This Friday the General Affairs Meeting of the European Union takes place. On the topics to be addressed, Spain wants to include the official of Catalan, Basque and Galician. European ministers have made it clear that it is premature to make a decision because There are “many doubts” on the impact it would have For the union as a whole.
Will not vote
Danish minister of European Affairs, Marie Bjerre, says Does not contemplate that the question is subjected to a vote because there are still “many doubts” and it is an issue that Unanimity requires getting ahead. “Spain wants to put the case of languages on the agenda again and as a presidency we will facilitate the debate,” says the minister, but is aware that There are “many doubts raised by the Member States”.
“Spain wants to put the case of languages on the agenda again and as a presidency we will facilitate the debate”
One of the main doubts for Bjerre are both in the budgetary issue and with legal matters “we need to find answers to these questions,” he says. “I do not anticipate a vote today,” says the minister.
Few supports on the Council
The majority of ministers that have been addressed to the media They share a negative attitude towards this proposal. The Austrian minister for Europe, Claudia Plakolm, has made it clear that His government will not support any request on the officiality of languages“as long as there is no proposal on the table in which legal concerns are resolved, there can be no consent,” he says.
“As long as there is no proposal on the table in which legal concerns, as well as financial concerns, are resolved, there can be no consent”
“There are many doubts about this matter between the Member States and I think there are certain legal doubts,” said Poland’s European Minister Adam Szlapka. The current Luxembourg Foreign Minister also warns that “It really is not the right time” Taking into account that there are more complex negotiations such as sanctions to Russia on the table or achieve a high fire in Palestine.
Spain insists and does not want the debate to be lost
Is already It is the seventh time that Spain tries to bring this issue to the General Affairs Council. The Secretary of State for the European Union, Fernando Sampedro, has asked not to “kidnap” the issue. The secretary has been willing to “dialogue” to give all the explanations asked for the rest of the ministers.
French minister, Benjamin Haddad, acknowledges that It is a “very important” issue for Spainbut recalled that the last time it was treated in May, It was clear that there was “no consensus”. The minister insists that he wants to “continue working with the Spaniards to find constructive solutions to advance the issue.”
