Spain threatens EU language block over Catalan status

Spain says it will not accept new official EU languages brought in by future member states until Catalan, Basque and Galician receive the same status. The warning, issued in Madrid and Brussels on 5 September, raises the pressure in Spain’s long-running push for recognition.

The Foreign Ministry has asked for “official languages and enlargement” to be raised at the next General Affairs Council. Spain says it firmly backs EU enlargement, but argues its own request must be settled first.

Unanimous backing still missing

Spain formally applied in August 2023 for Catalan, Basque and Galician to become official EU languages. Every one of the EU’s 27 member states must agree, and that unanimity has not been secured.

At the last attempt in July 2025, about ten countries opposed the plan, led by Germany. Germany’s Foreign Ministry still had doubts after Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares met his German counterpart in May.

Spain returns to the issue on 22 September

The government can set out its position again on 22 September, although no full debate is expected. It will be the first time the recognition of the three languages has returned to the agenda since July 2025.

Spain has offered to meet the added costs itself. The European Commission puts them at about 132 million euros a year, using Irish as a comparison.

Madrid has also proposed a limited start from 2027. Under that plan, only regulations from the Council and the European Parliament would be translated into the three languages — 3% of all legal acts in the previous parliamentary term.

Topics: Politics

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com