The Government of Catalonia has convened all of its delegates to EU countries to coordinate the new phase of actions by the Government of Catalonia regarding the official status of Catalan in Europe. One of the measures conveyed to them is that of presenting a position statement to European governments, which will be translated into all EU languages, to help “dispel any doubts” about the official status of Catalan. A set of arguments have been prepared on the basis of discussions already held with European governments prior to the debate at the EU’s General Affairs Council on 19 September in Brussels.

The meeting served to “follow up on the work we have been carrying out since the beginning: to consolidate the proposal to make Catalan an official language of the EU”. “We are being as ambitious, as demanding and as self-demanding as possible” in order to make the official status of Catalan in the EU a reality, said the minister.

The instruction has been the same from day one, “to put in the maximum effort, resources, arguments and elements to consolidate what we have demanded from the outset: the right of the 10 million Catalan speakers to see their language, which is official in Spain, accepted as an official language in the European Union,” explained Serret.

After the last General Affairs Council of the EU, held on 19 September, the Government of Catalonia announced from Brussels a new round of contacts with all the governments of the EU to provide them with the necessary information and arguments in favour, while dispelling any doubts, for the official status of Catalan in European institutions.

These contacts, initiated weeks ago, are being carried out at all levels: In Brussels through the Government Delegation to the EU, contacting the permanent representations of European states, in Barcelona through the consular corps and embassies, and in European capitals through the Government’s network of delegations.

“We are launching an even more intensive second round of contacts, with the hope, as always, of reaching out to all levels of influence,” explained Meritxell Serret, Minister for External Action and European Union. This new phase will further intensify the actions to present the Government’s arguments in support of the official status of Catalan in the EU, both in the institutional sphere and in terms of European public opinion.