OPINION by Leonard Orban| Wednesday, 19 September 2007

Multilingualism in Europe

Languages cut to the heart of the key debates in Europe today – identity, inclusion and intercultural dialogue in Europe; competitiveness and skills for the Europe of knowledge; citizen confidence and European accountability.
And since languages are an inseparable element in what makes us who we are, language policy intertwines with very many policy areas – not just education, competitiveness, inclusion; but also justice; migration; regional policy, for example.
If our policies are to stay the course, and meet the citizens’ needs, we must never overlook the language dimension, whether we are acting on a local scale, regionally, nationally or Europe-wide.
As the first commissioner with a portfolio dedicated to multilingualism, I want to weld together what Europe is doing in the realm of languages, to build a fully comprehensive strategy for multilingualism that I will implement, with Member States, throughout my mandate.
A key objective for education in Europe is improving language skills, as part of the drive to ensure that Europe’s citizens are equipped to thrive in the knowledge society in which we live today. In 2002 in Barcelona, European leaders set the ambitious target of teaching “mother tongue plus two languages” at school.
Why should it not be enough to speak English instead of trying to maintain this ‘Babel’ of 23 official languages? – I am often asked by various lobbies and individuals. Let me answer with a simple comparison. A common language is like a small suitcase, which will keep you going for a two- or three-day trip to another country. But if you want to stay longer in another country - study, work, make friends and participate in daily life - you will need a more complete set of luggage, which will have to include a command of the language of the country.
The role of the EU here is complementary to that of Member States. English is studied by the vast majority of students in Europe, it is considered by most countries as a basic skill, like digital literacy. We need to go a step further and help Member States in making their citizens multilingual. We should start by valuing people who master several languages - they often come from migrant or minority groups; we should build on this to show that multilingualism is a reality in Europe, one which is both possible and desirable.
Let us remember, education and training are a matter for national policy. But the challenges and issues facing each country are often similar, especially in our globalised world, where no country is big enough to go it alone. Exchanging ideas and good practices, and setting common policy objectives at European level, pays off.
All European countries are tackling reforms in education and training, to provide our citizens with the skills and competences they need in the knowledge society. Last year, they identified language skills as one of the basic skills everyone should have.
Later this month I will publish the results of an Action Plan for languages that the Commission initiated in 2004. Three years on, we are seeing results: European countries are reforming their language policies, reviewing their educational systems so as to forge a lifelong learning approach to languages; introducing language learning from a much earlier stage; and putting more resources into languages.
However, language learning doesn’t only occur at school and it is not meant just for young people: it is a lifelong project, in which adults must also have a chance to take part, with learning tailored to their individual situations, making the most of informal ways of learning, new technologies and work-place training. Our new strategy will embrace all learners, at all stages.
This strategy will emphasise three key areas, rooted in active language-learning for all:
- Employability and economic competitiveness, Intercultural dialogue, Participation in European politics.
Languages are a key force in our economy. At first sight a single language might seem easier for managing business, but there is a way we can turn our linguistic diversity into a competitive advantage.
How? Economic activity in Europe has shifted from brawn to brains; we need creative, innovative, flexible citizens. Being able to communicate in several languages is like having several pairs of glasses through which you can look at reality. Organisations and individuals that have this capacity are more creative and tend to break cultural stereotypes, to think “out of the box” and develop innovative products and services.
As well as this spirit of creativity and innovation, companies that can communicate in several languages have an edge in business for other reasons.
I am reminded of a Japanese businessman who was asked, what is the best language to do business in? His response, of course, was ‘my customer’s language’. Languages mean you can do business around the world, adapting your offer and making the most of the opportunities. Languages give access to the widest range of information on market conditions and customers’ habits, whether in Europe or abroad.
But European companies are failing to make the most of our language skills. I published a study earlier this year that showed that 11% of Europe’s small and medium-sized businesses reckoned they had lost business because they didn’t have the right language skills.
Our strategy will address this gap. We need to strengthen our language competences, so that individuals have the language skills to succeed on the labour market, and so that companies overcome linguistic barriers and take full advantage of the single market and in trade with the rest of the world.
The languages we speak are an inseparable part of who we are. They are how we construct our culture, our thoughts, our world-view. They define us as individuals, but also as part of a community. Learning languages, understanding other languages, builds bridges between people, between communities and cultures. Of course, speaking someone’s languages doesn’t mean we solve all our problems. But it is a window, a way of appreciating that another point of view, another perspective, exists. And that’s an essential starting point to understanding each other better.

Excerpts from a speech delivered in Gorizia by the EU Commissioner responsible for Multilingualism