EU rejects Spain's push to tie enlargement to Catalan language status

The European Union overwhelmingly rejected the Spanish government's effort to elevate Catalan to an official EU language and to condition future enlargement on that change. The proposal, revived after more than a year, was met with anger from many member states, who view it as an attempt to use accession talks as bargaining chips. Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares warned that the accession of countries such as Montenegro could be delayed if the language question remains unsettled.

Diplomats described the tactic as a domestic issue being turned into a hostage situation, and highlighted that Spain does not have the required unanimous support. The debate has resurfaced repeatedly in ministerial meetings, but legal experts warn that recognizing regional languages would require treaty amendments. Only a handful of countries, including Belgium, Slovakia, Cyprus and Slovenia, have expressed explicit backing for the Catalan initiative.