On Monday, 7 April, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation signed a renewed Agreement with the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), which will allow the use of Spain’s co-official languages to be extended to members’ interventions during plenary sessions.
The State Secretary for the European Union, Fernando Sampedro, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, and the Secretary-General of the EESC, Isabelle Le Galo, signed the renewed Agreement at the Committee’s headquarters in Brussels.
Spain's co-official languages are already used routinely in most European institutions, as naturally as they are used within Spain’s two legislative chambers, as well as in all areas of public life and administration in the Autonomous Communities with more than one official language, in their regional governments and parliaments, provincial councils, and town councils.
The possibility now granted to Spanish representatives in the EESC to speak in Spain’s co-official languages during its plenary sessions is also a well-established practice in meetings held by the Council of the EU and the European Committee of the Regions in accordance with existing agreements.
Recognising these languages as official EU languages and promoting their use within European Union institutions is a priority for the Spanish Government. The goal is to share Spain’s multilingual national identity with Europe and bring institutions closer to its citizens.
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