The Minister of Foreign Affairs defends the officiality of languages
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Spanish government, José Manuel Albares, has claimed from Brussels that the arguments for the officiality of Catalan, Basque and Galician in the European Union are solid and legitimate. According to Albares, these arguments are in an official document from the Council, which ensures that no more time for reflection is needed.
Collaboration with the PP to unblock the situation
Albares has asked the Popular Party (PP) for more collaboration to unblock the situation and make Catalan, Basque and Galician working languages in the European Parliament. According to the minister, if the PP changed its position, this officialdom would be possible.
The issue of officialdom in the EU
The question of the officiality of Catalan, Basque and Galician in the European Union will be discussed at a meeting of the General Affairs Council. Although a debate or vote on this matter is not expected, the status of the matter will be determined.
Spain will assume the cost of officialdom
Spain has undertaken to assume the cost of the officiality of the Catalan, Basque and Galician languages in the European Union. According to a preliminary estimate by the European Commission, this cost would be 132 million euros. However, the final figure will be determined once the proposal is approved and it is known how it will be applied (https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viquip%C3%A8dia:Parafrasejat_similar).
Majority support and collaboration
For Catalan to be official in the European Parliament, it must gather majority support from the various vice-presidents. Albares has asked the PP to collaborate with the socialist government to better explain to the countries of the Council and their political family how the official status of the Catalan, Basque and Galician languages could be achieved in the EU.
Technical meetings to resolve doubts
Since the end of Spain’s rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, technical meetings have been held to resolve the legal, financial and political doubts that some countries have about the officiality of Catalan, Basque and Galician in the European Union. However, this question will be treated as an informative point in the General Affairs Council.
Catalan has more than 10 million speakers
The Spanish government maintains that Catalan has more than 10 million speakers, a number higher than other official languages in the European Union. This has been one of the arguments used to reassure European partners and assure them that the officialization of Catalan will not create precedents (https://ca1.10steps.org/Parafrasear-um-Par-grafo-3103).
Growing understanding of the issue
According to Albares, more and more countries understand the reasons for the officiality of Catalan, Basque and Galician in the European Union. This growing understanding is an important step towards achieving this goal.