Precepts on languages of the Catalan statute.
Article 6. One’s own language and the official languages.
1. Catalonia’s own language is Catalan. As such, Catalan is the language of normal and preferential use of public administrations and public media in Catalonia, and it is also the language normally used as a vehicle and for learning in teaching.
2. Catalan is the official language of Catalonia. So is Spanish, which is the official language of the Spanish state. Everyone has the right to use the two official languages and the citizens of Catalonia have the right and the duty to know them. The public authorities of Catalonia must establish the necessary measures to facilitate the exercise of these rights and the fulfilment of this duty. According to the provisions of article 32, there can be no discrimination for the use of one or another language.
3. The Generalitat and the State must undertake the necessary actions for the recognition of the official status of Catalan in the European Union and the presence and use of Catalan in international bodies and in international treaties with cultural or linguistic content.
4. The Generalitat must promote communication and cooperation with the other communities and territories that share linguistic heritage with Catalonia. To this end, the Generalitat and the State, as appropriate, may sign agreements, treaties and other collaboration mechanisms for the promotion and external dissemination of Catalan.
5. The Occitan language, called Aranese in Aran, is the language of this territory and is official in Catalonia, in accordance with the provisions of this Statute and the Laws of Linguistic Normalization.
2. Catalan is the official language of Catalonia. So is Spanish, which is the official language of the Spanish state. Everyone has the right to use the two official languages and the citizens of Catalonia have the right and the duty to know them. The public authorities of Catalonia must establish the necessary measures to facilitate the exercise of these rights and the fulfilment of this duty. According to the provisions of article 32, there can be no discrimination for the use of one or another language.
3. The Generalitat and the State must undertake the necessary actions for the recognition of the official status of Catalan in the European Union and the presence and use of Catalan in international bodies and in international treaties with cultural or linguistic content.
4. The Generalitat must promote communication and cooperation with the other communities and territories that share linguistic heritage with Catalonia. To this end, the Generalitat and the State, as appropriate, may sign agreements, treaties and other collaboration mechanisms for the promotion and external dissemination of Catalan.
5. The Occitan language, called Aranese in Aran, is the language of this territory and is official in Catalonia, in accordance with the provisions of this Statute and the Laws of Linguistic Normalization.
Article 32. Rights and duties of knowledge and use of languages.
Everyone has the right not to be discriminated against on linguistic grounds. Legal acts carried out in either of the two official languages are, in terms of language, fully valid and effective.
Article 33. Linguistic rights before public administrations and state institutions.
1. Citizens have the right of linguistic choice. In relations with institutions, organizations and public administrations in Catalonia, all people have the right to use the official language of their choice. This right obliges the institutions, organizations and public administrations, including the electoral administration in Catalonia, and, in general, the private entities that depend on them when they exercise public functions.
2. All persons, in relations with the Administration of Justice, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, notaries and public registries, have the right to use the official language of their choice in all judicial, notarial and registry proceedings, and to receive all official documentation issued in Catalonia in the requested language, without being able to suffer defencelessness or undue delays due to the language used, nor can they be required to have any type of translation.
3. In order to guarantee the right of linguistic choice, Judges and Magistrates, Prosecutors, Notaries, Property Registrars and Merchants, Civil Registry Officers and personnel in the service of the Administration of Justice, in order to provide their services in Catalonia, must prove, in the manner established in the Laws, that they have an adequate and sufficient level of knowledge of the official languages, which makes them able to exercise the functions proper to their position or their job.
4. In order to guarantee the right of linguistic choice, the State Administration located in Catalonia must certify that the staff in its service have an adequate and sufficient level of knowledge of the two official languages, which makes it suitable to exercise the functions proper to its job.
5. The citizens of Catalonia have the right to communicate in writing in Catalan with the constitutional bodies and with the jurisdictional bodies of the state, in accordance with the procedure established by the corresponding legislation. These institutions must attend to and must process the writings presented in Catalan that will, in any case, have full legal effectiveness.
2. All persons, in relations with the Administration of Justice, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, notaries and public registries, have the right to use the official language of their choice in all judicial, notarial and registry proceedings, and to receive all official documentation issued in Catalonia in the requested language, without being able to suffer defencelessness or undue delays due to the language used, nor can they be required to have any type of translation.
3. In order to guarantee the right of linguistic choice, Judges and Magistrates, Prosecutors, Notaries, Property Registrars and Merchants, Civil Registry Officers and personnel in the service of the Administration of Justice, in order to provide their services in Catalonia, must prove, in the manner established in the Laws, that they have an adequate and sufficient level of knowledge of the official languages, which makes them able to exercise the functions proper to their position or their job.
4. In order to guarantee the right of linguistic choice, the State Administration located in Catalonia must certify that the staff in its service have an adequate and sufficient level of knowledge of the two official languages, which makes it suitable to exercise the functions proper to its job.
5. The citizens of Catalonia have the right to communicate in writing in Catalan with the constitutional bodies and with the jurisdictional bodies of the state, in accordance with the procedure established by the corresponding legislation. These institutions must attend to and must process the writings presented in Catalan that will, in any case, have full legal effectiveness.
Article 34. Linguistic rights of consumers and users.
All persons have the right to be served orally and in writing in the official language of their choice as users or consumers of goods, products and services. Entities, companies and establishments open to the public in Catalonia are subject to the duty of linguistic availability in the terms established by law.
Article 35. Linguistic rights in the field of education.
1. All persons have the right to receive education in Catalan, in accordance with the provisions of this Statute. Catalan should normally be used as a vehicle and learning language in university and non-university education.
2. Students have the right to receive instruction in Catalan in non-university education. They also have the right and duty to know Catalan and Spanish sufficiently orally and in writing at the end of compulsory education, regardless of their usual language when they enter the school. The teaching of Catalan and Spanish must have an adequate presence in the curricula.
3. Pupils have the right not to be separated in different schools or class groups by reason of their usual language.
4. Students who enter later than the age corresponding to the school system in Catalonia enjoy the right to receive special linguistic support if lack of understanding makes it difficult for them to follow the teaching normally.
5. Teachers and students of university centres have the right to express themselves, orally and in writing, in the official language of their choice.
2. Students have the right to receive instruction in Catalan in non-university education. They also have the right and duty to know Catalan and Spanish sufficiently orally and in writing at the end of compulsory education, regardless of their usual language when they enter the school. The teaching of Catalan and Spanish must have an adequate presence in the curricula.
3. Pupils have the right not to be separated in different schools or class groups by reason of their usual language.
4. Students who enter later than the age corresponding to the school system in Catalonia enjoy the right to receive special linguistic support if lack of understanding makes it difficult for them to follow the teaching normally.
5. Teachers and students of university centres have the right to express themselves, orally and in writing, in the official language of their choice.
Article 36. Rights in relation to the Aranese.
1. In Arán all persons have the right to know and use the Aranese and to be attended to orally and in writing in Aranese in their relations with the public administrations and with the public and private entities that depend on them.
2. The citizens of Aran have the right to use the Aranese in their relations with the Generalitat.
3. The other linguistic rights and duties in relation to the Aranese must be determined by law.
2. The citizens of Aran have the right to use the Aranese in their relations with the Generalitat.
3. The other linguistic rights and duties in relation to the Aranese must be determined by law.
Article 50. Promotion and dissemination of Catalan.
1. The public authorities must protect Catalan in all areas and sectors and must promote its use, dissemination and knowledge. These principles should also be applied with respect to the Aranese.
2. The Government, universities and institutions of higher education, within the scope of their respective competences, must take appropriate measures to ensure the use of Catalan in all areas of teaching, non-teaching and research activities.
3. The policies to promote Catalan should be extended to the whole State, the European Union and the rest of the world.
4. The public authorities must ensure that the information on the labelling, packaging and instructions for use of products distributed in Catalonia is also available in Catalan.
5. The Generalitat, the local administration and the other public corporations of Catalonia, the institutions and companies that depend on them and the concessionaires of their services must use Catalan in their internal actions and in the relationship between them. They must also use it in communications and notifications addressed to natural or legal persons residing in Catalonia, without prejudice to the right of citizens to receive them in Spanish if they request it.
6. The public authorities must guarantee the use of the Catalan sign language and the conditions to achieve equality for people with deafness who choose this language, which must be subject to education, protection and respect.
7. The State, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, must support the application of the principles established by this article. Instruments for coordination and, where appropriate, joint action should be established to make them more effective.
2. The Government, universities and institutions of higher education, within the scope of their respective competences, must take appropriate measures to ensure the use of Catalan in all areas of teaching, non-teaching and research activities.
3. The policies to promote Catalan should be extended to the whole State, the European Union and the rest of the world.
4. The public authorities must ensure that the information on the labelling, packaging and instructions for use of products distributed in Catalonia is also available in Catalan.
5. The Generalitat, the local administration and the other public corporations of Catalonia, the institutions and companies that depend on them and the concessionaires of their services must use Catalan in their internal actions and in the relationship between them. They must also use it in communications and notifications addressed to natural or legal persons residing in Catalonia, without prejudice to the right of citizens to receive them in Spanish if they request it.
6. The public authorities must guarantee the use of the Catalan sign language and the conditions to achieve equality for people with deafness who choose this language, which must be subject to education, protection and respect.
7. The State, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, must support the application of the principles established by this article. Instruments for coordination and, where appropriate, joint action should be established to make them more effective.
Article 65. Promulgation and publication of laws.
The laws of Catalonia are promulgated, on behalf of the King, by the President of the Generalitat, who orders their publication in the “Official Diari of the Generalitat de Catalunya” within fifteen days of its approval and in the “Official State Gazette”. For the purpose of its entry into force, the date of publication in the “Official Diari of the Generalitat de Catalunya” governs. The official version in Spanish is the translation prepared by the Generalitat.
Article 101. Competitions and competitions.
1. The Generalitat proposes to the Government of the State, the General Council of the Judicial Power or the Council of Justice of Catalonia, as appropriate, the call for competitions and contests to fill the vacant positions of Magistrates, Judges and Prosecutors in Catalonia.
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3. The tests of the contests and the competitions regulated by this article, when they are held in Catalonia, may be carried out in any of the two official languages chosen by the candidate.
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3. The tests of the contests and the competitions regulated by this article, when they are held in Catalonia, may be carried out in any of the two official languages chosen by the candidate.
Article 102. Judicial personnel and other personnel at the service of the Administration of Justice in Catalonia.
1. The Magistrates, Judges and Prosecutors who occupy a place in Catalonia must demonstrate an adequate and sufficient knowledge of Catalan to make effective the linguistic rights of citizens in the form and with the scope determined by the Law.
2. The Magistrates, Judges and Prosecutors who occupy a place in Catalonia must demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the law of Catalonia in the form and with the scope determined by the Law.
3. In any case, sufficient knowledge of one’s own language and law will be specifically and uniquely valued in order to obtain a place in the corresponding transfer competitions.
4. The staff at the service of the Administration of Justice and the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Catalonia must demonstrate an adequate and sufficient knowledge of the two official languages that makes them able to exercise the functions of their position or job.
2. The Magistrates, Judges and Prosecutors who occupy a place in Catalonia must demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the law of Catalonia in the form and with the scope determined by the Law.
3. In any case, sufficient knowledge of one’s own language and law will be specifically and uniquely valued in order to obtain a place in the corresponding transfer competitions.
4. The staff at the service of the Administration of Justice and the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Catalonia must demonstrate an adequate and sufficient knowledge of the two official languages that makes them able to exercise the functions of their position or job.
Article 143. One’s own language.
1. The Generalitat of Catalonia has exclusive competence in matters of its own language, which includes, in any case, the determination of the scope, uses and legal effects of its official status, as well as the linguistic normalization of Catalan.
2. The Generalitat and also the Conselh Generau de Arán are responsible for the competence on the linguistic normalization of occitan, called Aranese in Aran.
2. The Generalitat and also the Conselh Generau de Arán are responsible for the competence on the linguistic normalization of occitan, called Aranese in Aran.
Article 146. Social media and audiovisual content services.
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3. The Generalitat will promote the linguistic and cultural pluralism of Catalonia in the social media.
3. The Generalitat will promote the linguistic and cultural pluralism of Catalonia in the social media.
Article 147. Notarized and public records.
1. The Generalitat of Catalonia, in matters of notaries and public registers of property, mercantiles and movable property, has the executive competence that includes in any case:
a) The appointment of notaries and registrars of property, mercantiles and movable property, through the convocation, administration and resolution of free and restricted competitions and contests, which must be convened and carried out until the formalization of the appointments. For the provision of notaries and registers, candidates must be admitted in equal rights and must prove knowledge of the Catalan language and law in the form and with the scope established by the Statute and the Laws.
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3. Within the framework of the general regulations, the Generalitat is responsible for executive competence in matters of Civil Registration, including the appointment of its officers, interim and substitute, the exercise of the disciplinary function in relation to them, as well as the provision of the human and material means necessary for the exercise of the functions. These managers must prove their knowledge of the Catalan language and Catalan law in the form and scope established by the Statute and the Laws.
a) The appointment of notaries and registrars of property, mercantiles and movable property, through the convocation, administration and resolution of free and restricted competitions and contests, which must be convened and carried out until the formalization of the appointments. For the provision of notaries and registers, candidates must be admitted in equal rights and must prove knowledge of the Catalan language and law in the form and with the scope established by the Statute and the Laws.
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3. Within the framework of the general regulations, the Generalitat is responsible for executive competence in matters of Civil Registration, including the appointment of its officers, interim and substitute, the exercise of the disciplinary function in relation to them, as well as the provision of the human and material means necessary for the exercise of the functions. These managers must prove their knowledge of the Catalan language and Catalan law in the form and scope established by the Statute and the Laws.
