European companies lose business due to lack of language skills

[Harold F. Schiffman]

European companies lose business due to lack of language skills

Brussels, Feb 24, IRNA

EU-Multi-lingualism

Each year thousands of European companies lose business and miss out on
contracts as a result of their lack of language skills, according to a
study released by the European Commission. The study suggests that there
is enormous potential for small businesses in Europe to increase their
total exports if they invest more in languages and develop coherent
language strategies. "Investing in language skills can dramatically
improve a company's business opportunities," European Commissioner for
Multilingualism Leonard Orban told a press conference in Brussels Friday.

He noted that in an across the board survey of nearly 2,000 businesses,
around 11 percent of the respondents had lost a contract as a result of
lack of language skills. The average loss per business over a three-year
period was more than 325,000 euros. Orban said it was a reality that
English plays a predominant role worldwide, but he wanted to promote
linguistic diversity within the EU.

"We want to be open not only to official languages of the Union, but also
to others like regional languages, languages of minorities, immigrants'
languages and third countries' languages," he said. Orban is from Romania
and is responsible for the EU language policy. He was appointed as the
EU's first European commissioner exclusively for multilingualism after his
country joined the EU on January 1, 2007.

http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-239/0702247060145815.htm

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