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Brexit and Multilingualism in the European Union

Author

Listed:
  • Victor Ginsburgh

    (ECARES, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium and CORE, Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium)

  • Juan D. Moreno-Ternero

    (Department of Economics, Universidad Pablo de Olavide)

Abstract

The EU spends more than one billion euros per year ensuring translation and interpretation of 24 languages to preserve multilingualism. We examine how this budget should be fairly allocated, taking into account linguistic and economic realities of each member country. Our analysis tries to estimate the value of keeping English as a procedural language (in fact, almost a lingua franca) in the post-Brexit EU, where, today, just about one percent of the population speaks it as native language.

Suggested Citation

  • Victor Ginsburgh & Juan D. Moreno-Ternero, 2022. "Brexit and Multilingualism in the European Union," Working Papers 22.02, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:pab:wpaper:22.02
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Multilingualism; European Union; Brexit; budget sharing; disenfranchisement;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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