The proposal of Government of Pedro Sánchez to modify the European linguistic regimeto include among the official languages of the European Union Catalan, Basque and Galician, returns this Tuesday to the table of the General Affairs Council (CAG) held in Luxembourg. The foreign minister, Jose Manuel Albareswill present to the rest of his colleagues a “progress report”as stated in the meeting agenda, but no decision is expected from the Twenty-seven in this regard given that the financial, legal and administrative doubts raised by the rest of the delegations have not yet been cleared up.
According to European sources, a request could emerge from the meeting to the European Commission to prepare a impact study about the cost of recognizing the official status of the three languages. Since Spain proposed the modification and included the debate in the meeting of European affairs ministers on September 19, the situation has made little progress despite Albares’ announcement to give priority to Catalan – and relegate Basque and Galician to the background. – to try to clear the way for the Spanish initiative. This line of work has not yet been included in any document, nor has it been discussed at a technical level in any Council working group. Nor has any impact study been presented so far on the cost of incorporating the three languages into the European regime or any legal analysis, as requested by the majority of the delegations in the political debate in September.
Hence, the positions have moved little and the governments insist on waiting “for an adequate evaluation of the consequences that the proposal would have before being able to take a position on the matter,” explains the Swedish Government in the analysis prior to the meeting presented to late last week before his parliament. In it, they explain that Spain announced that it is willing to cover the official costs “But it is still not clear how it will be regulated.” That is why they hope that the presidency will give an account this Tuesday “of how the work is progressing to prepare an impact analysis,” they explain in a presentation that will only be oral and that will be the first point in the meeting.
More information and more time
Swedish sources insist that Stockholm’s position – like that of Finland and many other countries – has not changed: they want more information and they need time. “It is a very important issue that cannot be changed overnight,” they maintain. A sentiment shared by the majority of delegations consulted by EL PERIÓDICO who estimate that everything remains open, from the practical application of the proposal to the legal consequences it would have or the economic impact.
“Like other Member States, we are also awaiting the legal opinion of the Council’s legal service on the comprehensive legal options and consequences of the proposed amendments, as well as an analysis of the budgetary implications and costs that any introduction of new languages would require” , explain sources from the Croatian Government, which insists that, although they support cultural and linguistic diversity, they need to take all these elements into account before taking a position.
Cost and precedent
Although no one has slammed the door on the aspirations of Spain, which holds the presidency of the EU this semester, critical voices in the Council abound. “My long experience has taught me that it is not a good idea to antagonize the presidency on a heated issue, we have other battles to fight, but there have been many countries that have spoken clearly (on the matter),” says a diplomat from another Member State that recognizes that there have been reactions “because of the cost and because it would create a precedent.”
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¿Its viable So why should Spain propose the official status of three more languages? “Given what I have heard and those who have spoken, no. And they are even clearer when they speak outside the microphone,” acknowledges the same source that assumes Spain’s motives for pursuing official status. “Frankly, the reasons are understandable, they are linked to the domestic situation, Spain has to show that it is making all possible efforts to achieve the result. If he achieves it, it is a great victory and if he does not achieve it, it will be someone else’s fault, but he will have tried,” a senior European official maintains with understanding.
The only Member State that has closed ranks with Madrid and that continues to support the official proposal is Slovenia. “Slovenia supports the proposal. Slovenia is one of the smallest Member States. The Slovenian language is spoken by two million people and we understand the desire of everyone who speaks a language officially recognized in a Member State to be official in the European Union&rdquor ;, said in September the secretary of state for European affairs, Marko Stucin. This position, according to diplomatic sources, has not changed.