Language skills could boost EU competitiveness

European companies are losing up to €25m worth of business a year because of poor language skills, the EU’s new multilingualism chief has warned.

Speaking at his first major press conference since taking office in January, Romanian commissioner Leonard Orban presented the finding of a recent study showing that Europe’s SMEs are at a disadvantage because of their lack of language skills.

“Companies need to become more aware that they need a multilingual policy”, said Orban, who added that more than 10 per cent of those SMEs taking part in the study believed they had lost contracts because of their poor language skills.

“The mother tongue is the best way to address a person…. How can you promote your products if you are unable to pass the message in the consumers’ language?”

“Investing in languages can dramatically improve a company’s business opportunities,” he added.

And a better knowledge of languages would also improve worker mobility and help combat unemployment, he argued.

The study highlighted English, French, German and Russian as the key languages for small businesses, though Orban also said that Chinese would be “extremely important” for European companies in the future.

The Romanian chief said he would be revealing ambitious plans in 2008 - the EU’s year for intercultural dialogue - to improve language take up across Europe after consulting with stakeholders and national governments.

His proposals will be funded under the European commission’s €1bn a year translation budget line.

Orban also said he would press to have more TV programmes subtitled rather than dubbed, in a move to boost multilingualism.

“This could be very successful foreign language teaching tool, and free of charge for the consumer.”

Orban also responded to media comments ridiculing his role and responsibilities which were carved out of education commissioner’s Jan Figel’s portfolio to accommodate the new Romanian commissioner.

“I can assure you I have a full time job. I will be extremely active,” he told journalists.

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