European language diversity for more democracy

On the occasion of the European Day of Languages European organisations promote the continent's language diversity with hundreds of events. Since its enlargement in 2004 the European Union works with 20 official languages.

"Talking and listening to governments and citizens in their language we promote the transparency, democracy, legitimacy and efficiency of the European Union's institutions," explained Karl-Johan Lönnroth, general director for translation at the European Commission.

The enormous translation effort costs every EU citizen 2.50 Euro yearly. The European Commission employs 1650 translators and 900 (partly freelance) interpreters daily. While external communication aims at addressing every citizen in his own language, the Commission communicates internally in English, French and German.

"The financial resources and the number of employees, that the European Commission provides for translating and interpreting, are a sign of its determination to keep European languages alive, not only on the European Day of Languages but on all other days of the year," writes the European Commission on its website.

Source: EU Kommission

Further information can be found at the following websites:

· The Directorate-General for Translation of the European Commission (DGT)

· Directorate General for Interpretation of the European Commission

· European Day of Languages and the European Commission