies and achieve full compliance with the agreements between Spain and EU institutions regarding the use of official languages in said regions, among other aims.

· Organise workshops with the Autonomous Regions regarding the use of official languages.

· Continue to compile information from Ministries to draw up the Office’s annual report.