European Parliament
Figueiredo (GUE/NGL ).
(PT)
Mr President, I should like to express my concern about the defence of EU working languages.
I understand that the Dutch Presidency has just tabled a proposal at the Conference of Community and European Affairs Committees (COSAC) aimed at restricting the number of working languages at COSAC meetings to just six. I am aware that in this House, too, there have been times when, for reasons of cost-cutting, some Members have had difficulty in using their languages as working languages. In the proposal tabled by the Dutch Presidency, only six working languages are safeguarded – those of the six biggest countries. Of course, Portuguese is the language of a country that is not one of the biggest and is therefore in jeopardy. The question before us, Mr President, ...
(The President cut off the speaker)

