People living in Friesland will soon be able to choose whether to use Dutch or Frisian in all official contacts with the authorities, under new legislation drawn up by home affairs minister Piet Hein Donner.

The law also includes measures to set up a special council for Frisian, to defend and stimulate the use of the language.
Frisian is the native tongue of around half the 350,000 people who live in the province of Friesland.
For more information about Frisian, click here