Authority for Linguistic Minorities

The Authority for Linguistic Minorities is established within the Provincial Council and operates with full autonomy and independence, with the following functions

• it exercises powers of assessment, supervision and inspection for the correct implementation of the legislation on the protection and promotion of linguistic minorities
• It carries out consultative and signalling activities to the Provincial Council, to the Comun general de Fascia and to the municipalities referred to in Article 3, as well as to the relevant communities, also for the purpose of defining, transposing and implementing international, Community, State, regional and provincial legislation on the protection of linguistic minorities
• It supervises the allocation of the resources allocated by public bodies in favour of linguistic minorities and assesses the effectiveness and appropriateness of the measures implemented in support of linguistic minorities, with particular reference to the provisions of Article 15 of the Special Statute for Trentino - Alto Adige/Südtirol
• expresses an opinion to the Ombudsman on acts or procedures of the Province and of the other provincial bodies or those established by provincial laws, of the concessionaires of public services, as well as of the other bodies that have an agreement with the Ombudsman, that affect legal positions connected with the protection or promotion of linguistic minorities; the opinion is rendered at the request of the Ombudsman within fifteen days of the request
• submits an annual report to the Provincial Council on the overall assessment of policies, activities and interventions for the promotion and protection of minority languages; the report may contain proposals on the matter and highlights critical elements regarding the effectiveness of measures for the protection and promotion of minority languages.

The authority is a collegial body consisting of three members, appointed by the Provincial Council by a two-thirds majority of its members.

The members of the authority are chosen from persons of high and recognised professionalism and legal, social and cultural competence; they remain in office for seven years and cannot be reappointed.

From the members appointed by the Council, the President of the Provincial Council appoints the President of the Authority in consultation with the President of the Minorities Conference.