[International obligations and access to remedies]
Regional treaties - Europe »
To access more detailed information on each country, click on the country name. For reservations relevant to the right to education, move the cursor over the symbol , and to read full text of the conventions from the website of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Click on the abbreviation at the top of the column.    printer friendly format
States Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Council of Europe 1950ECHR First Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Council of Europe 1954 [art. 2 - right to education]PROT 1 European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, Council of Europe 1992ECRML Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, Council of Europe, 1995FCPNM European Social Charter revised, Council of Europe, 1996ESC 1996 Additional Protocol to the European Social Charter providing for a system of collective complaints (158), Council of Europe, 1995ADD PROT back to introduction --»
Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria Declaration: 'National Minorities' within the meaning of the Framework Convention is understood to designate those groups which come within the scope of application of the law on Ethnic Groups and which live and traditionally have had their home in parts of the territory of Austria and which are composed of Austrian citizens with non-German mother tongues and with their own ethnic cultures.
Azerbaijan The Republic of Azerbaijan declares that it interprets the second sentence of Article 2 of the Protocol (right to education) in the sense that this provision does not impose on the State any obligation to finance religious education. Declaration: The ratification of the framework convention and implementation of its provisionsdo not imply any right to engage in any activity violating the territorial integrity and sovereignty, or internal and international security of Azerbaijan.
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria Declaration: The second provision of Art. 2 of the Protocol (right to education) must not be interpreted as imposing on the State additional financial commitements relating to educational establishments with a specific philosophical or religious orientation other than the commitements of the Bulgarian State provided for in the Constitution and in legislation in force in the Country. DeclarationThe ratification and the implementation of the framework convention do not imply any right to engage in any activity violating the territorial integrity and sovereignity of the unitary Bulgarian State, its internal and international security.
Croatia The Republic of Croatia declares, in pursuance of Article 21 (reservations) of the European Charter for Regional of Minority Languages, that in respect of the Republic of Croatia the provisions of Article 7, paragraph 5 (application of objectives and principles of the charter to non-territorial languages), of the Charter shall not apply.
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark The Danish Government considers that Article 9[judicial authorities], paragraphs 1 b iii (allow judicial documents in minority languages in civil proceedings), and 1 c iii (allow judicial documents in minority languages in administrative matters), does not preclude that national procedural law may contain rules which require that documents produced in a foreign language before courts as a general rule be accompanied by a translation. Declaration: The Convention shall apply to the German minority in South Jutland of Denmark. Reservation: Part V, Article E non-Discrimination clause
Estonia Declaration: Estonia understands the term 'national minorities' as follows: Citizens of Estonia that (a) reside on the territory of Estonia; (b) maintain longstanding, firm and lasting ties with Estonia; (c) are distinct from Estonians on the basis of their ethinic, cultural, religious or linguistic characteristics; (d) are motivated by a concern to preserve together their cultural traditions, their religion or their language, which constitute the basis of their common identity.
Finland
France France intends to make the following declaration in its instrument of ratification of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages: 1. In so far as the aim of the Charter is not to recognise or protect minorities but to promote the European language heritage, and as the use of the term 'groups' of speakers does not grant collective rights to speakers of regional or minority languages, the French Government interprets this instrument in a manner compatible with the Preamble to the Constitution, which ensures the equality of all citizens before the law and recognises only the French people, composed of all citizens, without distinction as to origin, race or religion. (...) 3. The French Government interprets Article 7-1, paragraph f (teaching and study of regional or minority languages), and Article 8 (education) to mean that they preserve the optional nature of the teaching and study of regional or minority languages, as well as of the history and culture which is reflected by them, and that the purpose of this teaching is not to remove from pupils enrolled in schools on the national territory the rights and obligations applicable to all those attending establishments providing the public education service or associated therewith.
Georgia Reservation to Art. 2 (right to education) Georgia declares that it interprets Article 2 of the Protocol as not imposing on the State additional financial commitments relating to special educational establishments (with a specific philosophical or religious orientation) other than those provided by the legislation of Georgia.
Germany Declaration: The second sentence of Art. 2 of the Protocol (right to education) entails no obligation on the part of the State to finance schools. Declaration: National Minorities in Germany are the Danes of Germany citizenship and the members of the Sorbian peoplewith German citizenship. The Convention will also be appliedto members of the ethnic groups traditionally resident in Germany, the Frisians, the Sinti and the Roma of German citizenship.
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland Declaration: Art. 2 of the Protocol (right to education) is not sufficiently explicit in ensuring to parents the right to provide education for their children in their homes or in schools of the parents own choice, whether or not such schools are private or are schools recognised or established by the State
Italy
Latvia
Liechenstein Declaration: There are no regional or minority languages in the sense of the Charter in the territory of the Principality of Liechtenstein at the time of ratification. Declaration: No national minorities in the sense of the Convention exist in the territory of Liechenstein.
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta Declaration: The principle affirmed in the second sentence of Art. 2 of the Protocol (right to education) is accepted by Malta only in so far as it is compatible with the provision of efficient instruction and training, and the avoidance of unreasonable public expenditure, having regard to the fact that the population of Malta is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic. Declaration: No national minorities in the sense of the Framework Convention exist in the territory of Malta.
Netherlands Declaration: In the opinion of the Netherlands, the State should not only respect the parents of parents in the matter of education but, if need be, ensure the possibility of exercising those rights by appropriate financial measures.
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Republic of Moldova Moldova interprets the provision set out in the second sentence of Art. 2 (right to education) as precluding additional financial obligations for the State in respect of philosophically or religiously oriented schools, other than those provided for in domestic legislation.
Romania Declaration: Romania interprets Art. 2 (the right to education) as not imposing any supplementary financial burdens connectedwith private educational institutions other than those established by domestic legislation.
Russian Federation
San Marino
Slovakia The Slovak Republic declares that it shall apply the Charter in accordance with the Constitution of the Slovak Republic and the relevant international conventions ensuring the equality of all citizens before the law without distinction as to origin, race or nationality in order to promote the European language heritage without prejudice to the use of the official language. (...)The Slovak Republic interprets Article 8, paragraph 1 e i, as relating to the training of teachers, theologians, cultural and education workers without prejudice to the teaching in the official language, it being understood that the majority of teaching subjects, including the profile ones, will be conducted in the minority language, respecting the legislation of the Slovak Republic in the field of higher education institutions.
Slovenia Declaration: The Convention shall apply to the Italian and Hugarian National Minorities and also to the members of The Roma community who live in Slovenia.
Spain
Sweden Declaration: the national minorities in Sweden are Sami, Swedish Finns, Tornedalers, Roma and Jews.
Switzerland Declaration: In Switzerland national minorities in the sense of the Convention are groups of individuals numerically inferior to the rest of the population of the country or of a canton, whose members are Swiss nationals, have long-standing, firm and lasting ties with Switzerland and are guided by the will to safeguard together what constitutestheir common identity, in particular their culture, their traditions, their religion or their language. Switzerland declares that the provisions of the Convention governing the use of the language in relations between individuals and administrative authorities are applicable without prejudice to the principles observed by the Confederation and the cantons in the determination of official languages.
The Former Republic of Macedonia Reservation to Art. 2 (right to education). According to the Constitution of Macedonia, the rights of parents to ensure education and teaching in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions cannot be realised through primary private education. Citizens have a right to establish private schools at all levels of education, with the exemption of primary education, under conditions determined by law. The term 'national minorities' used in the convention is considered to be identical to the term 'nationalities' which is used in the Constitution and the laws of Macedonia. The provisions in the Convention will be applied to the Albanian, Turkish, Vlach, Roma and Serbian national minorities living on the territory of Macedonia.
Turkey Reservation to Art 2 (right to education)by reasons of Law nș 6366, 10 March 1954. Art. 2 of the Protocol shall not affect the provisions of Law nș 430 of 3 March 1924 relating to the unification of education.
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates The Principle affirmed in the second sentence of Art. 2 (right to education) is accepted by the United Kingdom only so far as it is compatible with the provision of efficient instruction and training, and avoidance of unreasonable public expenditure. Reservation are made with regard to certain territories concerning the use by teachersof moderate or reasonable corporal punishment.