European Commissioner-designate Orban pledges to support EU’s objective of two foreign language learning

Most of the European Union members states have worked out action plans, upon the recommendation of the European Commission, regarding the objective of the 2002 Barcelona European Council concerning the use on the widest possible scale within the European Union of two foreign languages, besides the mother tongue, Romania’s European Commissioner-designate Leonard Orban told journalists at a news conference following his hearings on Monday before the Committee on Culture and Education of the European Parliament.

“We have a decision of the 2002 Barcelona European Council. As far as multilingualism is concerned, the European Commission recommended that the member states come up with action plans regarding this objective. Most of the member states have already worked out the plans and I believe this is an important step forward toward the achievement of the objective,” Orban told the journalists.

In Orban’s opinion, the use of at least one foreign language, in addition to the mother tongue, is highly useful, particularly for young people. “Romanians have a capability of easily learning many foreign languages. The system of mother tongue plus two foreign languages has very useful instruments for the learning of foreign languages. I do not intend to promote any legislative act at the EU level but I will borrow the best practices to promote what I believe is a useful instrument,” said Orban.

He also explained the need to know more languages in order to secure efficiency of EU meetings. “Sometimes we have to speak two or three languages to make sure meetings are efficient. There is a clear status of languages within various European bodiesÂ… I do not think English alone will suffice,” said Orban, adding that all good projects for the promotion of the “mother tongue plus two foreign languages” in the European Union will certainly find funding to be carried out. ROMPRES