Competences
The German-speaking Community has powers over cultural, linguistic and "personal" matters (e.g. education, health care, ...) like the other two communities of Belgium.
The Government of the Walloon Region, with one representative for the German-speaking Community in its Parliament, exercises regional matters over the territory. However, there has been some debate whether the German-speakers should have their own region. As article 139 of the Belgian Constitution specifies, the Walloon Region may transfer some regional powers to the German-speaking Community, which it has done for the following competences:
- In 1995: monuments/patrimony
- In 2000: archaeological excavations and employment
- In 2005: supervision of the church council; supervision of the municipalities and police zones; the financing of the municipalities; funerals and gravestones
However, as opposed to the other two communities, it has no authorisation over the language use in administration, since all municipalities are municipalities with language facilities for French.
Read more about this topic: Parliament Of The German-speaking Community