Una o più lingue franche nell’Unione europea

Abstract

Multilingualism is since ever the rule in the Community Institutions. As well, since ever it is an object of criticisms – some well-founded, others not – and one suggests the use of one or a few linguae francae. To respond to this point, one has to take into account the existing legal framework as well as political considerations. From the legal viewpoint, a clear distinction must be drawn between legal acts and other forms of communication between Institutions and citizens. As far as the former are concerned, one has to stress that it is impossible to abandon the rule of multilingualism. On the other hand, the daily experience shows that the use of a few languages only is the practice for communications between Institutions and citizens other than legal acts and that there is a trend to give preference to just one language. However, even in this domain there are limits, in particular of political concern.