Press Release: Commission ready to welcome three new official languages on 1 January 2007

From 1 January 2007, the European Union will have 23 official languages when Bulgaria and Romania join the EU and Irish becomes an official language. To prepare for this new challenge, the European Commission has adopted a strategy to guide its translation of written texts for 2007 and beyond. This strategy aims to better identify translation needs and providers, and enshrines multilingualism as a core element in the Commission’s policy-making and forward planning. Preparations in Bulgaria and Romania for providing translators and interpreters for the EU institutions are well-advanced.