After an unsuccessful bid in 2023, Madrid brought its regional language campaign back to Brussels this week, managing to get it onto the agenda of a meeting of European ministers on Tuesday.
For context, the socialist government of prime minister Pedro Sanchez depends on support from Catalan lawmakers to get most of its legislation through the Spanish parliament.
But concerns are rife among other EU countries that a change in Spain's favour could open the door to similar requests for any number of minority languages.
“What is important is that it is done in a way that is legally sound and that does not create a precedent,“ she added.
All legal EU documents -- treaties, laws and international agreements -- must be translated into the 24 languages with interpretation available at leaders' summits and ministerial meetings.
Adding a new language requires unanimous support among the 27 member states -- far from secured in this case.
“This is an irrevocable commitment by the Spanish government,“ he said. “We want what is the norm on the streets of Spanish cities to be the norm in Europe’s streets too.”
“We really do see and appreciate the efforts the Spanish government is vesting in this topic,“ summed up the Croatian minister, Andreja Metelko-Zgombic.
Some warn against “making a European issue out of a national one”, in the words of one diplomat.
In the Baltic countries for instance, there are fears that Russian -- spoken by a large part of the population -- could be made an official language of the bloc, said Marko Stucin, Slovenia's state secretary for European affairs.
“We have to act in accordance with European treaties,“ said France’s Europe minister Benjamin Haddad. “Let’s work together with the Spanish to find a solution.”
In that scenario, argues Slovenia's Stucin, only three languages would be eligible: Basque, Catalan and Galician.
Another sensitive issue is cost, with the bloc seeking to pour billions into strengthening its defences, and bracing for a gathering trade war with Washington.
That remains to be seen, cautions another EU diplomat.
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