FAQs on language in the EU

A recent European Commission press release gives clear and informative answers to some frequently asked questions on languages in Europe.

Here are the questions:

What does ‘multilingualism’ mean?
What are the official languages of the EU?
Who decides the EU’s official languages?
What about the regional languages spoken in Member States?
Why does the European Commission promote multilingualism?
In short, what is the aim of the EU’s language policies?
What is the cost of multilingualism in the European institutions?
Does EU law protect the use of languages?
Does the EU plan to reduce the number of official languages?
Would one language for all be a solution?
What role do translation and interpretation play?
Is every EU document translated into all official languages?
What about websites?
Which language is the most important one?
If I learn languages, what is in it for me?
Why are languages important for business?
What do Europeans think about language learning?
How good are Europeans at using languages?

To find out the answers, see the EC press release here.

One thought on “FAQs on language in the EU”

I like the answer to the question “Would one language for all be a solution?”:
“[…] The idea that a single language could be the solution to all linguistic needs is too simplistic. This is why the European Commission’s commitment to multilingualism promotes diversity rather than uniformity.”

Quy Madera

November 5, 2013 at 12:32 am

I like the answer to the question “Would one language for all be a solution?”:
“[…] The idea that a single language could be the solution to all linguistic needs is too simplistic. This is why the European Commission’s commitment to multilingualism promotes diversity rather than uniformity.”