Il regime giuridico delle lingue nell’Unione europea

Abstract

The European integration process, leading to progressive unity of Member-States within the framework of at present existing European Union, is based, nevertheless, on the acknowledgement of the cultural diversity of participating countries. Language is one of the more relevant aspects of this diversity. This explains why from the beginning the European process moved on the basis of an unavoidable multi-linguistic approach. As a result 23 languages are used by a multilateral organization resembling only 27 Member-States, whereas UNO with 202 participating countries adopts at present only six official languages. The author after a recall of the wealth of European cultural diversity, analyses the different aspects of this apparent contradiction by illustrating the legal basis of the European “multi-linguisme”, examining in detail the basic regulation of 1958 on the matter and the use of the languages according to the European Chart of fundamental human rights , ending by recalling the legal cases concerning languages use brought to the attention of the European Court of Justice of Luxembourg.