About EBLT

Since its foundation in 1984, The Europeesk Buro foar Lytse Talen (Frisian for European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages – EBLT), aims to promote and protect lesser used languages in the Netherlands, the European Union (EU), the Council of Europe and their institutions. For this, legal and political support is sought at European, national, and provincial level. EBLT works on behalf of Frisian, Low Saxon, Bildts and Papiamentu.

The EBLT consists of representatives of more than twenty organisations, which are all involved in efforts to improve the position of the minority languages Frisian, Low Saxon,  Bildts and Papiamentu. Frisian and Low Saxon are recognised by the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages of the Council of Europe. Speakers of Bildts and Papiamentu are striving to get the same recognition for their languages with the help of EBLT.

Since 2009, the EBLT and the Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning of the Fryske Akademy established a cooperation. They collaborate in organising activities and Mercator is responsible for the secretariat and the EBLT’s website.

In 2012, the EBLT joined European network NPLD (Network for the Promotion of Linguistic Diversity) as an associate member.


Europeesk Buro foar Lytse Talen (EBLT)
c/o Mercator European Research Centre/Fryske Akademy
Doelestrjitte 8
Postbus 54
8900 AB Ljouwert/Leeuwarden