Legislation

The Usage of Languages in Information

Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia

22 August, 2000 Riga

Regulations No. 292 (Issued in accordance with Paragraphs 5 and 6 of Article 21 of the State Language Law)

I. General regulations

1. The regulations provide for:

1.1. Cases when in information intended for the public in places accessible to the public along with the state language is also permissible to use foreign languages;

1.2. Cases when institutions and persons listed in Part I, Article 21 of the State Language Law may provide information in a foreign language;

1.3. The procedure of using the state language for information provided for by Part I, II, III, IV, Article 21 of the State Language Law

2. Written information in the state language, intended for information of the public (hereafter – public information) shall be given according to the Latvian language spelling norms.

3. If providing public information, along a text in the state language is used a text in a foreign language, then the text in the state language shall be given the main place and it may not be smaller or narrower in its form or content than the text in a foreign language.

II. Usage of foreign languages in public information

4. Along with the state language state and municipal institutions, courts and institutions belonging to judicial system, state and municipal companies, (enterprises) where the state or municipality owns the largest capital share, as well as private institutions, organizations, companies (enterprises), self-employed persons that under a law or other legislative act carry out prescribed public functions and the provision of information involves implementation of respective functions, may use a foreign language for public information in places accessible to the public if this information concerns:

4.1. International tourism;

4.2. International events;

4.3. Security considerations;

4.4. Extraordinary situations;

4.5. Epidemics or dangerous infectious diseases

5. Persons listed in Article 5 may provide public information in a foreign language also in:

5.1. Brochures, bulletins, catalogues and other materials (in the form of brochures, booklets and leaflets) about the activities of institutions, companies, organizations and self-employed persons, that are sent or distributed to physical or legal persons upon their request;

5.2. In statistical, sociological and medical surveys;

5.3. Upon a person’s request – to inform him/her orally and in writing

6. Private institutions, organizations, enterprises (companies), as well as self-employed persons provide that part of their public information, providing of which concerns legitimate public interests, in the state language or along with the state language also in a foreign language

III. Procedure of using language in public information

7. If information in a foreign language is published in a brochure, booklet or leaflet, then information concerning public legitimate interests shall also be published in the state language in the same or a separate edition;

8. If information about offered goods and services is compiled in a catalogue or files, then information concerning public legitimate interests shall be provided in the state language or with a parallel text in the state language;

9. Disregarding whether goods are for retail or wholesale, the text of the label, warranty document, user’s manual and technical passport shall be in the state language or with a parallel text in the state language;

10. If goods, intended for export, are sold in Latvia’s domestic market, the same requirements apply for these goods as for the goods sold in the domestic market;

11. If the information on label, warranty documents, user’s manual and technical passport of imported goods is in a foreign language, it is a duty of the vendor to ensure that the translation of this information in the state language shall be added to the good.

IV. Final provision

12. Regulations take effect on September 1, 2000.

Prime Minister A. Berzins

Justice Minister I. Labucka

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