Protection of the Italian language in the EU

28.11.2016

Question for written answer E-008848-16
to the Commission
Rule 130
Salvatore Domenico Pogliese (PPE)

Multilingualism is recognised not only by the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, but also by the principles established by the case-law of the European Court of Justice and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. In practice, however, English, French and German have privileged status among the languages used by the EU institutions. The language regime chosen to produce EU documents sometimes creates advantages for people who speak those languages fluently, but disadvantages for all other EU citizens.

Can the Commission therefore answer the following questions:

• 1.Does it intend to further implement the principle of the protection of multilingualism, as enshrined in the treaties and in the Charter of Fundamental Rights? If so, how?
• 2.How does it intend to resolve the language issue relating to the failure to translate into all official languages the notices for application for EU funding?
• 3.Given that Italy is one of the founding countries of the EU and that the Italian language is the 4th most studied language in the world, is the Commission planning to adopt any specific measures to promote it, by raising it to the rank of English, French and German within the EU institutions?