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Leonard Orban
Barroso Commission, 2007 to 2009

The European Commissioner for Multilingualism is the member of the European Commission responsible for language policy of the European Union, i.e. promoting multilingualism for the citizens and the institutions of the European Union. The post has been created since January 1, 2007 and it is currently held within the Barroso Commission by Romanian Leonard Orban.

Politically, the portfolio is mainly focused on promoting foreign languages learning as means for worker’s mobility and business competitiveness rather than emphasizing language rights of speakers of regional, minority, lesser-used and migrant languages. Commissioner for Multilingualism is also responsible, alongside the President of the Commission, Barroso, and the European Commissioner for Education, Training and Culture, Ján Figeľ to work on “intercultural dialogue”, including the 2008 European Year of Intercultural Dialogue.

Administratively, Commissioner for Multilingualism is in charge of the Directorate-General for Translation, the DG for Interpretation and the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, as well as for the Multilingualism policy unit (EAC-C-5) in the DG for Education and Culture, with 3,400 staff in total - about 15 per cent of the Brussels executive's workforce- and with about 1 percent of the EU budget.

The post was created in January 1, 2007, in the enlarged Barroso Commission after the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union. Previously, multilingualism was a responsibility of the European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Multilingualism (held by Ján Figeľ until 2007).

Commissioner for Multilingualim's portfolio has been criticized for vagueness and ambiguity, as it has been claimed that a new Commissioner position was created just for the accessing countries in 2007 to hold a position and that there is an overlap of responsibilities with other Commissioners. The Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament has asked the current president of the Commission José Manuel Barroso to clarify the mandate of Commissioner for Multilingualism [1] and of other members of the Commission with regards to the “intercultural dialogue”.

European Parliament Socialist Group (PES) leader Martin Schulz suggested a portfolio for the protection of ethnic minorities instead. Party of European Socialists suggests the introduction of some elements related to the protection of the Roma minority [2].

Barroso turned down the PES proposal and defended the post. He stated that Commissioner for Education, Training and Culture Ján Figeľ "will remain responsible for the management of actions to directly promote the inter-cultural dialogue".[3]

Holders of the post are:

• Leonard Orban (of Romania) - Barroso Commission (2007-present)

• Languages of the European Union
• European Day of Languages

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