The European Union (EU) has decided to delay the vote on Spain’s proposal for the co-official status of Catalan, Basque, and Galician languages in its institutions. This decision follows objections from several member states, including Finland, Sweden, Austria, and Croatia, who pointed to potential legal and financial implications. Spanish Government spokesperson Pilar Alegría stated that Spain is open to further discussions and highlighted the significant advancements made recently in the negotiations.

Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares declared that the co-officiality of these languages is now considered ‘irreversible’ despite the concerns expressed by seven EU member states. He plans to reach out to the foreign ministers of these countries later today to address their legal and financial doubts regarding the Spanish proposal. Albares called for collective support from all Spanish political parties to reinforce Spain’s stance on this issue.

The proposal was set to require unanimous approval from the twenty-seven member states to move forward. Spain anticipates phased implementation starting with the translation of EU legislation into these languages from twenty twenty-seven, echoing a similar process previously undertaken for the Irish language. The Spanish government asserts it would cover translation costs, estimated to be around one hundred and thirty-two million euros.

Despite the delay, support for the proposal appears limited, with only Portugal and Belgium voicing backing in discussions. Doubts over legal compliance and costs have hindered consensus, with some member states fearing implications for other minority languages. Consequent to the postponed vote, various political factions are accusing one another of obstructing progress on the proposal’s advancement in the EU.