Brussels, 14/02/2014 (Agence Europe) - France is progressing towards the ratification of the European charter for regional languages. The French National Assembly has recently voted in favour of a proposal for legislation to assess the need for a constitutional review. France, which is among the very few countries directly concerned by the issue of regional languages to have still not ratified the charter, has until now stumbled on a constitutional problem - and only a change to the constitution can enable France to move forwards to ratification. On 11 September, the European Parliament adopted, by a very large majority, the Alfonsi report on regional languages threatened with extinction. In this report, the MEPs called on the member states that had still not ratified the charter, to do so (see EUROPE 10920). Out of the 47 members of the Council of Europe, only 25 have ratified the charter - but those that have not done so are, in fact, little concerned by the issue. The French Senate must now decide on the draft legislation. (IL/transl.fl)