"On 9 February 2000 Sweden became the twenty-first of the 28 members of the Council of Europe (which currently totals 44 members) that have signed the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. On that same date, however, Sweden became only the ninth of sixteen countries to have actually ratified the charter. The Charter was signed by the Republic of Macedonia on 25 July 1996 but has yet to be ratified or enter into force in that country." (Quoted from paper)