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Mr.
Leonard Orban
EU
Commissioner for Multilingualism
MR. LEONARD ORBAN is EU Commissioner for
Multilingualism since January 2007. He is
Coordinator of the elaboration of Romanian Post
Accession Strategy for 2007-2013; and was signer
of the Accession Treaty of Romania to the
European Union as Chief Negotiator with the
European Union, on April 25, 2005 in Luxembourg.
He is a former member of several governmental
committees related to Romania’s EU accession
like the European Integration Executive
Committee; the State Aid Committee, the
Committee for the Management of the EU Funds,
and the Romanian Social and Economic Council. In
2002, Mr. Obar received the Knighthood of
“Steaua Romāniei” National Order (Star of
Romania) for his contribution to Romania’s
Euro-Atlantic integration.
Mr. Orban has written numerous articles and
analyses published in Romanian and foreign
newspapers and magazines on European integration
and European affairs since 2001, and has been a
guest speaker and key speaker at numerous
international conferences, seminars and debates
(Berlin, London, Brussels, Budapest, Vienna, and
Bratislava) on enlargement, accession
negotiations and political economy.
Mr. Orban's special interests are foreign
policy, classical music, reading and cinema.
MULTILINGUALISM IN EUROPE
Mr. Leonard Orban
 Some
people may contend that multilingualism is
unworkable when it comes to running a Europe of
27 Member States. They might think that as
citizens of a globalized world, we need only
English to get by. But the reality is quite
different. As Europe expands, multilingualism is
ever more necessary; the very notion of a common
language is contradicted by our history.
The European Union embodies unity in diversity.
Since languages are one of the key features of
cultural identity, multilingualism lies at the
heart of the EU. So it stands to reason that
multilingualism has become an essential issue in
Europe.
EU LANGUAGE POLICY
Multilingualism is both the coexistence of
different language communities and the ability
of individuals to use several languages.
The first dimension, respect for different
language communities and for linguistic
diversity, has accompanied European integration
right from the foundation of the European
Economic Community. The very first European law
gave equal status to all official languages of
the Member States, thus giving all citizens
access to EU legislation and information in
their own language. All legal acts must be
accessible in all official languages of the EU,
before they enter into force. Representatives of
the Member States, when they meet to discuss
policy and take decisions about laws or about
common actions, may also use their own
languages, and citizens also have the right to
use their own languages in their contacts with
the European institutions.
In its 50 years of existence, the European Union
has grown from the original six to embrace 27
Member States, a multitude of cultures and
languages. But equality for its 23 official
languages is still a guiding principle. The EU
is sometimes accused of being a Tower of Babel,
where nobody understands each other. On the
contrary, we are the living proof that it is
possible to construct a shared home, even if the
builders speak different languages. For the EU,
the recipe for mutual understanding is not a
common language, but a commonly shared variety
of languages that allows each culture to express
itself and each nation to preserve its roots and
traditions.
In language policy, as in many other ‘soft law’
areas of European policy, the Member States are
responsible for deciding and implementing
policies. In the case of languages, Member
States have agreed on upon a common target of
teaching two foreign languages, to meet two of
the major challenges facing Europe - to increase
its competitiveness, and to build an inclusive
society. The role of the European Commission is
essentially a supportive one: facilitating
policy formulation, coordinating exchange of
information, charting progress, and providing
funding for language projects and exchange
through the Lifelong Learning Programme.
LANGUAGES FOR COMPETITIVENESS
With the EU now representing one integrated
market of 500 million citizens, knowledge of
languages - as a key skill for citizens and a
factor influencing business success – has become
increasingly important. Multilingualism is
essential to fully benefit from the
opportunities of the Single Market, for
individuals who want to travel to another
country in the EU to work or study, and for
businesses to trade in all corners of this
market. A labour force with practical language
and intercultural skills helps European
enterprises compete effectively in the global
marketplace. I have set up a Business and
Languages forum to make recommendations on
language strategies for improving the
competitiveness of companies and the
employability and mobility of workers, and on
raising awareness about the benefits of
multilingualism.
LANGUAGES FOR INCLUSIVENESS
Languages also have a great deal of potential
for improving mutual understanding and
integration. In a world characterised by
globalisation and migration, with more and more
contacts between people from different European
Member States and with people from all around
the world, languages are bridges for building
understanding. Learning a language is not just
acquiring a communication tool. Learning
languages is also learning about each others’
cultures, ideas and ways of living, and gaining
an insight into the point of view of others. We
do not inhabit just one culture any more, but
are nurtured by a variety of cultures. We become
more tolerant, and more conscious of the
complexity of our society.
This dimension of multilingualism was recently
examined by a group I set up to mark the
contribution of languages to this year’s
European Year of Intercultural Dialogue . Given
that language is not just a means of
communication, but one of the principal
expressions of cultural identity, it cannot be
replaced by a lingua franca, a third language
known by the partners in a dialogue. Therefore,
the Group developed the concept of a personal
adoptive language, in addition to learning a
world language for international communication.
This in-depth knowledge of another language and
its culture would create links between Europeans
of different background, and build a strong
sense of European kinship. This approach can
also be helpful for integrating migrants into
European societies. Fluency in the host country
language is undeniably necessary for
integration; but respecting migrants’ attachment
to their language and culture of origin can make
it easier for them to feel valued, and to make a
positive contribution to their new community.
LANGUAGES AND EUROPE’S FUTURE
The challenges that Europe faces at home and in
the world call for action on many fronts. We
must harness all our resources, and it is our
good fortune to be able to count languages among
them. It is thus my intention to issue a new
strategy for multilingualism in September this
year, which will detail how we can make use of
this invaluable resource as we work together to
build a Europe of economic prosperity and social
cohesion.
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