The file to designate Basque as a protected cultural asset has been launched

The Vice-Ministry of Culture and Language Policy has launched the file to designate the Basque language as a Cultural Asset of Special Protection as a vehicle of intangible cultural heritage, and has opened a 20-day period for public information. The Resolution of August 24, 2026, signed by the Vice-Minister of Culture Andoni Iturbe Amorebieta, was published in the Boletín Oficial del País Vasco (BOPV) number 177, on September 16, 2026, with reference 2026/3900.

The resolution identifies the Basque language as a vehicle of intangible cultural heritage, and the particular, collective, and specific protection regime provided for in Law 6/2019, of May 9, on Basque Cultural Heritage for cultural assets of special protection shall be applied immediately. The file was promoted by the Cultural Heritage Center of the Basque Autonomous Community, and its annex includes the identification of the asset, category, spatial and temporal framework, description, carrier community, risks, and protection measures.

Legal protection regime

The Basque Autonomous Community, under the protection of Article 148.1.16 of the Constitution and Article 10.19 of the Statute of Autonomy, has exclusive competence over cultural heritage. Law 6/2019 was accepted within the scope of that competence, which regulates the procedures for declaring assets of cultural interest.

The initiation of the file entails the immediate and provisional application of the particular protection regime to the Basque language, as a vehicle of intangible cultural heritage. The period for public information is 20 days, starting from the day following the publication of the resolution in the BOPV, in accordance with Articles 82 and 83 of Law 39/2015, of October 1.

Category and carrier community

According to UNESCO’s Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the Basque language is primarily located in the category of oral traditions and expressions, including the language itself as a vehicle of intangible cultural heritage. However, its transversal nature participates in all categories: bertsolaritza, toponymy, songs, proverbs, knowledge of nature, traditional artistic techniques, gastronomy, music and dance, among others.

The carrier community consists of the people, associations, and other organizations that regenerate, transmit, and protect the Basque language as a vehicle of intangible cultural heritage. The resolution emphasizes the contribution of women in the historical transmission of the Basque language, as well as the involvement of people who are not native Basque speakers in the process of acquiring the language and culture.

Risks and protection measures

UNESCO has cataloged the Basque language as “endangered,” which emphasizes the need for protection. According to the resolution, the main risk is not the weakening of intergenerational transmission, but rather the imbalance between knowledge and effective use, as the knowledge of the Basque language is more advanced than its use.

Therefore, the Cultural Heritage Center of the Basque Autonomous Community proposes declaring the Basque language a Cultural Asset of Special Protection, under the protection of Law 6/2019. This declaration will serve as the basis for taking the measures deemed necessary for the creation, transmission, revitalization, and protection of the Basque language as an intangible cultural asset.

The resolution will be notified to the provincial councils of Álava, Bizkaia, and Gipuzkoa, as well as to Eudel, and will be published in the BOPV and the official gazettes of the three Historical Territories. The file will be available for viewing at the center located at 1 Donostia-San Sebastián Street, Vitoria-Gasteiz, and interested parties may submit allegations before the deadline expires.

The declaration would provide special legal protection to the Basque language as a vehicle of intangible cultural heritage, helping to guarantee its transmission and vitality given its status as a minority and vulnerable language. The measures affect the entire community and represent a historic step toward protecting the entire cultural heritage transmitted through the Basque language.

Source: Official Gazette of the Basque Country, number 177, September 16, 2026, section I, pp. 1-7 (official reference: 2026/3900).