multilingualism
Translations of British Brexit plan provoke ridicule
The UK government has taken the somewhat unprecedented step of translating the executive summary of its Brexit White Paper into 22 European languages.
Shakespeare in trouble: Dutch fret about English on campus
The growing popularity of English as a medium of instruction at Dutch universities is ringing alarm bells among local lecturers and students, with some now even calling for government intervention.
Bundestag MPs want EU staff to use German more after Brexit
Three members of Germany's Bundestag have asked Chancellor Angela Merkel to make sure EU institutions use the German language more.
EU offers more language choice to hopeful recruits
The EU has changed the language requirements for its recruitment process. Prospective candidates will now have a wider choice and no longer be limited to just English, French or German during the selection procedure.
Opinion leaders identify seven pillars for ‘better’ EU action
CIVICO-Europa, an informal group set up by opinion leaders and later supported by politicians, presented today (20 March) a manifesto for the future of Europe, based on “doing much better together”, rather than the traditional way of “doing more”.
Parlez-vous English, French politicians?
The French are known for their laissez-faire attitude toward speaking English and political leaders are no exception to this cliché. The French presidential hopefuls' familiarity with the language of Shakespeare also varies from the capable to the shambolic.
New language protocol seeks to level linguistic playing field
More than a hundred ambassadors representing 25 minority European languages signed a protocol guaranteeing linguistic rights this weekend. EURACTIV Spain reports.
Romania’s huge EU funding net gain revealed
Romania's contribution to the EU budget over the last decade only totalled €13 billion, according to the country's very first European Commissioner. EURACTIV Romania reports.
Catalans rally in support of independence from Spain
Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets across Catalonia yesterday (11 September) to support a break from Spain which local leaders want to deliver for next year in spite of legal blocks by the central government.
Language discrimination rife across EU
Calls for legislation to be drawn up or even for a Language Commissioner to be appointed have been made, in order to combat a rising number of discrimination cases across the European Union.
Will the Digital Single Market be multilingual?
The Latvian EU Presidency hosted the Riga Summit on a Multilingual Digital Single Market (DSM) last week, just before the European Commission launches its much-awaited DSM plan.
Italian Presidency website will not be in French or German
The Italian Presidency of the European Union's official website will only publish in English and Italian, meaning it will not be translated into French or German for the first time since 2007, EURACTIV France reports.
Next EU Commission President will be a polyglot
Being able to speak many languages is an important skillset for any high-ranking European politician. When it comes to language skills, some candidates for the presidency of the European Commission have a clear linguistic advantage. EURACTIV France reports.
European schools clash with parents over long-awaited reforms
The board of governors of the European Schools will adopt a reform of the secondary curriculum later this week (4-6 December), hoping to overcome some of the academic and financial troubles, but parents slam the reform as being cost-cutting driven.
English should be Brussels’ official language, Flemish minister says
If Brussels aspires to be an international city, it should make English an official language, the Flemish minister for education Pascal Smet has told EURACTIV.
Eurostat: English reinforces its status as Europe’s ‘lingua franca’
Ninety four percent of upper secondary students learn English as a foreign language, according to new data published by Eurostat yesterday (26 September) to coincide with the European Day for Languages.
French EU circles gripped by feeling of decline: Survey
EXCLUSIVE / A EURACTIV survey of French EU professionals in Brussels, published ahead of Bastille Day, shows that an overwhelming 60% of respondents believe their country’s influence in Europe has declined since the financial and economic crisis swept the continent in 2008.
Sprechen Sie Deutsch? Merkel wants more German spoken in EU
Angela Merkel's conservatives want to increase the use of German in Europe if they are re-elected in September, calling in their campaign programme for the language to be treated on a par with English and French in top Brussels institutions.
French EU elite abandons ‘defensive’ stance on language
With the decline of French language in EU institutions now accepted by most as irreversible, French lawmakers and officials have started pushing a more assertive approach, based on the promotion of multilingualism and influence rather than language issues only.
Corsican MEP battles for Europe to protect endangered languages
INTERVIEW / Just as the EU legislates to protect migrating birds and wildlife habitats, it should also protect its 120 or so endangered languages, argues François Alfonsi, a Corsican MEP who has prepared a parliamentary report that could name and shame European wrongdoers.
Learning languages a way out of crisis, says Vassiliou
Learning foreign languages can become a way for Europeans to exit the economic doldrums and find employment opportunities across borders, says language and culture Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou.
EU Parliament makes cuts to translation budget
The European Parliament has agreed to cut part of its translation service, in a bid to shave its budget by some €8.6 million per year.
The internet is becoming more multilingual: Study
Internationalised domain names (IDNs), which are seen as an essential building block for creating a multilingual internet, are growing in number, according to a new report.