The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has recently adopted a report on Promoting and protection sign languages in Europe, as well as a recommendation to which the Committee of Ministers in May 2019. In addition, an expert report on the use of sign languages in the Organisation's member States has been prepared at the request of the Finnish Presidency of the Committee of Ministers.

The Committee of Ministers underlines the importance of sign languages as natural languages of deaf persons and recognises that it would be of importance to improve the understanding of how sign languages are protected and promoted in all member states.

• Eeva Tupi (2019), "Sign language rights in the framework of the Council of Europe and its member states": PDF version in English
• Consult the expert report, the PACE report, resolution and recommendation and the Committee of Ministers' reply  
• Read the statement by Timo Soini, Chair of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, on the use of sign languages in Europe

ECML projects and resources related to sign languages

• "Pro-Sign2 - Promoting excellence in sign language instruction" (2012-2016)
• "Pro-Sign - Sign languages and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages – Descriptors and approaches to assessment" (2011-2015)
• Thematic collection on sign languages