Dutch

France: the Constitution states that "the language of the Republic is French" (Art. 2) and that "regional languages belong to the heritage of France" (Art. 75-1)³. France signed the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages on 7 May 1999, but the Constitutional Council ruled that it contained clauses contrary to the Constitution⁶. Law no. 2021-641 of 21 May 2021 includes regional languages in the linguistic heritage protected by the Heritage Code⁴; the Constitutional Council struck down two of its articles, on immersion teaching and on diacritical signs in civil registers⁵.

The former Nord-Pas-de-Calais Region did not support Flemish; since the 2016 merger, the Hauts-de-France Region has given it new support¹. The language pact signed in 2020 by the Ministry of Culture, the Region and two local authorities, for three renewable years, commits the Region to supporting the creation of a public office for West Flemish². In 2025 the Region was working on the design of this office and funding the association Akademie voor Nuuze Vlaemsche Taele – Institut de la langue régionale flamande¹. Advocates of West Flemish reject its classification as a dialect of Dutch¹.

France: the 2021 law allows public services to display translations into the regional language on public buildings, roads, transport infrastructure and their main communication materials⁴; however, the Constitutional Council held that a provision granting individuals a right to use a language other than French in their dealings with the administration was contrary to Article 2 of the Constitution⁵. Municipalities are the main actors giving Flemish visibility in public space, through bilingual signage¹.

France: the 2021 law provides that, under agreements between the State and the regions, the regional language is a subject taught within normal school hours, so that it can be offered to all pupils⁴. Following this law, a Ministry of Education circular has allowed West Flemish to be taught at school since 2021; the associations, the only bodies with sufficient knowledge of the language, have become an essential support in organising this teaching¹.