Council of Europe: Progress in protecting minority languages in Austria, but further action needed

30.09.2026

Austria has made progress in protecting and promoting its minority languages in recent years. At the same time, further action is needed, particularly in education, public administration and the judiciary. These are the findings of the Council of Europe’s sixth evaluation report on the implementation of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, published in September 2026.

The report examines the situation of the six minority languages protected under the Charter in Austria: Burgenland Croatian, Czech, Hungarian, Romani, Slovak and Slovenian. The Charter has been in force in Austria since 2001. The assessment is based, among other things, on discussions held by a delegation of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Experts with authorities and representatives of the national minorities during a monitoring visit.

The Council of Europe acknowledges that Austria has a well-developed system for protecting and promoting minority languages, as well as generally good dialogue between the authorities and language communities. Measures to promote bilingualism in public administration, improvements in preschool education and new curricula that give greater consideration to the languages, cultures and history of the six national minorities are among the developments assessed positively.

The report also highlights initiatives launched by the Austrian Parliament to mark the 50th anniversary of the National Minorities Act in 2026. These initiatives aim to increase the visibility of national minorities and their languages.

Despite this progress, the Council of Europe identifies shortcomings. In Vienna and Styria in particular, there is a lack of a structured, long-term strategy for the protection and promotion of minority languages.

The report cites the Komenský School in Vienna, which provides bilingual education in Czech and Slovak from kindergarten to secondary school, as an example. The institution is considered a model for other national minorities but continues to face financial difficulties. The Council of Europe therefore calls for a long-term solution to secure its future.

Further challenges include a shortage of qualified bilingual teachers, particularly at preschool level, and insufficient teaching materials.

The Council of Europe also notes progress in the use of minority languages in public life. In Carinthia, for example, 100 online forms used by local authorities have been translated into Slovenian. In Schandorf/Čemba in Burgenland, a care home for older people that opened in 2023 offers care in Burgenland Croatian and Hungarian.

Nevertheless, the Committee of Experts recommends further measures to strengthen the use of Burgenland Croatian, Hungarian and Slovenian before courts and in public administration.

Regarding the media, the report highlights the presence of all six minority languages, particularly through the services of Austria’s public broadcaster ORF. However, the scope and frequency of media offerings remain insufficient for some language communities.

The Council of Europe therefore recommends that Austria develop a more comprehensive strategy for minority language protection, train sufficient numbers of qualified teachers and facilitate the use of minority languages in public life. It also calls for greater awareness of the languages and cultures of national minorities as part of Austria’s cultural heritage.

The report shows that the measures taken so far have produced results, but further efforts are needed to ensure the long-term preservation and use of minority languages.

The full sixth evaluation report of the Council of Europe is available in English. Further information can be found in the Council of Europe’s press release.