26 SEPTEMBER - EUROPEAN DAY OF LANGUAGES - PRESERVATION OF MOTHER TONGUE FOR EU WORKERS

26/09/2007: "The European Union respects and promotes linguistic diversity. By overcoming economic and technical difficulties, the EU has put into practice the use of 23 official European languages in almost all Community documents", said Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou MEP.

EU citizens should have the same respect of their language whilst they are established in another European country.

The Community financial mechanisms, the new programmes for lifelong learning (2007-2013) and support of educational infrastructure as well as the future prospects which were highlighted during the European Year of Workers' Mobility and Equal Opportunities, provide many opportunities - to the extent that there are appropriate political initiatives - for maintaining the mother tongue and teaching official European languages in any EU country.

Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou concluded that the knowledge of a European language, including the less spoken ones, is both a qualification and an asset for any European citizen. Therefore, it shall be maintained and enforced while moving across the EU by giving opportunities of written and oral expression and supportive teaching.

For further information:
Tel: +32-2-2847447, Fax: +32-2-2849447
E-mail: marie.panayotopoulos-cassiotou@europarl.europa.eu