By Anne-France White - 22nd January 2007
Languages are key to boosting Europe’s competitiveness, according to the EU's new commissioner Leonard Orban.
As he takes on the multilingualism portfolio, Orban will have to silence the critics who say the job is short on substance.
The Romanian - who took oath on 22 January - says his area will be central to preserving and enriching the EU's unity and diversity.
Multilingualism is far more than a purely administrative issue, Orban writes in Parliament Magazine’s Romania guide.
“It is also a matter of communication with European citizens. It is an economic problem,” the Romanian commissioner argues.
Orban says new languages enable European companies to enter new markets, hence contributing to their competitiveness.
“Knowing more languages allows for greater flexibility on the employment market, thus reducing unemployment at European level,” he adds.
Indeed, Orban says he wants to “see multilingualism involved in more policies of the EU such as culture, education and competitiveness”.
Among his key targets is the “mother tongue plus two” objective according to which every EU citizen should be able to speak at least two languages in addition to his mother tongue.
Orban says he plans to work closely with the European parliament in achieving these goals.
“I am very happy to see the wide support of MEPs in developing this field,” he writes.
Orban will be under close scrutiny over the next few months as he takes on his post – with observers waiting to see how he shapes his newly-created portfolio.
In early January, a row erupted within the commission on the subject of commissioner posts after vice-president Günter Verheugen argued that some smaller member states should make do with a deputy commissioner position.
The suggestion was immediately rejected as “unacceptable” by regional policy commissioner Danuta Hubner.
It is now up to Orban to show whether the commission can set the agenda on multiculturalism in the EU.
In an early signal of his commitment to linguistic diversity, Orban has not named any anglophones to his cabinet, with a French chief of cabinet and a German deputy head.
Have your say...
Please enter your comments below.