Fact Sheet on the European Union: Language policy

This Fact Sheet has been developed by the European Parliament as a brief statement of its aims and achievements in the area of language policy. It is one of a range of Fact Sheets that have been produced to provide information about the Parliament's activities.¹

As part of its efforts to promote mobility and intercultural understanding, the EU has designated language learning as an important priority, and funds numerous programmes and projects in this area. Multilingualism, in the EU's view, is an important element in Europe's competitiveness. One of the objectives of the EU's language policy is therefore that every European citizen should master two other languages in addition to their mother tongue.

Legal basis

In Europe, linguistic diversity is a fact of life. Languages are an integral part of the European identity and the most direct expression of culture. In an EU founded on the motto "United in diversity", the ability to communicate in several languages is an important asset for individuals, organisations and companies. Languages not only play a key role in the everyday life of the European Union, but they are also fundamental in order to respect cultural and linguistic diversity in the EU.

Respect for linguistic diversity is a fundamental value of the EU, as are respect for the person and openness towards other cultures. This is incorporated into the preamble to the Treaty on European Union, which refers to "drawing inspiration from the cultural, religious and humanist inheritance of Europe [...] confirming [the] attachment to the principles of liberty, democracy and respect for human rights". In Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) great importance is given to respect for human rights and non-discrimination, while Article 3 states that the EU "shall respect its rich cultural and linguistic diversity". Article 165(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) emphasises that "Union action shall be aimed at developing the European dimension in education, particularly through the teaching and dissemination of the languages of the Member States", whilst fully respecting cultural and linguistic diversity (Article 165(1) TFEU).

The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, adopted in 2000 and made legally binding by the Treaty of Lisbon, prohibits discrimination on grounds of language (Article 21) and places an obligation on the Union to respect linguistic diversity (Article 22).

The first 1958 regulation determining the languages to be used by the former European Economic Community² has been amended according to accessions to the EU and defines the official languages³ of the EU, together with Article 55(1) TEU. Every citizen of the EU has the right to write to any of the institutions or bodies of the EU in one of those languages and to receive an answer in the same language, pursuant to Article 24 TFEU.

Objectives

EU language policy is based on respect for linguistic diversity in all Member States and on the creation of an intercultural dialogue throughout the EU. In order to put mutual respect into practice, the EU promotes the teaching and learning of foreign languages and the mobility of every citizen through dedicated programmes for education and vocational training. Foreign language competence is regarded as one of the basic skills that all EU citizens need to acquire in order to improve their educational and employment opportunities. The EU therefore supports the idea that every citizen should master two foreign languages in addition to his or her mother tongue (COM(2008) 0566). The EU also works with Member States to protect minorities, on the basis of the Council of Europe's European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

The "Education and Training 2020" strategic framework considers languages as one of the basic skills in education, following the Council conclusions of 20 May 2014 on multilingualism and the development of language competences.⁴

Moreover, 26 September has been celebrated as the European Day of Languages since 2001, to raise awareness of the wide variety of languages in Europe.

The European Parliament has adopted a full multilingual language policy, meaning that all EU languages are equally...