How the EU protects its linguistic diversity

The European Union (EU) is a unique political and economic union of 27 member states that share common values and goals. One of these values is the respect for the rich cultural and linguistic diversity of Europe, which is reflected in the EU’s language policy.

The EU has 24 official languages: Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish. These languages are used in the EU institutions, as well as in the communication with the citizens and the member states. Every EU citizen has the right to write to the EU institutions in any of these languages and receive a reply in the same language. Moreover, the EU laws and documents are translated into all official languages, ensuring their accessibility and transparency.

The EU also supports the teaching and learning of foreign languages, as well as the mobility and intercultural dialogue of its citizens. The EU believes that multilingualism is an important asset for personal, social and professional development, as well as for the competitiveness and cohesion of the EU. Therefore, the EU promotes the idea that every EU citizen should be able to speak at least two languages in addition to their mother tongue.

Besides the official languages, the EU also recognizes and protects the regional and minority languages spoken by some of its citizens. These languages are part of the EU’s cultural heritage and contribute to its diversity and richness. The EU cooperates with the member states and the Council of Europe to ensure the respect and promotion of these languages, in accordance with the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. Some examples of these languages are Catalan, Basque, Galician, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Frisian, Sami and Romani.

The EU’s language policy is not only a matter of respect and recognition, but also of security and stability. By fostering the linguistic diversity of Europe, the EU aims to prevent conflicts and tensions that may arise from linguistic discrimination or domination. The EU also seeks to enhance the mutual understanding and cooperation among its member states and citizens, as well as with its external partners. The EU’s motto, “United in diversity”, reflects this vision of a peaceful and prosperous union that celebrates its linguistic diversity as a source of strength and unity.