▁Italian ▁Chamber ▁of ▁Deput ies . ▁A ▁bill ▁proposed ▁by ▁former ▁prime ▁minister ▁Mario ▁Mont i ' s ▁cabinet ▁formally ▁introduced ▁a ▁differential ▁treatment ▁between ▁the ▁twelve ▁historical ▁lingu istic ▁minor ities , ▁distingu ishing ▁between ▁those ▁with ▁a ▁" fore ign ▁mother ▁tongue " ▁( the ▁groups ▁protected ▁by ▁agre ements ▁with ▁Austria , ▁France ▁and ▁Sloven ia ) ▁and ▁those ▁with ▁a ▁" pe cul iar ▁dialect " ▁( all ▁the ▁others ). ▁The ▁bill ▁was ▁later ▁implemented , ▁but ▁de emed ▁un const itution al ▁by ▁the ▁Constitution al ▁Court . ▁ ▁Rec ogn ition ▁at ▁the ▁European ▁level ▁Italy ▁is ▁a ▁sign atory ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Char ter ▁for ▁Regional ▁or ▁Minor ity ▁L anguages , ▁but ▁has ▁not ▁rat ified ▁the ▁treat y , ▁and ▁therefore ▁its ▁prov isions ▁protect ing ▁regional ▁languages ▁do ▁not ▁apply ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁ ▁The ▁Char ter ▁does ▁not , ▁however , ▁establish ▁at ▁what ▁point ▁differences ▁in ▁expression ▁result ▁in ▁a ▁separate ▁language , ▁de em ing ▁it ▁an ▁" o ften ▁controvers ial ▁issue ", ▁and ▁cit ing ▁the ▁necessity ▁to ▁take ▁into ▁account , ▁other ▁than ▁purely ▁lingu istic ▁criteria , ▁also ▁" ps ych ological , ▁soci ological ▁and ▁political ▁consider ations ". ▁ ▁Regional ▁recognition ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁languages ▁A osta ▁Valley : ▁ ▁French ▁is ▁co - o fficial ▁( en jo ying ▁the ▁same ▁dign ity ▁and ▁standing ▁of ▁Italian ) ▁in ▁the ▁whole ▁region ▁( Le ▁Stat ut ▁spécial ▁de ▁la ▁Vall ée