# CE2004078EN.01022401.xml

| 27.3.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 78/224 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 78/224

---

(2004/C 78 E/0228)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3124/03

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(22 October 2003)

Subject:   Working languages

Subject:

EU enlargement is making the language issue a topic of increasing concern, both from the point of view of the institutions (which require translation and interpretation services, working documents and official publications in order to be able to function smoothly without undermining the dignity of any individual EU language or denying it equal treatment) and in terms of the choice and the use of working languages by staff within the institutions. For the purposes of internal work organisation it would appear that there is an increasing trend towards the exclusive use of English at the expense even of French, which has traditionally been the primary working language.

| 1. | Can the Commission confirm this trend? |
| --- | --- |

1.

Can the Commission confirm this trend?

| 2. | If it can, does it not think that, by following such a trend, its staff are contravening both the letter and the spirit of the Treaties? |
| --- | --- |

2.

If it can, does it not think that, by following such a trend, its staff are contravening both the letter and the spirit of the Treaties?

| 3. | Can the Commission establish objective criteria for the selection of working languages with due regard (amongst other factors) to demographics — a criterion which should not be ignored? What action does the Commission intend to take in order to re-establish language equality for all the Member States, whose languages are the finest expression of their dignity and of their identity? |
| --- | --- |

3.

Can the Commission establish objective criteria for the selection of working languages with due regard (amongst other factors) to demographics — a criterion which should not be ignored? What action does the Commission intend to take in order to re-establish language equality for all the Member States, whose languages are the finest expression of their dignity and of their identity?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(6 January 2004)

(6 January 2004)

| 1. and 2. | The Commission certainly cannot confirm a trend towards the exclusive use of English as a working language for the purposes of internal work organisation.
  On the one hand, according to Council Regulation No 1/58 determining the languages to be used by the European Economic Community (1), all the official languages are also working languages (Article 1) and everybody is fully entitled to use them interchangeably in the institutions.
  Second, for operational reasons it is normal that certain languages should be more widely used than others by Commission staff in the day-to-day running of departments. Nevertheless, the principle that languages are equal as official and working languages is respected. Nor has the Commission any intention of introducing specific arrangements to give preference to the use of one or more particular languages internally.
  As a general condition for recruitment, Article 25 of the Staff Regulations requires applicants to have a thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the Communities and a satisfactory knowledge of another language of the Communities to the extent necessary for the performance of their duties.
  As part of the administrative reform, the Commission has put forward measures to further promote multilingualism: in addition to requiring a second language at the time of recruitment, it takes third languages into account at the time of the first post-recruitment promotion.
  The Commission also points out that it gives top priority to providing intensive language courses so that officials who do not happen to know the languages most widely used for specific training courses (other than language courses) when they join can improve their language skills. |
| --- | --- |

1. and 2.

The Commission certainly cannot confirm a trend towards the exclusive use of English as a working language for the purposes of internal work organisation.

On the one hand, according to Council Regulation No 1/58 determining the languages to be used by the European Economic Community (1), all the official languages are also working languages (Article 1) and everybody is fully entitled to use them interchangeably in the institutions.

1

Second, for operational reasons it is normal that certain languages should be more widely used than others by Commission staff in the day-to-day running of departments. Nevertheless, the principle that languages are equal as official and working languages is respected. Nor has the Commission any intention of introducing specific arrangements to give preference to the use of one or more particular languages internally.

As a general condition for recruitment, Article 25 of the Staff Regulations requires applicants to have a thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the Communities and a satisfactory knowledge of another language of the Communities to the extent necessary for the performance of their duties.

As part of the administrative reform, the Commission has put forward measures to further promote multilingualism: in addition to requiring a second language at the time of recruitment, it takes third languages into account at the time of the first post-recruitment promotion.

The Commission also points out that it gives top priority to providing intensive language courses so that officials who do not happen to know the languages most widely used for specific training courses (other than language courses) when they join can improve their language skills.

| 3. | As regards communication between Commission departments and administrations in the Member States and the public in general, the Commission abides strictly by the third paragraph of Article 21 of the EC Treaty, which states that every citizen of the European Union can write to the institutions in one of the languages mentioned in Article 314 and have an answer in the same language. This fundamental right has been incorporated into the draft Constitution, not just in Article I-8(2) on citizenship of the European Union, but also in Article II-41(4) in the Charter of Fundamental Rights. |
| --- | --- |

3.

As regards communication between Commission departments and administrations in the Member States and the public in general, the Commission abides strictly by the third paragraph of Article 21 of the EC Treaty, which states that every citizen of the European Union can write to the institutions in one of the languages mentioned in Article 314 and have an answer in the same language. This fundamental right has been incorporated into the draft Constitution, not just in Article I-8(2) on citizenship of the European Union, but also in Article II-41(4) in the Charter of Fundamental Rights.

---

(1)  OJ B 17, 6.10.1958.

1

---