23/02/2010 (Agence Europe) - According to a press release from the minister for European affairs of the Land of Hesse, Jörg-Uwe Hahn, 32% of EU citizens speak German. It is the most widely spread mother tongue language in Europe and it is therefore incomprehensible why the European Commission uses only French and English as working languages. He calls for the German language to be treated on an equal footing with French and English. “In the current context of globalisation and the disappearance of national borders, especially in the EU, language remains an essential link with the tradition of member states and their citizens”, he stressed. (H.B./transl.jl)