TERVUREN — Market vendors must use Dutch as the “language of communication” following a decision by Tervuren aldermen. Flemish liberal Mayor Thomas Geyns later clarified that vendors may speak other languages with their multilingual customers.
Councilor Serge Liesenborghs (Tervuren Unie+Volt) had sought explicit clarification that the policy applies only to official exchange, not day-to-day communication between market vendors and shoppers. Liesenborghs questioned whether, for instance, a Polish baker would still be allowed to speak Polish to the town’s 300 Polish residents.
“”I think you’re making a mountain out of a molehill, because there’s really nothing going on,” said Mayor Geyns.
The decision, approved by Geyns’ Voor Tervuren party and N-VA, states that vendors must use “the Dutch language in oral and written communication as the language of address because Tervuren belongs to the Dutch-language region.”
“This does not explicitly state whether it applies to communication with the municipality, the general public or customers. That could cause misinterpretation,” said Councilor Bram Peters of Groen+Vooruit. “It would be good to clarify in the future that this refers to dealings with the local government,” added Peters, a former mobility alderman.
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Geyns later explained on Facebook that “those communicating with officials must do so in Dutch. This is not about language use at the market but about Dutch in official interactions.”
The phrasing of the question by Councilor Liesenborghs shows that Tervuren Unie+Volt does not want to make Tervuren “more inclusive,” the N-VA said. The party added that the question of language policy “is hardly worth discussing.” “Town hall is simply involving traders and market vendors in its inclusive language policy and encouraging them to use Dutch,” the N-VA added.
The decision has rekindled debate over language use in Tervuren, where 44% of residents were of non-Belgian origin in 2024. And up to a quarter may even be French-speaking. The town has pursued stricter language policies since former N-VA Mayor Jan Spooren introduced them 12 years ago. In 2012, he notably followed up on vigorous complaints about the lack of Dutch spoken by employees at Casa and Zeeman. Spooren is now governor of Flemish Brabant. His wife, N-VA member Annemie Spaas, is now Tervuren alderwoman responsible for Flemish identity and welfare.
As part of the policy to strengthen the use of Dutch, starting Jan. 1, 2025, Tervuren will be able to signal, for fines of up to €500, those social housing tenants who do not meet a pre-intermediate Dutch (A2) level. Beginning in 2027, tenants must hold an intermediate Dutch (B1) certificate under a policy introduced by Flemish Socialist Housing Minister Melissa Depraetere of the Vooruit party. The Flemish government is also encouraging municipalities to more clearly link other social benefits to Dutch proficiency.
Auteur: Dafydd ab Iago. © Artikel en foto’s zijn gelicentieerd © 2024 voor Tervuren+ onder de Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International-licentie.
