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EU: Official Languages

Answer

Council Regulation 1/1958 specifies which languages are to be regarded as the official and working languages of the EU and makes provision for the use of these languages in the work of the EU institutions. No further specification or registration of these languages in the national law of the member states is necessary.It is of course for the member states to determine which languages they will regard as ““official”” languages for the purposes of their own national laws and administrative requirements.The General Affairs and External Relations Council of 13 June adopted conclusions, on a proposal from Spain, for a degree of official recognition in the ELT of all languages that have official status in member states, either through their constitutions or national law. This means that member states may enter into administrative arrangements with the EU institutions over which languages may be used in relations with them, with the member state meeting all the direct or indirect costs incurred. Member states have agreed that any such arrangement should not have any effect on the otherwise efficient functioning of the institutions or on the legal status of the existing official languages of the Union. At the moment, Spain is the only country to have requested such arrangements for its regional languages. The Government have no current plans to make similar provisions for UK languages.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

1237; 673 c276-7WA

Session

2005-06

Subjects

Constitutions EU countries EU law Languages EU institutions Registration

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk