Historical Contextualization
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Rising from the ashes of two world wars, Europe saw the creation of two supranational organizations designed to bring about lasting peace through cooperation. The first of these was the Council of Europe / le Conseil de l'Europe, which was written into being by the Treaty of London in 1949. Initially uniting the countries of Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, it currently has 48 member states. Despite the broad national and linguistic diversity even in the early days, the official languages of the Council were set to two: English and French. Chapter III, Article 12 stipulated, however, that “The rules of procedure of the Committee of Ministers and of the Consultative Assembly shall determine in what circumstances and under what conditions other languages may be used.”(Council of Europe, 1949)[2] As we shall see, though, through its policy documents the Council of Europe widely promotes, though does not mandate, plurilingualism for all member states and member-state citizens.

Nearly two years after the creation of the Council of Europe, on April 18, 1951, the Treaty of Paris established the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), which was the precursor of the European Union. From the beginning, linguistic diversity has been a necessary component. The Treaty was written and promulgated in the four languages of the original 6 member countries (France, West Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Italy.) The preamble to the treaty (given below in parallel French, German, Italian, Dutch, and [translated below into English, though it was not one of the original languages]), declares that the six founding member countries,

CONSIDÉRANT que la paix mondiale ne peut être sauvegardée que par des efforts créateurs à la mesure des dangers qui la menacent;

CONVAINCUS que la contribution qu'une Europe organisée et vivante peut apporter à la civilisation est indispensable au maintien des relations pacifiques ;

CONSCIENTS que l'Europe ne se construira que par des réalisations concrètes créant d'abord une solidarité de fait et par l'établissement de bases communes de développement économique;

SOUCIEUX de concourir par l'expansion de leurs productions fondamentales au relèvement du niveau de vie et au progrès des oeuvres de paix ;

RÉSOLUS à substituer aux rivalités séculaires une fusion de leurs intérêts essentiels, à fonder par l'instauration d'une communauté économique les premières assises d'une communauté plus large et plus profonde entre des peuples longtemps opposés par des divisions sanglantes, et à jeter les bases d'institutions capables d'orienter un destin désormais partagé,

ONT DÉCIDÉ de créer une Communauté Européenne du Charbon et de l'Acier …
in der Erwägung, daß der Weltfriede nur durch schöpferische, den drohenden Gefahren angemessene Anstrengungen gesichert werden kann,

in der Überzeugung, daß der Beitrag, den ein organisiertes und lebendiges Europa für die Zivilisation leisten kann, zur Aufrechterhaltung friedlicher Beziehungen unerläßlich ist,

in dem Bewußtsein, daß Europa nur durch konkrete Leistungen, die zunächst eine tatsächliche Verbundenheit schaffen, und durch die Errichtung gemeinsamer Grundlagen für die wirtschaftliche Entwicklung aufgebaut werden kann,

in dem Bemühen durch die Ausweitung ihrer Grundproduktionen zur Hebung des Lebensstandards und zum Fortschritt der Werke des Friedons beizutragen,

entschlossen, an die Stelle der jahrhundertealten Rivalitäten einen Zusammenschluß ihrer wesentlichen Interessen zu setzen, durch die Errichtung einer wirtschaftlichen Gemeinschaft den ersten Grundstein für eine weitere und vertiefte Gemeinschaft unter Völkern zu legen, die lange Zeit durch blutige Auseinandersetzungen entzweit waren, und die institutionellen Grundlagen zu schaffen, die einem nunmehr allen gemeinsamen Schicksal die Richtung weisen können,

haben beschlossen, eine Europäische Gemeinschaft für Kohle und Stahl zu gründen…
CONSIDERANDO che la pace mondiale può essere salvaguardata soltanto con sforzi commisurati ai pericoli che la minacciano ;

CONVINTI che il contributo che un'Europa organizzata e viva può apportare alla civiltà è indispensabile per il mantenimento di relazioni pacifiche ;

COSCIENTI che l'Europa non si potrà costruire altro che mediante concrete realizzazioni che creino innanzitutto una solidarietà di fatto, e mediante l'instaurazione di basi comuni di sviluppo economico;

DESIDEROSI di concorrere con l'espansione delle · loro produzioni fondamentali alla elevazione del livello di vita ed al progresso delle opere di pace ;

RISOLUTI a sostituire alle rivalità secolari una fusione dei loro interessi essenziali, a fondare con la instaurazione di una comunità economica la prima assise di una più vasta e più profonda comunità fra popoli per lungo tempo contrapposti da sanguinose scissioni, ed a gettare le basi di istituzioni capaci di orientare il destino ormai comune ;

HANNO DECISO di creare una Comunità Europea del Carbone e dell'Acciaio…
OVERWEGENDE, dat de wereldvrede slechts kan worden beschermd door een krachtsontplooiing evenredig aan de gevaren die hem bedreigen;

ERVAN OVERTUIGD, dat de bijdrage, die een georganiseerd en levend Europa tot de beschaving kan leveren, onontbeerlijk is voor et handhaven van vreedzame betrekkingen;

ZICH ERVAN BEWUST, dat Europa zich slechts kan vormen door daden, die allereerst een feitelijke saamhorigheid scheppen, en door het leggen van gemeenschappelijke grondslagen voor de economische ontwikkeling;

VERLANGEND door uitbreiding van de productie hunner basisindustrieën gezamenlijk bij te dragen tot een verhoging van het levenspeil en tot het voortgaan van de werken des vredes;

VASTBESLOTEN voor eeuwenoude wedijver een samensmelting hunner wezenlijke belangen in de plaats te stellen, door het instellen van een economische gemeenschap de eerste grondstenen te leggen voor een grotere en hechtere gemeenschap tussen volkeren, die lange tijd door bloedige strijd verdeeld zijn geweest en de grondslagen te leggen voor instellingen, die in staat zijn richting te geven aan een voortaan gezamenlijke bestemming;

HEBBEN BESLOTEN een Europese Gemeenschap voor Kolen en Staal in het leven te roepen…
CONSIDERING that world peace may be safeguarded only by creative efforts equal to the dangers which menace it;

CONVINCED that the contribution which an organized and vital Europe can bring to civilization is indispensable to the maintenance of peaceful relations;

CONSCIOUS of the fact that Europe can be built only by concrete actions which create a real solidarity and by the establishment of common bases for economic development;

DESIROUS of assisting through the expansion of their basic production in raising the standard of living and in furthering the works of peace;

RESOLVED to substitute for historic rivalries a fusion of their essential interests; to establish, by creating an economic community, the foundation of a broad and independent community among peoples long divided by bloody conflicts; and to lay the bases of institutions capable of giving direction to their future common destiny;

HAVE DECIDED to create a European Coal and Steel Community…

(European Union, 1951)[3]

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Signing of Treaty of Paris, 1951
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European Union, 2018

In the nearly seventy years since those first agreements, the ideas and ideals have been pushed and stretched, as new countries, new languages, and new cultures were brought into the fold. Despite early resistance by then French President Charles de Gaulle, in 1973, the United Kingdom became a member of the European Communities (EC). The EC (a fusion of the ECSC, the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC, or Euratom), and the European Economic Community (EEC)) represented the next step toward the modern day European Union. That same year Denmark and Ireland also became members. Greece, Portugal, and Spain joined the EC in the 1980's. Currently there are 28 member states including the 12 original at the time of the Maastricht Treaty which officially created the European Union (EU) in 1993 and an additional 16 which have been added since then. The EU currently boasts 24 official languages and every publication emanating from the EU is published in all of them. The impact of "Brexit", the 2016 referendum by the United Kingdom to leave the EU, remains to be seen.


Radio Free Europe (2017)[1] The evolution of Europe.

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The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2012), one of many documents which addresses the resolution of the core tension between diversity and unity, states in its preamble: “the Union is founded on the indivisible, universal values of human dignity, freedom, equality and solidarity; it is based on the principles of democracy and the rule of law. It places the individual at the heart of its activities, by establishing the citizenship of the Union and by creating an area of freedom, security and justice. The Union contributes to the preservation and to the development of these common values while respecting the diversity of the cultures and traditions of the peoples of Europe as well as the national identities of the Member States and the organisation of their public authorities at national, regional and local levels”(European Union, 2012) [4]

Three articles in the charter specifically address language.

  • Article 21 says: “Any discrimination based on any ground such as sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language [emphasis added], religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation shall be prohibited.”
  • Article 22 reads: “The Union shall respect cultural, religious and linguistic diversity [emphasis added].”
  • Article 41 specifies: “Every person may write to the institutions of the Union in one of the languages of the Treaties and must have an answer in the same language.” (European Union, 2012)[4]

While the European Union has more political clout than does the Council of Europe, neither institution mandates educational or language policy, allowing those debates and decisions to be set within the member states. For this reason, a great variety of policy exists within the different countries. Nonetheless, the positions taken by the European Commission of the EU and the Council of Europe do prompt member states to address the issues that apply to all. Moreover, what modern-day Europe must face, as must every nation on the planet, is the adoption of a lingua franca (or lingua francas), if such exists, while continuing to promote and honor linguistic diversity. The Council of Europe and the European Commission must contend with national identity, regional and minority languages, European cohesiveness, and external influence, interaction, and involvement.

Migrants

Historically, Europe was a major sender of migrants into North and South America as well as to colonial possessions in Africa and Asia. After WWII, however, this trend began to change with European nations becoming destinations for increasing numbers of migrants. This change came as a result of decolonization and also the increased economic opportunities and labor shortages of post-war Europe. Many migrants came from former colonies into European nations, while others moved from war-ravaged areas into the relative security of the nations, which now comprise the EU. The turmoil of the subsequent decades has led to a steadily increasing rate of immigration to Europe, but the makeup of those groups and their rights and expectations are different now.

While there are still large numbers of migrants from within Europe, now, the largest immigrant groups are entering Europe from the Middle East and North Africa. The addition of non-European languages of refugees and immigrants has complicated the creation of language policies for immigrants.

References
1. Radio Free Europe. (2017, March 27). The Evolution of Europe. Retrieved from https://www.rferl.org/a/europe-eu/28393189.html.
2. Council of Europe.(1949). Treaty of London. Retrieved from https://rm.coe.int/1680306052.
3. European Union. (1951). Treaty of London. Retrieved from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:11951K/TXT
4. European Union. (2012). Charter of fundamental rights. Retrieved from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:12012P/TXT
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