The debate surrounding the recognition of Catalan, Basque, and Galician as official languages of the European Union has reached a new peak, with Spain at the center of fierce diplomatic accusations. Reportedly, Madrid is exerting massive pressure on smaller EU states to gain their approval – an approach that European diplomats describe as “scandalous intimidation.”
The “Financial Times” reported on Monday that Spain even floated the idea of withdrawing its troops from NATO’s eastern flank to push through its demands. These reports have created a tense atmosphere in the EU Council, which is set to decide on the Spanish proposal on Tuesday. Should the three Spanish regional languages be added to the already recognized EU official languages, it would entail far-reaching consequences.
The Spanish government immediately responded to the accusations. In a statement, it affirmed that “Spain’s commitment to the security of Eastern Europe and the presence of Spanish troops in Eastern countries is firm and unconditional. It is and has never been questioned.” It further stated that the government is “working with all Member States to ensure that the final wording of the document clarifies any doubts they may have.”
This language dispute has a long history. For decades, Spanish diplomacy had resisted nationalist pressure not to further increase the number of official EU languages. However, under the leadership of Pedro Sánchez, this has changed. In August 2023, he initiated a first analysis of the issue, apparently as a concession to Catalan separatists. The deliberation at the time was postponed to give Member States more time to examine the matter.
Now, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has placed the bill on the agenda of today’s “General Affairs” Council. Reports indicate a convoluted proposal, twisting certain legal provisions and foreseeing long implementation periods, in addition to the significant costs that partial recognition would entail. The Council’s legal services are said to have already identified several legal contradictions in this draft.
The Polish presidency, whose task it was to put the item on the agenda, merely stated that it was done “because Spain requested it in due time.” Given the lack of a minimum consensus, other countries are now proposing to withdraw the proposal under the pretext of allowing more time for discussion, to avoid a potentially very divisive vote. The coming hours will reveal whether Madrid can push through its controversial plan or if diplomatic resistance will lead to a postponement.
