Spain links EU enlargement to official status of Catalan, Basque, and Galician

The Spanish government has announced that it will not support the inclusion of new official languages during the European Union's enlargement process until Catalan, Basque, and Galician are granted official EU status. This diplomatic move, communicated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aims to pressure the 27 member states to resolve a request originally submitted in August 2023.

While the Spanish Executive maintains its firm support for the EU enlargement process, it has linked the two issues to prioritize the recognition of its regional languages. Secretary of State for the EU, Fernando Sampedro, indicated that the entry of new member states would inevitably add more official languages to the current 24, making the resolution of the Spanish request a matter of urgency.

Achieving official status requires unanimity among all EU member states, a consensus that has proven difficult to reach, with some nations reportedly expressing reservations. The Spanish government intends to formally bring this matter to the upcoming General Affairs Council meeting on September 22.