Vote on making Catalan official at EU postponed again 

The campaign to make Catalan, Basque and Galician official languages in the European Union is on hold after ministers failed to vote on the issue at Tuesday's meeting of the General Affairs Council in Luxembourg. 

Spain's acting Minister for EU and Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, will present an "adapted proposal" to the other member states, which would prevent other countries from using Catalan, Basque and Galician as precedents for new languages to receive official EU status.

The meeting was the second time European ministers discussed the request made by the Spanish executive, but the issue, which requires unanimous support from all 27 member states, was once again not put forward to vote. 

Speaking at a press conference following the meeting, Albares said there are concerns from some countries that other communities may cite the case used for Catalan, Galician and Basque and their unique legal situation as precedent to get other minority languages approved.

The meeting on Tuesday was "another step" in negotiations to add these three langauges to the bloc's existing 24 official languages, he said. 

Other languages excluded 

The adapted proposal will make it clear that language reform "is limited to Spain's case" because it "meets unique requirements within the EU." 

"Other languages will not be able to rely on this reform" if their respective member countries are against their inclusion, Albares explained, stressing the legal status of Catalan, Basque and Galician in Spain, their use in Congress and the Senate, and in administrative agreements with some European institutions. 

"Today we made progress," Albares said. "The inclusion of the three languages is closer." 

The debate among ministers was "constructive," and "several countries explicitly expressed support for our proposal," he added. 

Not a priority 

Upon arrival at the meeting, the Latvian Foreign Affairs Minister Krišjānis Kariņš told media that making the three languages official was not a priority. 

"We have many issues on the table. We have geopolitics and Europe's strategic position in the future. We must devote our efforts to this right now," he said. 

"No vetoes" 

The Catalan government celebrated that "there are no vetoes" against making Catalan official in Europe and that some countries "have made their support explicit." 

Speaking after Tuesday's cabinet meeting, spokesperson Patrícia Plaja warned that the executive "will not accept anything other than full official status." 

"Steps have been taken" by Spain, she acknowledged, but "it is not enough."

Junts demand vote date 

Despite pointing out the progress made, the Spanish government has not set a date for a vote on the issue. 

Catalan pro-independence party Junts per Catalunya released a statement on Tuesday saying that "a date should be announced for the definitive approval of the official status of Catalan in the European Union." 

The party – currently in negotiations with Spain's Socialists over the possible reelection of Pedro Sánchez as prime minister – notes that "progress has been made," but that "the Spanish government must intensify diplomatic efforts" and "be aware that we are in extra time." 

Junts are "looking forward to new developments in the coming weeks," the brief statement concludes. 

The next meeting of the General Affairs Council takes place on November 15.

Podcast

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