Europe Word List

Leonard Orban, Member of the European Commission Europe on the move Contents The importance of language 03 The tongues of Europe 05 Regional and minority languages 07 Language and mobility 09 Promoting language learning 10 The tools of multilingualism 12 Running a multilingual European Union 13 Future challenges 15 Further reading 15 he language we speak helps define who we are.

The languages of integration Many local authorities and national governments provide immigrants with language training, familiarisation courses on local society and culture, and help in finding jobs.

Non-indigenous languages A wide range of languages from other parts of the world are spoken by immigrant communities in EU countries.

Hungar- ian, Finnish and Estonian come from the Finno-Ugrian group of languages.

The result is 23 languages for 27 countries. erman is the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union with about 90 mil- lion native speakers, or 18 % of the EU population.

A Slovak interpreter will plug into one of these as the source language, removing the need for people who can interpret straight out of Finnish into Slovak.

Each government is responsible for its own national education policy, including language teaching.

Instead it will first be translated into the three piv- otal languages, leaving translators free to use one of these to retranslate the text into their main language.

Both tools are meant to assist the user in presenting his or her quali- fications, formal or informal, in a standardised way — by language only, or by a complete CV.

Hungar- ian, Finnish and Estonian come from the Finno-Ugrian group of languages.

The many languages spoken by the 500 million citizens of the Euro- pean Union spread across the con- tinent in a vast mosaic pattern.

Translators work with written texts, and interpreters with the spoken word.

Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union European Union You can find this booklet and other short, clear explanations about the EU online at ec.europa.eu/publications European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications B-1049 Brussels Manuscript completed in August 2008 Cover illustration: © Shutterstock Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

The first, Comenius (named after Jan Amos Comenius or Komensky, a 17th century educationalist from what is now the Czech Repub- lic), covers primary and second- ary schooling.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

These pro- grammes have at least one thing in common: they cover cross-border projects involving partners from at least two, and often three or more, EU countries.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

The Finnish education system supports the maintenance and development of the mother tongues of immigrants to ensure what it calls functional bilingualism.

Slovenian members are just as entitled as German ones to speak the language of those who voted for them.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

The first, Comenius (named after Jan Amos Comenius or Komensky, a 17th century educationalist from what is now the Czech Repub- lic), covers primary and second- ary schooling.

The entry of the Baltic countries with Russian-speaking minorities has added a new category of ‘minority’ language — one which is the national language of a non-EU country.

Mobilising resources Running a multilingual EU comes at a price.

Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union European Union You can find this booklet and other short, clear explanations about the EU online at ec.europa.eu/publications European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications B-1049 Brussels Manuscript completed in August 2008 Cover illustration: © Shutterstock Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the

A Slovak interpreter will plug into one of these as the source language, removing the need for people who can interpret straight out of Finnish into Slovak.

This programme specialises in teaching adults.

electronic mail via europedirect.europa.eu READ ABOUT EUROPE Publications about the EU are only a click away on the EU Bookshop website: bookshop.europa.eu YOU CAN ALSO OBTAIN INFORMATION AND BOOKLETS IN ENGLISH ABOUT THE EUROPEAN UNION FROM EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES Representation in Ireland 18 Dawson Street Dublin 2 Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11 Fax (353-1) 634 11 12 Internet: ec.europa.eu/ireland/ E-mail: [email protected]

Catalan, Basque, Galician: Special status since 2006.

Others in- clude Maghreb Arabic (mainly in France, Spain and Belgium), as well as Urdu, Bengali and Hindi spoken by immigrants from the Indian sub- continent in the United Kingdom.

Most belong to the vast Indo-European group whose main branches are Germanic, Romance, Slav and Celtic.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

The Leonardo da Vinci programme (named after the great figure of the Italian Re- naissance) focuses on vocational education and training.

Catalan, Basque, Galician: Special status since 2006.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union European Union You can find this booklet and other short, clear explanations about the EU online at ec.europa.eu/publications European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications B-1049 Brussels Manuscript completed in August 2008 Cover illustration: © Shutterstock Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

The notion of minority language covers not only lesser-used languages like Sami in Lapland or Breton in western France, but also the use of official EU languages when spoken by a minority in another member country (such as German in northern Italy or Hungarian in Romania and Slovakia).

One example is from the Flemish city of Ghent in Belgium, where immigrants and recognised refugees are offered an introductory programme including 1 200 hours of lessons in Dutch (the language of the Flemish region), plus 75 hours of civic ori- entation courses.

The MEDIA pro- gramme funds the dubbing and subtitling of European films for showing in cinemas and on tele- vision in other EU countries.

Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union European Union You can find this booklet and other short, clear explanations about the EU online at ec.europa.eu/publications European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications B-1049 Brussels Manuscript completed in August 2008 Cover illustration: © Shutterstock Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the

The basic principle is that all citizens and their elected representatives have the same right of access to the EU and are able to communicate with its institutions and authorities in their language.

Catalan, Basque, Galician: Special status since 2006.

Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union European Union You can find this booklet and other short, clear explanations about the EU online at ec.europa.eu/publications European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications B-1049 Brussels Manuscript completed in August 2008 Cover illustration: © Shutterstock Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

Using linguistic shortcuts of this kind makes practical and economic sense — provided standards are maintained.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

Both tools are meant to assist the user in presenting his or her quali- fications, formal or informal, in a standardised way — by language only, or by a complete CV.

The EU is aware that language skills are unevenly spread across countries and social groups.

The arrival of 12 new member states since 2004 has confirmed the pre- eminence of English as the emerg- ing lingua franca of the European Union.

Leonardo helps keep the peace EU peacekeepers in Africa need a common language to sort out operational problems The Leonardo da Vinci vocational training pro- gramme became involved in an unexpected area of activity when it funded a transnational training programme to improve the language skills of EU peacekeepers sent on military, police or humani- tarian missions to hot spots around the world.

Quality control of both interpretation and written transla- tion is therefore a major challenge.

The notion of minority language covers not only lesser-used languages like Sami in Lapland or Breton in western France, but also the use of official EU languages when spoken by a minority in another member country (such as German in northern Italy or Hungarian in Romania and Slovakia).

It enhanc es creativit y , breaks cultur al stereot y pes , enc our ages thinking “ outside the bo x ”, and c a n help dev elop inno v ativ e produc ts and ser vic es .’

Many people practise their language skills while on holiday This Sami woman in Lapland speaks a minority language espect for linguistic and cul- tural diversity is a hallmark of the European Union.

Leonard Orban, Member of the European Commission Europe on the move Contents The importance of language 03 The tongues of Europe 05 Regional and minority languages 07 Language and mobility 09 Promoting language learning 10 The tools of multilingualism 12 Running a multilingual European Union 13 Future challenges 15 Further reading 15 he language we speak helps define who we are.

Others in- clude Maghreb Arabic (mainly in France, Spain and Belgium), as well as Urdu, Bengali and Hindi spoken by immigrants from the Indian sub- continent in the United Kingdom.

The use of all official languages also makes it easier for people to participate in public debates and consultations that the EU launches, often online.

However, the survey also shows that in seven EU countries (Hun- gary, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Roma- nia, Spain and the United Kingdom) between one half and two thirds of the population do not know any foreign languages.

The languages of integration Many local authorities and national governments provide immigrants with language training, familiarisation courses on local society and culture, and help in finding jobs.

This includes languages such as Basque, Breton, Catalan, Frisian, Sardinian and Welsh; languages spoken by a minority of the population in one EU country but which are official languages in another: for example, German in southern Denmark, French in the Vallée d’Aoste in northern Italy, and Hungarian in Slovakia; non-territorial languages such as those of the Roma or Jewish communities in the EU (Romani and Yiddish).

Prominent among these is Turkish with sizeable immigrant communities in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

– 21 x 29.7 cm ISBN 978-92-79-09159-9 © European Communities, 2008 Reproduction is authorised.

The European Day of Languages celebrates linguis- tic diversity as one of Europe’s strengths, and encourages lifelong language learning in and out of school.

Leonard Orban, Member of the European Commission Europe on the move Contents The importance of language 03 The tongues of Europe 05 Regional and minority languages 07 Language and mobility 09 Promoting language learning 10 The tools of multilingualism 12 Running a multilingual European Union 13 Future challenges 15 Further reading 15 he language we speak helps define who we are.

The notion of minority language covers not only lesser-used languages like Sami in Lapland or Breton in western France, but also the use of official EU languages when spoken by a minority in another member country (such as German in northern Italy or Hungarian in Romania and Slovakia).

This includes languages such as Basque, Breton, Catalan, Frisian, Sardinian and Welsh; languages spoken by a minority of the population in one EU country but which are official languages in another: for example, German in southern Denmark, French in the Vallée d’Aoste in northern Italy, and Hungarian in Slovakia; non-territorial languages such as those of the Roma or Jewish communities in the EU (Romani and Yiddish).

(202) 862 95 00 Fax (202) 429 17 66 Internet: eurunion.org 222 East 41st Street, 20th floor New York, NY 10017 Tel.

As a result of historic and geopolitical factors, Russian is the first or second foreign language spoken in most of these countries.

The Leonardo da Vinci programme (named after the great figure of the Italian Re- naissance) focuses on vocational education and training.

This includes languages such as Basque, Breton, Catalan, Frisian, Sardinian and Welsh; languages spoken by a minority of the population in one EU country but which are official languages in another: for example, German in southern Denmark, French in the Vallée d’Aoste in northern Italy, and Hungarian in Slovakia; non-territorial languages such as those of the Roma or Jewish communities in the EU (Romani and Yiddish).

Multilingualism itself is an econom- ic growth sector, creating jobs for language teachers, translators and interpreters plus their support staff, as well as for those who design and produce electronic and IT support platforms and the programmers and specialists developing compu- ter-assisted or automatic translation systems.

The majority of Europeans be- lieve that children should start learn- ing foreign languages at primary school between the ages of 6 and 12.

Others in- clude Maghreb Arabic (mainly in France, Spain and Belgium), as well as Urdu, Bengali and Hindi spoken by immigrants from the Indian sub- continent in the United Kingdom.

The idea behind the event is to raise public awareness of all the languages spo- ken in Europe and the importance of language learning in spreading tolerance and mutual understanding.

The latter are provided in Albanian, Arabic, English, French, Persian, Russian, Spanish, Somali and Turkish.

A language class for immigrants in Vienna It makes sense to employ native speakers to work in export markets U citizens have the right to live and work in other member states besides their home country.

The latter are provided in Albanian, Arabic, English, French, Persian, Russian, Spanish, Somali and Turkish.

The EU is aware that language skills are unevenly spread across countries and social groups.

This is a way for the people con- cerned to keep in touch with their cultural roots while assimilating the language and culture of their new host country.

In some countries, they are also given support for developing skills in the languages of their countries of origin and their children are taught these languages at school.

Erasmus (named after the 16th century humanist, Erasmus of Rotterdam), is a spe- cial programme designed to en- able university-level students and teachers to spend time at a uni- versity in another EU country.

OFFICES Representation in Ireland 18 Dawson Street Dublin 2 Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11 Fax (353-1) 634 11 12 Internet: ec.europa.eu/ireland/ E-mail: [email protected] Representation in the United Kingdom 8 Storey’s Gate London SW1P 3AT Tel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92 Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Scotland 9 Alva Street Edinburgh EH2 4PH Tel. (44-131) 225 20 58 Fax (44-131) 226 41 05 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Wales 2 Caspian

Leonardo helps keep the peace EU peacekeepers in Africa need a common language to sort out operational problems The Leonardo da Vinci vocational training pro- gramme became involved in an unexpected area of activity when it funded a transnational training programme to improve the language skills of EU peacekeepers sent on military, police or humani- tarian missions to hot spots around the world.

More than 90 % of people in eight EU countries — Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden — claim to speak a sec- ond language in addition to their mother tongue.

The Leonardo da Vinci programme (named after the great figure of the Italian Re- naissance) focuses on vocational education and training.

Others in- clude Maghreb Arabic (mainly in France, Spain and Belgium), as well as Urdu, Bengali and Hindi spoken by immigrants from the Indian sub- continent in the United Kingdom.

More than 90 % of people in eight EU countries — Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden — claim to speak a sec- ond language in addition to their mother tongue.

EU’s language portal: europa.eu/languages/en/home The Directorate-General for Translation at the European Commission has produced its own information booklets available at: ec.europa.eu/dgs/translation/index_en.htm Information about interpretation and interpreters in the EU can be found at: ec.europa.eu/dgs/scic/index.htm Information about the EU’s lifelong learning programme and its subprogrammes is available at: ec.europa.eu/ploteus Getting in touch with the EU ONLINE Information in

This includes languages such as Basque, Breton, Catalan, Frisian, Sardinian and Welsh; languages spoken by a minority of the population in one EU country but which are official languages in another: for example, German in southern Denmark, French in the Vallée d’Aoste in northern Italy, and Hungarian in Slovakia; non-territorial languages such as those of the Roma or Jewish communities in the EU (Romani and Yiddish).

A second one is better The EU’s concept of multilingual- ism for individual citizens is very ambitious.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

However, the survey also shows that in seven EU countries (Hun- gary, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Roma- nia, Spain and the United Kingdom) between one half and two thirds of the population do not know any foreign languages.

The Leonardo da Vinci programme (named after the great figure of the Italian Re- naissance) focuses on vocational education and training.

Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union European Union You can find this booklet and other short, clear explanations about the EU online at ec.europa.eu/publications European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications B-1049 Brussels Manuscript completed in August 2008 Cover illustration: © Shutterstock Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

At the other end of the range, only 34 % of Irish people and 38 % of Britons claim to know a second language well enough to hold a conversation.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

Nothing is lost in translation: read about Europe in your own language By word of mouth EU interpreters use a similar system when providing interpretation to and from all 23 official languages.

areas of responsibility, each specific programme aims to: encourage people to learn lan- guages at all educational levels and at all ages during their working life; improve access to language learning resources throughout Europe; develop and disseminate in- novative teaching techniques and good practice; ensure that a sufficiently wide range of learning tools are available to language learners; raise awareness of the im- por tance of multilingualism as a key economic and social asset of

Street Dublin 2 Tel. (353-1) 605 79 00 Fax (353-1) 605 79 99 Internet: europarl.ie E-mail: [email protected] United Kingdom Office 2 Queen Anne’s Gate London SW1H 9AA Tel. (44-20) 72 27 43 00 Fax (44-20) 72 27 43 02 Internet: www.europarl.org.uk E-mail: [email protected] Office in Scotland The Tun 4 Jackson’s Entry Holyrood Road Edinburgh EH8 8PJ Tel. (44-131) 557 78 66 Fax (44-131) 557 49 77 Internet: www.europarl.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

More than 90 % of people in eight EU countries — Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden — claim to speak a sec- ond language in addition to their mother tongue.

In this way, the EU ensures that there is no discrimination between citizens whose languages are spo- ken by a large number of people and others using less widely spo- ken ones.

Internally, the institutions operate with slimmed-down pro- cedures in the name of efficiency, speed and cost.

The result is 23 languages for 27 countries. erman is the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union with about 90 mil- lion native speakers, or 18 % of the EU population.

The notion of minority language covers not only lesser-used languages like Sami in Lapland or Breton in western France, but also the use of official EU languages when spoken by a minority in another member country (such as German in northern Italy or Hungarian in Romania and Slovakia).

Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union European Union You can find this booklet and other short, clear explanations about the EU online at ec.europa.eu/publications European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications B-1049 Brussels Manuscript completed in August 2008 Cover illustration: © Shutterstock Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the

This is particularly the case for small and medium-sized en- terprises (SMEs) that are failing to fully exploit export opportunities in other EU countries.

Hungary developed its national integration policy on the basis of a six-month pi- lot project called Matra which included 1 200 hours of language teaching for im- migrants, 700 hours of cultural and legal orientation, and financial assistance with living expenses.

Maltese is close to Arabic, with Italian elements.

They should also recruit and train more teachers — and here border regions can usefully cooperate with each other.

Nothing is lost in translation: read about Europe in your own language By word of mouth EU interpreters use a similar system when providing interpretation to and from all 23 official languages.

The many languages spoken by the 500 million citizens of the Euro- pean Union spread across the con- tinent in a vast mosaic pattern.

This is why it stresses the personal, social and economic ben- efits of multilingualism and why it has set the ambitious target of get- ting as many EU citizens as possible to learn two languages in addition to their mother tongue.

Leonard Orban, Member of the European Commission Europe on the move Contents The importance of language 03 The tongues of Europe 05 Regional and minority languages 07 Language and mobility 09 Promoting language learning 10 The tools of multilingualism 12 Running a multilingual European Union 13 Future challenges 15 Further reading 15 he language we speak helps define who we are.

Most belong to the vast Indo-European group whose main branches are Germanic, Romance, Slav and Celtic.

Erasmus (named after the 16th century humanist, Erasmus of Rotterdam), is a spe- cial programme designed to en- able university-level students and teachers to spend time at a uni- versity in another EU country.

The same holds good for government minis- ters at official EU meetings or citi- zens submitting complaints to the European Ombudsman.

The EU recognises this right to identity and actively promotes our freedom to speak and write our own lan- guage, while it continues to pursue its goal of closer integration among its member countries.

Europe on the move Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union European Union You can find this booklet and other short, clear explanations about the EU online at ec.europa.eu/publications European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications B-1049 Brussels Manuscript completed in August 2008 Cover illustration: © Shutterstock Luxembourg: Office for Official

The EU’s commitment to safeguard linguistic diversity shows that it is not seeking to erase national or regional characteristics and replace them with a ‘European’ uniformity, as some critics claim.

Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union European Union You can find this booklet and other short, clear explanations about the EU online at ec.europa.eu/publications European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications B-1049 Brussels Manuscript completed in August 2008 Cover illustration: © Shutterstock Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES Representation in Ireland 18 Dawson Street Dublin 2 Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11 Fax (353-1) 634 11 12 Internet: ec.europa.eu/ireland/ E-mail: [email protected] Representation in the United Kingdom 8 Storey’s Gate London SW1P 3AT Tel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92 Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Scotland 9 Alva Street Edinburgh EH2 4PH Tel. (44-131) 225 20 58 Fax (44-131) 226 41 05

One example is from the Flemish city of Ghent in Belgium, where immigrants and recognised refugees are offered an introductory programme including 1 200 hours of lessons in Dutch (the language of the Flemish region), plus 75 hours of civic ori- entation courses.

These pro- grammes have at least one thing in common: they cover cross-border projects involving partners from at least two, and often three or more, EU countries.

The notion of minority language covers not only lesser-used languages like Sami in Lapland or Breton in western France, but also the use of official EU languages when spoken by a minority in another member country (such as German in northern Italy or Hungarian in Romania and Slovakia).

The many languages spoken by the 500 million citizens of the Euro- pean Union spread across the con- tinent in a vast mosaic pattern.

Each of these is named after a well- known European educator and each is responsible for one area of learning and teaching.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES Representation in Ireland 18 Dawson Street Dublin 2 Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11 Fax (353-1) 634 11 12 Internet: ec.europa.eu/ireland/ E-mail: eu-ie[email protected] Representation in the United Kingdom 8 Storey’s Gate London SW1P 3AT Tel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92 Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Scotland 9 Alva Street Edinburgh EH2 4PH Tel. (44-131) 225 20 58 Fax (44-131) 226 41 05

Greek and the Baltic languages, Lithuanian and Latvian, are also Indo-European although not part of the principal branches.

Citizens are involved Its law-making function and the direct involvement of its citizens explain why the EU uses more lan- guages than multinational bodies like the United Nations or NATO, which operate only at the intergov- ernmental level with no legislative function.

The entry of the Baltic countries with Russian-speaking minorities has added a new category of ‘minority’ language — one which is the national language of a non-EU country.

Most belong to the vast Indo-European group whose main branches are Germanic, Romance, Slav and Celtic.

This is because Germany and Austria use the same language, Greece and Cyprus share Greek, and Belgium and Luxembourg have common languages with their French, German and Dutch neighbours.

Most belong to the vast Indo-European group whose main branches are Germanic, Romance, Slav and Celtic.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

Erasmus (named after the 16th century humanist, Erasmus of Rotterdam), is a spe- cial programme designed to en- able university-level students and teachers to spend time at a uni- versity in another EU country.

– 21 x 29.7 cm ISBN 978-92-79-09159-9 © European Communities, 2008 Reproduction is authorised.

The EU recognises this right to identity and actively promotes our freedom to speak and write our own lan- guage, while it continues to pursue its goal of closer integration among its member countries.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

'10 ' r"-'' r l.,_.,.l / j \"- ' Belarus ',_...........\., r < I .-........

According to the 2006 Eurobarome- ter survey, 28 % of those polled said they knew two other languages in addition to their mother tongue.

This is particularly the case where EU citizens want to move from one country to another to seek out better job opportuni- ties.

Re- mote interpreting, management of multilingual websites and compu- ter-assisted translation are the most obvious examples.

for Translation at the European Commission has produced its own information booklets available at: ec.europa.eu/dgs/translation/index_en.htm Information about interpretation and interpreters in the EU can be found at: ec.europa.eu/dgs/scic/index.htm Information about the EU’s lifelong learning programme and its subprogrammes is available at: ec.europa.eu/ploteus Getting in touch with the EU ONLINE Information in all the official languages of the European Union is available on the Europa

EU funds for learning Since 2007 the main programmes have been put under the overall umbrella of the EU’s lifelong learn- ing programme.

This is particularly the case for small and medium-sized en- terprises (SMEs) that are failing to fully exploit export opportunities in other EU countries.

For any use or reproduction of individual photos, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holders.

The EU has stepped up these ac- tivities as EU membership has increased and as the number of of- ficial languages has doubled since 2004.

However, the survey also shows that in seven EU countries (Hun- gary, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Roma- nia, Spain and the United Kingdom) between one half and two thirds of the population do not know any foreign languages.

E-mail: [email protected] Representation in the United Kingdom 8 Storey’s Gate London SW1P 3AT Tel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92 Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Scotland 9 Alva Street Edinburgh EH2 4PH Tel. (44-131) 225 20 58 Fax (44-131) 226 41 05 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Wales 2 Caspian Point Caspian Way Cardiff CF10 4QQ Tel. (44-29) 20 89 50 20 Fax (44-29) 20 89 50 35 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Northern Ireland

In the German city of Frankfurt-am-Main, a 600-hour language course is preceded by familiarisation with the city and an introduction to German institutions and the national legal system.

Citizens are involved Its law-making function and the direct involvement of its citizens explain why the EU uses more lan- guages than multinational bodies like the United Nations or NATO, which operate only at the intergov- ernmental level with no legislative function.

One of the posters used for this event shows the usual form of greeting in 37 languages.

More than 90 % of people in eight EU countries — Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden — claim to speak a sec- ond language in addition to their mother tongue.

Such bilingual skills can also be a personal asset and open up career possibilities in several fields.

Leonardo helps keep the peace EU peacekeepers in Africa need a common language to sort out operational problems The Leonardo da Vinci vocational training pro- gramme became involved in an unexpected area of activity when it funded a transnational training programme to improve the language skills of EU peacekeepers sent on military, police or humani- tarian missions to hot spots around the world.

The skills and competence of these services are upheld as examples worldwide.

One example is from the Flemish city of Ghent in Belgium, where immigrants and recognised refugees are offered an introductory programme including 1 200 hours of lessons in Dutch (the language of the Flemish region), plus 75 hours of civic ori- entation courses.

In the German city of Frankfurt-am-Main, a 600-hour language course is preceded by familiarisation with the city and an introduction to German institutions and the national legal system.

Citizens are involved Its law-making function and the direct involvement of its citizens explain why the EU uses more lan- guages than multinational bodies like the United Nations or NATO, which operate only at the intergov- ernmental level with no legislative function.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

In 1958 the official languages were decided in Council Regulation No 1, which has been amended each time new countries joined the EU. languages from 11 to 23, focusing attention on the role of languages in the EU as never before.

Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union European Union You can find this booklet and other short, clear explanations about the EU online at ec.europa.eu/publications European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications B-1049 Brussels Manuscript completed in August 2008 Cover illustration: © Shutterstock Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the

For instance, a Finnish speaker’s words will be interpreted into a lim- ited number of ‘relay’ languages.

in the United Kingdom 8 Storey’s Gate London SW1P 3AT Tel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92 Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Scotland 9 Alva Street Edinburgh EH2 4PH Tel. (44-131) 225 20 58 Fax (44-131) 226 41 05 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Wales 2 Caspian Point Caspian Way Cardiff CF10 4QQ Tel. (44-29) 20 89 50 20 Fax (44-29) 20 89 50 35 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Northern Ireland Windsor House 9/15 Bedford Street Belfast

The first, Comenius (named after Jan Amos Comenius or Komensky, a 17th century educationalist from what is now the Czech Repub- lic), covers primary and second- ary schooling.

The ‘Culture’ programme builds cross- cultural bridges by supporting the translation of modern authors into other EU languages.

In some countries, they are also given support for developing skills in the languages of their countries of origin and their children are taught these languages at school.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

Elected representatives in the Euro- pean Parliament have equal rights to speak on behalf of their voters in their own language.

They have also striven to give citizens and governments quality translation and interpreta- tion, efficiently and economically.

Thanks to interpretation, Members of the European Parliament can debate issues in their mother tongue Know your linguistic roots The languages of the EU come from a variety of roots.

At the other end of the range, only 34 % of Irish people and 38 % of Britons claim to know a second language well enough to hold a conversation.

The main exception is Basque, spoken on both sides of the Franco-Spanish border, whose roots are still being researched.

Hungary developed its national integration policy on the basis of a six-month pi- lot project called Matra which included 1 200 hours of language teaching for im- migrants, 700 hours of cultural and legal orientation, and financial assistance with living expenses.

Care should be taken to promote all languages, in- cluding regional and minority ones, to provide more venues for lan- guage teaching, to make more use of the internet for learning languag- es, and to provide more subtitling on television and in the cinema.

Bookshop website: bookshop.europa.eu YOU CAN ALSO OBTAIN INFORMATION AND BOOKLETS IN ENGLISH ABOUT THE EUROPEAN UNION FROM EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES Representation in Ireland 18 Dawson Street Dublin 2 Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11 Fax (353-1) 634 11 12 Internet: ec.europa.eu/ireland/ E-mail: [email protected] Representation in the United Kingdom 8 Storey’s Gate London SW1P 3AT Tel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92 Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10

The entry of the Baltic countries with Russian-speaking minorities has added a new category of ‘minority’ language — one which is the national language of a non-EU country.

Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union European Union You can find this booklet and other short, clear explanations about the EU online at ec.europa.eu/publications European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications B-1049 Brussels Manuscript completed in August 2008 Cover illustration: © Shutterstock Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the

In this way, the EU ensures that there is no discrimination between citizens whose languages are spo- ken by a large number of people and others using less widely spo- ken ones.

A total of 32 % learn languages in order to use them at work, while 27 % do so to be able to work in an- other country.

But it has also strengthened the position of German, which is now on a par with French.

Promoting language learning he EU is committed to sup- porting the rights of its citizens to personal and professional mobil- ity, and their ability to communicate with each other.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

But it has also strengthened the position of German, which is now on a par with French.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES Representation in Ireland 18 Dawson Street Dublin 2 Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11 Fax (353-1) 634 11 12 Internet: ec.europa.eu/ireland/ E-mail: [email protected] Representation in the United Kingdom 8 Storey’s Gate London SW1P 3AT Tel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92 Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Scotland 9 Alva Street Edinburgh EH2 4PH Tel. (44-131) 225 20 58 Fax (44-131) 226 41 05

The entry of 12 new members be- tween 2004 and 2007 more than doubled the number of official The current EU languages became ‘official languages’ of the EU in these years 1953 1973 1981 1986 1995 2004 2007 *Irish: Treaty language since 1973.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

Most belong to the vast Indo-European group whose main branches are Germanic, Romance, Slav and Celtic.

The notion of minority language covers not only lesser-used languages like Sami in Lapland or Breton in western France, but also the use of official EU languages when spoken by a minority in another member country (such as German in northern Italy or Hungarian in Romania and Slovakia).

The languages of integration Many local authorities and national governments provide immigrants with language training, familiarisation courses on local society and culture, and help in finding jobs.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union European Union You can find this booklet and other short, clear explanations about the EU online at ec.europa.eu/publications European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications B-1049 Brussels Manuscript completed in August 2008 Cover illustration: © Shutterstock Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the

A Slovak interpreter will plug into one of these as the source language, removing the need for people who can interpret straight out of Finnish into Slovak.

The first, Comenius (named after Jan Amos Comenius or Komensky, a 17th century educationalist from what is now the Czech Repub- lic), covers primary and second- ary schooling.

This is because Germany and Austria use the same language, Greece and Cyprus share Greek, and Belgium and Luxembourg have common languages with their French, German and Dutch neighbours.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

Knowing other languages is the key to real mobility in the EU, enabling you to take maximum advantage of job, study and travel opportunities across the continent.

For any use or reproduction of individual photos, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holders.

More than 90 % of people in eight EU countries — Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden — claim to speak a sec- ond language in addition to their mother tongue.

Multilingualism itself is an econom- ic growth sector, creating jobs for language teachers, translators and interpreters plus their support staff, as well as for those who design and produce electronic and IT support platforms and the programmers and specialists developing compu- ter-assisted or automatic translation systems.

They included Bulgaria, Esto- nia, France, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom.

In others, partici- pants may be able to speak a large number of languages but these are only interpreted into two or three of the widely used ones.

Being able to speak to one another raises our awareness of what we have in common and at the same time increases mutual re- spect for cultural differences.

Others in- clude Maghreb Arabic (mainly in France, Spain and Belgium), as well as Urdu, Bengali and Hindi spoken by immigrants from the Indian sub- continent in the United Kingdom.

This is a way for the people con- cerned to keep in touch with their cultural roots while assimilating the language and culture of their new host country.

Multilingualism itself is an econom- ic growth sector, creating jobs for language teachers, translators and interpreters plus their support staff, as well as for those who design and produce electronic and IT support platforms and the programmers and specialists developing compu- ter-assisted or automatic translation systems.

More than 90 % of people in eight EU countries — Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden — claim to speak a sec- ond language in addition to their mother tongue.

This is because Germany and Austria use the same language, Greece and Cyprus share Greek, and Belgium and Luxembourg have common languages with their French, German and Dutch neighbours.

Our national histories and cultural herit- age may differ, but our aspirations and hopes for the future are closely in tune.

Thanks to interpretation, Members of the European Parliament can debate issues in their mother tongue Know your linguistic roots The languages of the EU come from a variety of roots.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES Representation in Ireland 18 Dawson Street Dublin 2 Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11 Fax (353-1) 634 11 12 Internet: ec.europa.eu/ireland/ E-mail: [email protected] Representation in the United Kingdom 8 Storey’s Gate London SW1P 3AT Tel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92 Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Scotland 9 Alva Street Edinburgh EH2 4PH Tel. (44-131) 225 20 58 Fax (44-131) 226 41 05

The range of foreign languages spoken by EU citizens is narrow; relying on one lingua franca in the form of English, however important, is not enough.

Prominent among these is Turkish with sizeable immigrant communities in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Adults too should have more op- portunities for acquiring and using their language skills.

Moreover, class sizes should be relatively small, and enough time needs to be set aside in the school curriculum for lan- guage teaching.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES Representation in Ireland 18 Dawson Street Dublin 2 Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11 Fax (353-1) 634 11 12 Internet: ec.europa.eu/ireland/ E-mail: [email protected] Representation in the United Kingdom 8 Storey’s Gate London SW1P 3AT Tel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92 Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Scotland 9 Alva Street Edinburgh EH2 4PH Tel. (44-131) 225 20 58 Fax (44-131) 226 41 05

Printed in Germany PRINTED ON WHITE CHLORINE-FREE PAPER Europe on the move Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union ‘ The abilit y to c omm unic ate in sev er al langu ages is a great benefit for individu als , organisations and c ompanies alik e .

Mind your language Every year the European Day of Languages is marked on 26 September.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

However, the survey also shows that in seven EU countries (Hun- gary, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Roma- nia, Spain and the United Kingdom) between one half and two thirds of the population do not know any foreign languages.

These aims are complementary, embodying as they do the EU’s motto of ‘United in diversity’.

One example is from the Flemish city of Ghent in Belgium, where immigrants and recognised refugees are offered an introductory programme including 1 200 hours of lessons in Dutch (the language of the Flemish region), plus 75 hours of civic ori- entation courses.

Languages mean business A study undertaken for the Euro- pean Commission shows that EU firms can lose business opportun- ities through a lack of language skills.

The skills and competence of these services are upheld as examples worldwide.

Leonard Orban, Member of the European Commission Europe on the move Contents The importance of language 03 The tongues of Europe 05 Regional and minority languages 07 Language and mobility 09 Promoting language learning 10 The tools of multilingualism 12 Running a multilingual European Union 13 Future challenges 15 Further reading 15 he language we speak helps define who we are.

[email protected] Representation in the United Kingdom 8 Storey’s Gate London SW1P 3AT Tel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92 Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Scotland 9 Alva Street Edinburgh EH2 4PH Tel. (44-131) 225 20 58 Fax (44-131) 226 41 05 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Wales 2 Caspian Point Caspian Way Cardiff CF10 4QQ Tel. (44-29) 20 89 50 20 Fax (44-29) 20 89 50 35 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Northern Ireland Windsor

It does this in several ways: it respects our right to speak and write our own language and extends this right to our dealings with the EU institutions; it supports the use of regional and minority languages, irrespec- tive of whether these languages are official EU languages or not; it actively promotes language learning and multilingualism as a means to individual self-improve- ment for EU citizens and as a vehicle for creating jobs and growth across the EU economy.

It is never too soon to start learning another language 11 There are national information cen- tres in each country, which give details about how to apply to par- ticipate in these programmes (see ec.europa.eu/ploteus).

The European Parliament, which often needs to produce documents rapidly in all official languages, has developed a system centred on three ‘pivotal’ languages: English, French and German.

Most belong to the vast Indo-European group whose main branches are Germanic, Romance, Slav and Celtic.

This mobility on the la- bour market helps create new jobs and stimulate growth.

This includes languages such as Basque, Breton, Catalan, Frisian, Sardinian and Welsh; languages spoken by a minority of the population in one EU country but which are official languages in another: for example, German in southern Denmark, French in the Vallée d’Aoste in northern Italy, and Hungarian in Slovakia; non-territorial languages such as those of the Roma or Jewish communities in the EU (Romani and Yiddish).

move Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union European Union You can find this booklet and other short, clear explanations about the EU online at ec.europa.eu/publications European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications B-1049 Brussels Manuscript completed in August 2008 Cover illustration: © Shutterstock Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of

Running a multilingual European Union Busy in the background: interpreters at a formal EU meeting he reasons why the European Union uses 23 official languag- es are not hard to find: they are democracy, transparency and the right to know.

This ensures that individual EU citizens are able to use the same language in any contacts with the EU and its institu- tions as they do when dealing with their national authorities at home.

When a new country becomes a member of the EU, the national lan- guage of that country normally be- comes an official EU language.

In this way, the EU ensures that there is no discrimination between citizens whose languages are spo- ken by a large number of people and others using less widely spo- ken ones.

** These four languages were used by the European Coal and Steel Community, which was founded in 1950 and was the first step in the formation of what is now the EU.

Catalan, Basque and Galician have official language status within Spain which means that certain EU texts are translated from and into these languages at the cost of the Spanish government.

Representation in Scotland 9 Alva Street Edinburgh EH2 4PH Tel. (44-131) 225 20 58 Fax (44-131) 226 41 05 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Wales 2 Caspian Point Caspian Way Cardiff CF10 4QQ Tel. (44-29) 20 89 50 20 Fax (44-29) 20 89 50 35 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Northern Ireland Windsor House 9/15 Bedford Street Belfast BT2 7EG Tel. (44-28) 90 24 07 08 Fax (44-28) 90 24 82 41 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in the United States 2300 M Street, NW – 3rd

Many people practise their language skills while on holiday This Sami woman in Lapland speaks a minority language espect for linguistic and cul- tural diversity is a hallmark of the European Union.

Catalan, Basque and Galician have official language status within Spain which means that certain EU texts are translated from and into these languages at the cost of the Spanish government.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

The United Nations, with more than 190 members, uses only six languages.

This ensures that individual EU citizens are able to use the same language in any contacts with the EU and its institu- tions as they do when dealing with their national authorities at home.

Between the most recent Eurobarometer survey by the Com- mission in 2006 and the previous one five years earlier, the number of those interviewed claiming to know two languages in addition to their mother tongue had risen from 26 to 28 %.

Hungary developed its national integration policy on the basis of a six-month pi- lot project called Matra which included 1 200 hours of language teaching for im- migrants, 700 hours of cultural and legal orientation, and financial assistance with living expenses.

The majority of Europeans be- lieve that children should start learn- ing foreign languages at primary school between the ages of 6 and 12.

Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union European Union You can find this booklet and other short, clear explanations about the EU online at ec.europa.eu/publications European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications B-1049 Brussels Manuscript completed in August 2008 Cover illustration: © Shutterstock Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the

Most belong to the vast Indo-European group whose main branches are Germanic, Romance, Slav and Celtic.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

There are more than 60 of these, although the actual number depends on how you define a language (as opposed to a dialect, for example).

Erasmus (named after the 16th century humanist, Erasmus of Rotterdam), is a spe- cial programme designed to en- able university-level students and teachers to spend time at a uni- versity in another EU country.

The many languages spoken by the 500 million citizens of the Euro- pean Union spread across the con- tinent in a vast mosaic pattern.

One of the posters used for this event shows the usual form of greeting in 37 languages.

Commission has produced its own information booklets available at: ec.europa.eu/dgs/translation/index_en.htm Information about interpretation and interpreters in the EU can be found at: ec.europa.eu/dgs/scic/index.htm Information about the EU’s lifelong learning programme and its subprogrammes is available at: ec.europa.eu/ploteus Getting in touch with the EU ONLINE Information in all the official languages of the European Union is available on the Europa website: europa.eu IN PERSON

For any use or reproduction of individual photos, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holders.

The first, Comenius (named after Jan Amos Comenius or Komensky, a 17th century educationalist from what is now the Czech Repub- lic), covers primary and second- ary schooling.

Linguapeace Europe developed, tested and disseminated language training and reference ma- terials at intermediate and advanced levels, reaching a standard of linguistic com- petence recognised by international and national qualification bodies.

Leonard Orban, Member of the European Commission Europe on the move Contents The importance of language 03 The tongues of Europe 05 Regional and minority languages 07 Language and mobility 09 Promoting language learning 10 The tools of multilingualism 12 Running a multilingual European Union 13 Future challenges 15 Further reading 15 he language we speak helps define who we are.

Printed in Germany PRINTED ON WHITE CHLORINE-FREE PAPER Europe on the move Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union ‘ The abilit y to c omm unic ate in sev er al langu ages is a great benefit for individu als , organisations and c ompanies alik e .

Running a multilingual European Union Busy in the background: interpreters at a formal EU meeting he reasons why the European Union uses 23 official languag- es are not hard to find: they are democracy, transparency and the right to know.

The EU programmes are designed to complement the national educa- tion policies of member countries.

This includes languages such as Basque, Breton, Catalan, Frisian, Sardinian and Welsh; languages spoken by a minority of the population in one EU country but which are official languages in another: for example, German in southern Denmark, French in the Vallée d’Aoste in northern Italy, and Hungarian in Slovakia; non-territorial languages such as those of the Roma or Jewish communities in the EU (Romani and Yiddish).

In 1958 the official languages were decided in Council Regulation No 1, which has been amended each time new countries joined the EU. languages from 11 to 23, focusing attention on the role of languages in the EU as never before.

click away on the EU Bookshop website: bookshop.europa.eu YOU CAN ALSO OBTAIN INFORMATION AND BOOKLETS IN ENGLISH ABOUT THE EUROPEAN UNION FROM EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES Representation in Ireland 18 Dawson Street Dublin 2 Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11 Fax (353-1) 634 11 12 Internet: ec.europa.eu/ireland/ E-mail: [email protected] Representation in the United Kingdom 8 Storey’s Gate London SW1P 3AT Tel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92 Fax (44-20)

What the EU programmes do is to create links between countries and regions via joint projects which enhance the impact of language teaching and learning.

Cross-cultural bridges The cultural programmes of the European Union also promote lin- guistic and cultural diversity in a number of ways.

The fourth programme is Grundtvig, named after N. F. S. Grundtvig, a 19th cen- tury Danish pioneer of adult educa- tion.

In this way, the EU ensures that there is no discrimination between citizens whose languages are spo- ken by a large number of people and others using less widely spo- ken ones.

Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union European Union You can find this booklet and other short, clear explanations about the EU online at ec.europa.eu/publications European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications B-1049 Brussels Manuscript completed in August 2008 Cover illustration: © Shutterstock Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the

Non-indigenous languages A wide range of languages from other parts of the world are spoken by immigrant communities in EU countries.

Mind your language Every year the European Day of Languages is marked on 26 September.

The notion of minority language covers not only lesser-used languages like Sami in Lapland or Breton in western France, but also the use of official EU languages when spoken by a minority in another member country (such as German in northern Italy or Hungarian in Romania and Slovakia).

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES Representation in Ireland 18 Dawson Street Dublin 2 Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11 Fax (353-1) 634 11 12 Internet: ec.europa.eu/ireland/ E-mail: [email protected] Representation in the United Kingdom 8 Storey’s Gate London SW1P 3AT Tel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92 Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Scotland 9 Alva Street Edinburgh EH2 4PH Tel. (44-131) 225 20 58 Fax (44-131) 226 41 05

It enhanc es creativit y , breaks cultur al stereot y pes , enc our ages thinking “ outside the bo x ”, and c a n help dev elop inno v ativ e produc ts and ser vic es .’

Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union European Union You can find this booklet and other short, clear explanations about the EU online at ec.europa.eu/publications European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications B-1049 Brussels Manuscript completed in August 2008 Cover illustration: © Shutterstock Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the

The notion of minority language covers not only lesser-used languages like Sami in Lapland or Breton in western France, but also the use of official EU languages when spoken by a minority in another member country (such as German in northern Italy or Hungarian in Romania and Slovakia).

EU’s language portal: europa.eu/languages/en/home The Directorate-General for Translation at the European Commission has produced its own information booklets available at: ec.europa.eu/dgs/translation/index_en.htm Information about interpretation and interpreters in the EU can be found at: ec.europa.eu/dgs/scic/index.htm Information about the EU’s lifelong learning programme and its subprogrammes is available at: ec.europa.eu/ploteus Getting in touch with the EU ONLINE Information in

Most belong to the vast Indo-European group whose main branches are Germanic, Romance, Slav and Celtic.

To improve export performance, the study recommends that firms: take a strategic approach to multilingual communication; appoint native speakers to work in export markets; recruit staff with language skills, and develop these skills further; hire translators and interpreters.

The result is 23 languages for 27 countries. erman is the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union with about 90 mil- lion native speakers, or 18 % of the EU population.

The main reasons for learning a foreign language are for going on holiday or are work-related.

The basic principle is that all citizens and their elected representatives have the same right of access to the EU and are able to communicate with its institutions and authorities in their language.

Leonardo helps keep the peace EU peacekeepers in Africa need a common language to sort out operational problems The Leonardo da Vinci vocational training pro- gramme became involved in an unexpected area of activity when it funded a transnational training programme to improve the language skills of EU peacekeepers sent on military, police or humani- tarian missions to hot spots around the world.

(202) 862 95 00 Fax (202) 429 17 66 Internet: eurunion.org 222 East 41st Street, 20th floor New York, NY 10017 Tel.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES Representation in Ireland 18 Dawson Street Dublin 2 Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11 Fax (353-1) 634 11 12 Internet: ec.europa.eu/ireland/ E-mail: [email protected] Representation in the United Kingdom 8 Storey’s Gate London SW1P 3AT Tel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92 Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Scotland 9 Alva Street Edinburgh EH2 4PH Tel. (44-131) 225 20 58 Fax (44-131) 226 41 05

More than 90 % of people in eight EU countries — Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden — claim to speak a sec- ond language in addition to their mother tongue.

Hungary developed its national integration policy on the basis of a six-month pi- lot project called Matra which included 1 200 hours of language teaching for im- migrants, 700 hours of cultural and legal orientation, and financial assistance with living expenses.

One of the posters used for this event shows the usual form of greeting in 37 languages.

The EU recognises this right to identity and actively promotes our freedom to speak and write our own lan- guage, while it continues to pursue its goal of closer integration among its member countries.

This is particularly the case for small and medium-sized en- terprises (SMEs) that are failing to fully exploit export opportunities in other EU countries.

Printed in Germany PRINTED ON WHITE CHLORINE-FREE PAPER Europe on the move Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union ‘ The abilit y to c omm unic ate in sev er al langu ages is a great benefit for individu als , organisations and c ompanies alik e .

** These four languages were used by the European Coal and Steel Community, which was founded in 1950 and was the first step in the formation of what is now the EU.

While recognising the emergence of English as the most widely spo- ken language in Europe, the Union also wants to make sure this does not become, over time, a factor lim- iting linguistic diversity within its frontiers.

However, the survey also shows that in seven EU countries (Hun- gary, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Roma- nia, Spain and the United Kingdom) between one half and two thirds of the population do not know any foreign languages.

The many languages spoken by the 500 million citizens of the Euro- pean Union spread across the con- tinent in a vast mosaic pattern.

The latter are provided in Albanian, Arabic, English, French, Persian, Russian, Spanish, Somali and Turkish.

Printed in Germany PRINTED ON WHITE CHLORINE-FREE PAPER Europe on the move Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union ‘ The abilit y to c omm unic ate in sev er al langu ages is a great benefit for individu als , organisations and c ompanies alik e .

This mobility on the la- bour market helps create new jobs and stimulate growth.

‘Mother-tongue-plus-two’ Although most Europeans who learn a second language pick English, followed by German and French, other language options may be more appropriate in certain circumstances.

The many languages spoken by the 500 million citizens of the Euro- pean Union spread across the con- tinent in a vast mosaic pattern.

They included Bulgaria, Esto- nia, France, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom.

A language class for immigrants in Vienna It makes sense to employ native speakers to work in export markets U citizens have the right to live and work in other member states besides their home country.

The use of all official languages also makes it easier for people to participate in public debates and consultations that the EU launches, often online.

The idea behind the event is to raise public awareness of all the languages spo- ken in Europe and the importance of language learning in spreading tolerance and mutual understanding.

To know another language, or maybe several, makes it possible to move and find a job in another country.

In this way, the EU ensures that there is no discrimination between citizens whose languages are spo- ken by a large number of people and others using less widely spo- ken ones.

Most belong to the vast Indo-European group whose main branches are Germanic, Romance, Slav and Celtic.

This is a way for the people con- cerned to keep in touch with their cultural roots while assimilating the language and culture of their new host country.

Ukralna 1 ,/ I El Ojaziir Member states of the European Union (2008) Candidate countries EN Europe on the move Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union he EU promotes the linguistic and cultural diversity of its peoples.

One example is from the Flemish city of Ghent in Belgium, where immigrants and recognised refugees are offered an introductory programme including 1 200 hours of lessons in Dutch (the language of the Flemish region), plus 75 hours of civic ori- entation courses.

Leonard Orban, Member of the European Commission Europe on the move Contents The importance of language 03 The tongues of Europe 05 Regional and minority languages 07 Language and mobility 09 Promoting language learning 10 The tools of multilingualism 12 Running a multilingual European Union 13 Future challenges 15 Further reading 15 he language we speak helps define who we are.

As a result of historic and geopolitical factors, Russian is the first or second foreign language spoken in most of these countries.

Eras- mus provides intensive language courses for participants in advance of their stay abroad.

The latter elements are often provided in the immigrants’ own language.

The EU’s commitment to safeguard linguistic diversity shows that it is not seeking to erase national or regional characteristics and replace them with a ‘European’ uniformity, as some critics claim.

The EU has fewer official languages than member countries.

Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union European Union You can find this booklet and other short, clear explanations about the EU online at ec.europa.eu/publications European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications B-1049 Brussels Manuscript completed in August 2008 Cover illustration: © Shutterstock Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the

This is particularly the case for small and medium-sized en- terprises (SMEs) that are failing to fully exploit export opportunities in other EU countries.

Learning for life in and out of school While teaching should begin early, it only makes sense if teachers are specially trained to teach languages to young children.

Language learning is a life- long activity, starting at school (or even pre-school) and continuing through all levels of education and all life stages.

When a new country becomes a member of the EU, the national lan- guage of that country normally be- comes an official EU language.

Cross-cultural bridges The cultural programmes of the European Union also promote lin- guistic and cultural diversity in a number of ways.

Most belong to the vast Indo-European group whose main branches are Germanic, Romance, Slav and Celtic.

All language versions of an EU law have the same legal value.

Between the most recent Eurobarometer survey by the Com- mission in 2006 and the previous one five years earlier, the number of those interviewed claiming to know two languages in addition to their mother tongue had risen from 26 to 28 %.

Leonardo helps keep the peace EU peacekeepers in Africa need a common language to sort out operational problems The Leonardo da Vinci vocational training pro- gramme became involved in an unexpected area of activity when it funded a transnational training programme to improve the language skills of EU peacekeepers sent on military, police or humani- tarian missions to hot spots around the world.

The arrival of 12 new member states since 2004 has confirmed the pre- eminence of English as the emerg- ing lingua franca of the European Union.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

Regional and mi- nority languages are more specifi- cally protected by a charter agreed within the framework of the Coun- cil of Europe.

One example is from the Flemish city of Ghent in Belgium, where immigrants and recognised refugees are offered an introductory programme including 1 200 hours of lessons in Dutch (the language of the Flemish region), plus 75 hours of civic ori- entation courses.

You can find the address of the centre nearest you on this website: europedirect.europa.eu ON THE PHONE OR BY MAIL Europe Direct is a service which answers your questions about the European Union.

Leonard Orban, Member of the European Commission Europe on the move Contents The importance of language 03 The tongues of Europe 05 Regional and minority languages 07 Language and mobility 09 Promoting language learning 10 The tools of multilingualism 12 Running a multilingual European Union 13 Future challenges 15 Further reading 15 he language we speak helps define who we are.

PARLIAMENT OFFICES Representation in Ireland 18 Dawson Street Dublin 2 Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11 Fax (353-1) 634 11 12 Internet: ec.europa.eu/ireland/ E-mail: [email protected] Representation in the United Kingdom 8 Storey’s Gate London SW1P 3AT Tel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92 Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Scotland 9 Alva Street Edinburgh EH2 4PH Tel. (44-131) 225 20 58 Fax (44-131) 226 41 05 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Wales

They can either be filled in online or down- loaded and completed on paper (europass.cedefop.europa.eu).

The entry of 12 new members be- tween 2004 and 2007 more than doubled the number of official The current EU languages became ‘official languages’ of the EU in these years 1953 1973 1981 1986 1995 2004 2007 *Irish: Treaty language since 1973.

They can either be filled in online or down- loaded and completed on paper (europass.cedefop.europa.eu).

Mobilising resources Running a multilingual EU comes at a price.

It does this in several ways: it respects our right to speak and write our own language and extends this right to our dealings with the EU institutions; it supports the use of regional and minority languages, irrespec- tive of whether these languages are official EU languages or not; it actively promotes language learning and multilingualism as a means to individual self-improve- ment for EU citizens and as a vehicle for creating jobs and growth across the EU economy.

Each government is responsible for its own national education policy, including language teaching.

The majority of Europeans be- lieve that children should start learn- ing foreign languages at primary school between the ages of 6 and 12.

Leonard Orban, Member of the European Commission Europe on the move Contents The importance of language 03 The tongues of Europe 05 Regional and minority languages 07 Language and mobility 09 Promoting language learning 10 The tools of multilingualism 12 Running a multilingual European Union 13 Future challenges 15 Further reading 15 he language we speak helps define who we are.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES Representation in Ireland 18 Dawson Street Dublin 2 Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11 Fax (353-1) 634 11 12 Internet: ec.europa.eu/ireland/ E-mail: [email protected] Representation in the United Kingdom 8 Storey’s Gate London SW1P 3AT Tel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92 Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Scotland 9 Alva Street Edinburgh EH2 4PH Tel. (44-131) 225 20 58 Fax (44-131) 226 41 05

This is because Germany and Austria use the same language, Greece and Cyprus share Greek, and Belgium and Luxembourg have common languages with their French, German and Dutch neighbours.

A total of 32 % learn languages in order to use them at work, while 27 % do so to be able to work in an- other country.

To know another language, or maybe several, makes it possible to move and find a job in another country.

Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union European Union You can find this booklet and other short, clear explanations about the EU online at ec.europa.eu/publications European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications B-1049 Brussels Manuscript completed in August 2008 Cover illustration: © Shutterstock Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the

Others in- clude Maghreb Arabic (mainly in France, Spain and Belgium), as well as Urdu, Bengali and Hindi spoken by immigrants from the Indian sub- continent in the United Kingdom.

In this way, the EU ensures that there is no discrimination between citizens whose languages are spo- ken by a large number of people and others using less widely spo- ken ones.

Moreover, class sizes should be relatively small, and enough time needs to be set aside in the school curriculum for lan- guage teaching.

All languages are eligible for support under these specific programmes: official languages, regional, minor- ity and migrant languages, and the languages of the EU’s major trading partners.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

To know another language, or maybe several, makes it possible to move and find a job in another country.

This includes languages such as Basque, Breton, Catalan, Frisian, Sardinian and Welsh; languages spoken by a minority of the population in one EU country but which are official languages in another: for example, German in southern Denmark, French in the Vallée d’Aoste in northern Italy, and Hungarian in Slovakia; non-territorial languages such as those of the Roma or Jewish communities in the EU (Romani and Yiddish).

By the same token, all new legisla- tion adopted by the EU is translated into all official languages so that any interested citizens across the Union know immediately what the new law is about and how it affects them.

The idea here is that speakers are free to express themselves in their own language, or one they feel comfort- able in, while it is assumed they have enough passive knowledge of a major EU language to follow the proceedings in that language.

Knowing other languages also promotes cross-cultural contacts, mutual EU official languages 23 Bulgarian 22 Romanian 21 Irish* 20 Maltese 19 Czech 18 Slovak 17 Slovene 16 Polish 15 Hungarian 14 Estonian 13 Latvian 12 Lithuanian 11 Finnish 10 Swedish 9 Spanish 8 Portuguese 7 Greek 6 English 5 Danish 4 French** 3 German** 2 Italian** 1 Dutch** understanding and direct com- munications between individual citizens in an ever-expanding and more diverse Union.

One example is from the Flemish city of Ghent in Belgium, where immigrants and recognised refugees are offered an introductory programme including 1 200 hours of lessons in Dutch (the language of the Flemish region), plus 75 hours of civic ori- entation courses.

The study also stresses the growing im- portance of multilingualism for winning business in world markets.

It identifies language learning and linguistic diversity as general goals and the budget for linguistic projects has been increased.

Leonard Orban, Member of the European Commission Europe on the move Contents The importance of language 03 The tongues of Europe 05 Regional and minority languages 07 Language and mobility 09 Promoting language learning 10 The tools of multilingualism 12 Running a multilingual European Union 13 Future challenges 15 Further reading 15 he language we speak helps define who we are.

E-mail: [email protected] Representation in the United Kingdom 8 Storey’s Gate London SW1P 3AT Tel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92 Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Scotland 9 Alva Street Edinburgh EH2 4PH Tel. (44-131) 225 20 58 Fax (44-131) 226 41 05 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Wales 2 Caspian Point Caspian Way Cardiff CF10 4QQ Tel. (44-29) 20 89 50 20 Fax (44-29) 20 89 50 35 Internet: ec.europa.eu/uk Representation in Northern

Catalan, Basque and Galician have official language status within Spain which means that certain EU texts are translated from and into these languages at the cost of the Spanish government.

In such instances, learning the Most common foreign languages in the EU Question: 'Which languages, other than your mother tongue, do you know well enough to hold a conversation?'

Learning for life in and out of school While teaching should begin early, it only makes sense if teachers are specially trained to teach languages to young children.

This ensures that individual EU citizens are able to use the same language in any contacts with the EU and its institu- tions as they do when dealing with their national authorities at home.

The aims here are to promote language learning in the EU, to en- sure citizens have access to the EU in their own language, and to ex- ploit fully the contribution of mul- tilingualism to the economic, social, cultural and political development of the European Union.

Being able to speak to one another raises our awareness of what we have in common and at the same time increases mutual re- spect for cultural differences.

Care should be taken to promote all languages, in- cluding regional and minority ones, to provide more venues for lan- guage teaching, to make more use of the internet for learning languag- es, and to provide more subtitling on television and in the cinema.

Languages mean business A study undertaken for the Euro- pean Commission shows that EU firms can lose business opportun- ities through a lack of language skills.

Printed in Germany PRINTED ON WHITE CHLORINE-FREE PAPER Europe on the move Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union ‘ The abilit y to c omm unic ate in sev er al langu ages is a great benefit for individu als , organisations and c ompanies alik e .

‘Mother-tongue-plus-two’ Although most Europeans who learn a second language pick English, followed by German and French, other language options may be more appropriate in certain circumstances.

The EU recognises this right to identity and actively promotes our freedom to speak and write our own lan- guage, while it continues to pursue its goal of closer integration among its member countries.

The study also stresses the growing im- portance of multilingualism for winning business in world markets.

Each of these is named after a well- known European educator and each is responsible for one area of learning and teaching.

In fact, the most recent survey by the European Commis- sion, published in 2006, shows that five languages dominate as the for- eign languages most widely spoken by EU citizens (see box).

You can find the address of the centre nearest you on this website: europedirect.europa.eu ON THE PHONE OR BY MAIL Europe Direct is a service which answers your questions about the European Union.

Using linguistic shortcuts of this kind makes practical and economic sense — provided standards are maintained.

The study also stresses the growing im- portance of multilingualism for winning business in world markets.

Leonard Orban, Member of the European Commission Europe on the move Contents The importance of language 03 The tongues of Europe 05 Regional and minority languages 07 Language and mobility 09 Promoting language learning 10 The tools of multilingualism 12 Running a multilingual European Union 13 Future challenges 15 Further reading 15 he language we speak helps define who we are.

** These four languages were used by the European Coal and Steel Community, which was founded in 1950 and was the first step in the formation of what is now the EU.

This is because Germany and Austria use the same language, Greece and Cyprus share Greek, and Belgium and Luxembourg have common languages with their French, German and Dutch neighbours.

The European Parliament, which often needs to produce documents rapidly in all official languages, has developed a system centred on three ‘pivotal’ languages: English, French and German.

Leonard Orban, Member of the European Commission Europe on the move Contents The importance of language 03 The tongues of Europe 05 Regional and minority languages 07 Language and mobility 09 Promoting language learning 10 The tools of multilingualism 12 Running a multilingual European Union 13 Future challenges 15 Further reading 15 he language we speak helps define who we are.

The EU recognises this right to identity and actively promotes our freedom to speak and write our own lan- guage, while it continues to pursue its goal of closer integration among its member countries.

The first, Comenius (named after Jan Amos Comenius or Komensky, a 17th century educationalist from what is now the Czech Repub- lic), covers primary and second- ary schooling.

Major responsibilities Translation and interpretation are therefore major EU responsibilities.

Linguapeace Europe developed, tested and disseminated language training and reference ma- terials at intermediate and advanced levels, reaching a standard of linguistic com- petence recognised by international and national qualification bodies.

The notion of minority language covers not only lesser-used languages like Sami in Lapland or Breton in western France, but also the use of official EU languages when spoken by a minority in another member country (such as German in northern Italy or Hungarian in Romania and Slovakia).

The notion of minority language covers not only lesser-used languages like Sami in Lapland or Breton in western France, but also the use of official EU languages when spoken by a minority in another member country (such as German in northern Italy or Hungarian in Romania and Slovakia).

Street Dublin 2 Tel. (353-1) 605 79 00 Fax (353-1) 605 79 99 Internet: europarl.ie E-mail: [email protected] United Kingdom Office 2 Queen Anne’s Gate London SW1H 9AA Tel. (44-20) 72 27 43 00 Fax (44-20) 72 27 43 02 Internet: www.europarl.org.uk E-mail: [email protected] Office in Scotland The Tun 4 Jackson’s Entry Holyrood Road Edinburgh EH8 8PJ Tel. (44-131) 557 78 66 Fax (44-131) 557 49 77 Internet: www.europarl.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]

More than 90 % of people in eight EU countries — Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden — claim to speak a sec- ond language in addition to their mother tongue.

There are more than 60 of these, although the actual number depends on how you define a language (as opposed to a dialect, for example).

The idea here is that speakers are free to express themselves in their own language, or one they feel comfort- able in, while it is assumed they have enough passive knowledge of a major EU language to follow the proceedings in that language.

Three definitions There are three generally accepted categories of regional or minority languages: languages that are specific to a region which may be within a member state or a cross-border re- gion and which are not a dominant language in any EU country.

The EU recognises this right to identity and actively promotes our freedom to speak and write our own lan- guage, while it continues to pursue its goal of closer integration among its member countries.

Street Dublin 2 Tel. (353-1) 605 79 00 Fax (353-1) 605 79 99 Internet: europarl.ie E-mail: [email protected] United Kingdom Office 2 Queen Anne’s Gate London SW1H 9AA Tel. (44-20) 72 27 43 00 Fax (44-20) 72 27 43 02 Internet: www.europarl.org.uk E-mail: [email protected] Office in Scotland The Tun 4 Jackson’s Entry Holyrood Road Edinburgh EH8 8PJ Tel. (44-131) 557 78 66 Fax (44-131) 557 49 77 Internet: www.europarl.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]

The notion of minority language covers not only lesser-used languages like Sami in Lapland or Breton in western France, but also the use of official EU languages when spoken by a minority in another member country (such as German in northern Italy or Hungarian in Romania and Slovakia).

Not surprisingly, the best lan- guage skills are found in countries that are relatively small or whose language is not well known else- where.

The languages of integration Many local authorities and national governments provide immigrants with language training, familiarisation courses on local society and culture, and help in finding jobs.

Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union European Union You can find this booklet and other short, clear explanations about the EU online at ec.europa.eu/publications European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications B-1049 Brussels Manuscript completed in August 2008 Cover illustration: © Shutterstock Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the

In general, these non-indigenous languages are not given formal status or recognition in EU coun- tries.

Linguapeace Europe developed, tested and disseminated language training and reference ma- terials at intermediate and advanced levels, reaching a standard of linguistic com- petence recognised by international and national qualification bodies.

About half support the idea of mother- tongue-plus-two languages.

** These four languages were used by the European Coal and Steel Community, which was founded in 1950 and was the first step in the formation of what is now the EU.

At the other end of the range, only 34 % of Irish people and 38 % of Britons claim to know a second language well enough to hold a conversation.

areas of responsibility, each specific programme aims to: encourage people to learn lan- guages at all educational levels and at all ages during their working life; improve access to language learning resources throughout Europe; develop and disseminate in- novative teaching techniques and good practice; ensure that a sufficiently wide range of learning tools are available to language learners; raise awareness of the im- por tance of multilingualism as a key economic and social asset of

At the other end of the range, only 34 % of Irish people and 38 % of Britons claim to know a second language well enough to hold a conversation.

Leonard Orban, Member of the European Commission Europe on the move Contents The importance of language 03 The tongues of Europe 05 Regional and minority languages 07 Language and mobility 09 Promoting language learning 10 The tools of multilingualism 12 Running a multilingual European Union 13 Future challenges 15 Further reading 15 he language we speak helps define who we are.

Not surprisingly, the best lan- guage skills are found in countries that are relatively small or whose language is not well known else- where.

It does this in several ways: it respects our right to speak and write our own language and extends this right to our dealings with the EU institutions; it supports the use of regional and minority languages, irrespec- tive of whether these languages are official EU languages or not; it actively promotes language learning and multilingualism as a means to individual self-improve- ment for EU citizens and as a vehicle for creating jobs and growth across the EU economy.

This is why it stresses the personal, social and economic ben- efits of multilingualism and why it has set the ambitious target of get- ting as many EU citizens as possible to learn two languages in addition to their mother tongue.

These pro- grammes have at least one thing in common: they cover cross-border projects involving partners from at least two, and often three or more, EU countries.

This common way of describing your knowledge of a language has reduced the confusion caused by the numerous levels of com- petence and different expressions used previously.

Erasmus (named after the 16th century humanist, Erasmus of Rotterdam), is a spe- cial programme designed to en- able university-level students and teachers to spend time at a uni- versity in another EU country.

The main reasons for learning a foreign language are for going on holiday or are work-related.

In this way, the EU ensures that there is no discrimination between citizens whose languages are spo- ken by a large number of people and others using less widely spo- ken ones.

The Finnish education system supports the maintenance and development of the mother tongues of immigrants to ensure what it calls functional bilingualism.

Language learning is a life- long activity, starting at school (or even pre-school) and continuing through all levels of education and all life stages.

The EU’s commitment to safeguard linguistic diversity shows that it is not seeking to erase national or regional characteristics and replace them with a ‘European’ uniformity, as some critics claim.

‘Mother-tongue-plus-two’ Although most Europeans who learn a second language pick English, followed by German and French, other language options may be more appropriate in certain circumstances.

It is enshrined in the European Charter of Fun- damental Rights adopted by EU leaders in 2000.

Mind your language Every year the European Day of Languages is marked on 26 September.

Translators work with written texts, and interpreters with the spoken word.

By the same token, all new legisla- tion adopted by the EU is translated into all official languages so that any interested citizens across the Union know immediately what the new law is about and how it affects them.

Non-indigenous languages A wide range of languages from other parts of the world are spoken by immigrant communities in EU countries.

More than 90 % of people in eight EU countries — Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden — claim to speak a sec- ond language in addition to their mother tongue.

For any use or reproduction of individual photos, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holders.

Linguistic diversity covers not only the 23 official languages of the EU but its regional and minority lan- guages as well.

It enhanc es creativit y , breaks cultur al stereot y pes , enc our ages thinking “ outside the bo x ”, and c a n help dev elop inno v ativ e produc ts and ser vic es .’

** These four languages were used by the European Coal and Steel Community, which was founded in 1950 and was the first step in the formation of what is now the EU.

Running a multilingual European Union Busy in the background: interpreters at a formal EU meeting he reasons why the European Union uses 23 official languag- es are not hard to find: they are democracy, transparency and the right to know.

has produced its own information booklets available at: ec.europa.eu/dgs/translation/index_en.htm Information about interpretation and interpreters in the EU can be found at: ec.europa.eu/dgs/scic/index.htm Information about the EU’s lifelong learning programme and its subprogrammes is available at: ec.europa.eu/ploteus Getting in touch with the EU ONLINE Information in all the official languages of the European Union is available on the Europa website: europa.eu IN PERSON All over

A total of 32 % learn languages in order to use them at work, while 27 % do so to be able to work in an- other country.

Choose your language: the portal to the EU's website FURTHER READING Information about the use of languages in the European Union can be found at the EU’s language portal: europa.eu/languages/en/home The Directorate-General for Translation at the European Commission has produced its own information booklets available at: ec.europa.eu/dgs/translation/index_en.htm Information about interpretation and interpreters in the EU can be found at: ec.europa.eu/dgs/scic/index.htm Information about

Not surprisingly, the best lan- guage skills are found in countries that are relatively small or whose language is not well known else- where.

The ‘Culture’ programme builds cross- cultural bridges by supporting the translation of modern authors into other EU languages.

Printed in Germany PRINTED ON WHITE CHLORINE-FREE PAPER Europe on the move Speaking for Europe Languages in the European Union ‘ The abilit y to c omm unic ate in sev er al langu ages is a great benefit for individu als , organisations and c ompanies alik e .

However, English is spoken by an estimated 38 % of EU citizens as their first foreign language, putting it well ahead of German and the others as the most widely used language of the European Union.

Erasmus (named after the 16th century humanist, Erasmus of Rotterdam), is a spe- cial programme designed to en- able university-level students and teachers to spend time at a uni- versity in another EU country.

Answers (in %): English 38 German 14 French 14 Spanish 6 Russian 6 Source: European Commission, Special Eurobarometer survey 243, 2006. language of a neighbouring coun- try could be more directly useful.

Learning the local language is not only the key to getting a job in an- other country, it also puts you in touch with local people.

This is because German is more widely spoken as a foreign language than French in the countries of central and eastern Europe.

It is never too soon to start learning another language 11 There are national information cen- tres in each country, which give details about how to apply to par- ticipate in these programmes (see ec.europa.eu/ploteus).

The majority of Europeans be- lieve that children should start learn- ing foreign languages at primary school between the ages of 6 and 12.

Moreover, class sizes should be relatively small, and enough time needs to be set aside in the school curriculum for lan- guage teaching.

Our national histories and cultural herit- age may differ, but our aspirations and hopes for the future are closely in tune.

Thanks to interpretation, Members of the European Parliament can debate issues in their mother tongue Know your linguistic roots The languages of the EU come from a variety of roots.

Partly for this reason, the European Union encourages people to learn two foreign languages if possible.

(202) 862 95 00 Fax (202) 429 17 66 Internet: eurunion.org 222 East 41st Street, 20th floor New York, NY 10017 Tel.

Answers (in %): English 38 German 14 French 14 Spanish 6 Russian 6 Source: European Commission, Special Eurobarometer survey 243, 2006. language of a neighbouring coun- try could be more directly useful.

The total cost has risen by a relatively small margin despite the arrival of 12 new countries since 2004.

Each of these is named after a well- known European educator and each is responsible for one area of learning and teaching.

Translators work with written texts, and interpreters with the spoken word.

To know another language, or maybe several, makes it possible to move and find a job in another country.