WRITTEN QUESTION E-2529/01

by Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(19 September 2001)

Subject: Respect for all official Community languages

Enlargement of the Union has raised questions about the possibility of using the 11 official languages plus the languages of the countries which are to join the Union. The arguments focus on the financial burden arising from the increase in the number of official languages and there is already talk of establishing working languages to facilitate the work of the Community Institutions.

Great care has been taken to cover up the fact that such an arrangement would be a terrible setback to the cultural wealth of Europe and no mention has been made of other instances in which Community funds have really been squandered, such as the new framework programme for the creation of a European

research area, in which millions of euro have been spent on drawing up a large number of reports of questionable usefulness, instead of on carrying out practical research projects (as done until recently under the 5th framework programme) to reduce the gap between Europe and the USA and Japan.

Furthermore, the tactic of marginalising the so-called minor languages is spreading, even to the recruitment procedures for the Community's bureaucracy, as evidenced by the recent advertisement by the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training announcing its intention to recruit a secretary with an excellent knowledge of English and only a good knowledge of Greek, when the nature of the Centre's duties requires continuous collaboration with the Greek authorities and the exchange of official documents in Greek.

Will the Commission say to what extent the establishment of working languages is consistent with the Union Treaties? Is abolishing the use of any of the official languages of the Union compatible with Community legislation? Why do the Union's decentralised agencies take a demeaning view of the so-called minor languages? In what way could it remedy the unacceptable situation whereby only five official languages are used at the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market, founded and funded by the EU in Alicante, Spain, which receives thousands of requests each year from members of the public throughout Europe, many of whom are compelled to use a language other than their mother tongue without the appropriate means of expression and at additional cost (translation)?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(15 November 2001)

Article 290 of the EC Treaty states that the rules governing the languages of the institutions of the Community are determined by the Council acting unanimously. It adopted Regulation No 1/1958 determining the languages to be used by the Community(1), which was amended as each new Member State joined the Community. Under Article 6 of that Regulation the institutions of the Community can stipulate which of the languages are to be used in specific cases for the sake of efficient internal operation, in compliance naturally with the other provisions of the Regulation. It goes without saying that the acts finally adopted are routinely published in all official languages in accordance with Council Regulation No 1/1958. Thus it cannot be claimed that the Commission has dropped the use of certain languages. Decentralised Community bodies do not neglect the minor languages; however, where allowed by the Council regulations setting them up, these bodies can use a reduced number of languages in the interest of efficiency. A vacancy notice requiring an official to have a knowledge of one or more languages is standard practice in the institutions depending on the tasks set for the official selected. Apart from during the transitional periods following accession by various countries in line with specific regulations, it would, however, be inadmissible to publish vacancy notices for a specific nationality.

Concerning the use of languages at the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM), it should be noted that it is possible to apply for a Community trade mark registration in any of the official Community languages. The applicant must however in his application indicate a second language, which has to be one of the five working languages of the Office, the use of which he accepts as a possible language of proceedings for opposition, revocation or invalidity proceedings. The Court of First Instance found in its ruling in the KIK-case(2), that the language regime of OHIM is not in contradiction with the EC Treaty. Furthermore, the Court found that the Council, while deciding the language regime for OHIM, must be considered to have made an appropriate and proportionate choice in pursuing the objective of determining the language of the proceedings where parties, who do not share the same language preference, fail to agree.

Concerning the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), it is to be noted that the primary need for a newly recruited employee at any level is to be able to communicate and work in a multinational environment where colleagues come from many different Member States. A very good knowledge of the language of the hosting Member State is, of course, important, and most Community agencies have adopted specific measures to encourage and promote such learning. Each and everyone in such an institution masters a number of other languages; English is one of the languages allowing a proper accomplishment of tasks and may be, as other languages in different jobs, necessary for a specific position.

The sixth research framework programme for the year 2002-2006 mentioned by the Honourable Member has yet to be adopted by the Parliament and Council. The Commission's proposal aims to improve the European science base and competitiveness through concrete collaborative research activities, focused on tangible results, even more than is the case with the current Framework Programme, thanks to the strong focus on selected research priorities and the use of more effective implementation instruments.

(1) OJ 17, 6.10.1958.

(2) Case T 120/99 of 12 July 2001.