COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ON ESPERANTO IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

- Nuala AHERN, Greens, Eire

"I know that many of my Green colleagues are very enthusiastic about Esperanto, and I will ask them to give me comments and suggestions to present it in the European Parliament."

- Magda AELVOET, AGALEV/Greens, Belgium

"In the European Union, and particularly in the European Parliament, the presence of so many languages regularly creates linguistic problems. But this must not become a pretext to limit the use of "minor languages". This does not mean that Esperanto, as a sufficiently neutral international language, cannot prove its usefulness in many fields of the life of European society. In this sense, support for the development of Esperanto constitutes an interesting and useful project."

- Anne ANDRE-LEONARD, PRL/ELDR, Belgium, 22 September 1994

"It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that Esperanto will one day become the language that solves the linguistic problems of communication. It is a pity that the Eurocrats don't take this solution into serious consideration."

- Nial ANDREW, Fianna Fail/EDA, Eire

"We have to look for the concept to advance the use of Esperanto in the European Union. In this respect, we must look at the possibility at getting funds from the Office for less widespread languages."

- Mary BANOTTI, Fine Gael/EPP, Eire

"I have attended many conferences on Esperanto, and I will continue to do so."

- Gerard COLLINS, Fianna Fail/EDA, Eire

"I will be happy to consider the Esperanto question and to help as far as I am able."

- Pat COX, T.D., Ind/Lib, Eire

"I will certainly consider Esperanto and the points you have mentioned."

- Brien CROWLEY, Fianna Fail/EDA, Eire

"As we look ahead to the further expansion of the European Union, the costs of the translation services will have become impossible. I think, however, that if the cultural diversity of the Union is not maintained, even though we will have a bigger Union it will not be deeper, and in the end we will have a house built on sand. Perhaps Esperanto will give us the chance to overcome some of the difficulties that we have dragged along behind us, and I will continue to investigate the possibilities of using the language."

- John CUSHNAHAN, Fine Gael/EPP, Eire

"I have received your comments on the use of Esperanto, and I will bear them in mind until such time as the matter is discussed in Parliament."

- Willy DE CLERQ, VLD/ELDR, Belgium, 3 February 1995

"At the moment, with 15 member states, translation swallows up one third of the budget of the European Parliament. However, in the long term, we may have to think about using a supranational language such as Esperanto."

- Gérard DEPREZ, PSC/PPE, Belgium

"The neutrality of Esperanto allows it to be proposed as a perfectly valid alternative. I do not think, however, that it can work as a solution to the problems posed by linguistic diversity in Europe, particularly in the current context. However, the prospect of the enlargement of the European Union to 25 member states obliges us to reflect on the best way of dealing with the difficulties caused by linguistic problems. Consequently, I firmly support the use of this language and I am ready to back EU funding and the development of pilot projects for the study of Esperanto within the Union."

- Prof. Claude DESAMA, PS/PSE, Belgium, 24 March 1995

"Although my rational side recommends scepticism, I remain very interested in the possibilities of the development of Esperanto. I will be happy to help you in any way I can."

- Pat The Cope GALLAGHER, Fianna Fail/EDA, Eire

"The possible use of Esperanto doesn't create any problems for me. I would welcome this development, just as I would welcome, understandably, the use of Irish as a working language of the European Union."

- José HAPPART, PS/PSE, Belgium

"Esperanto should be an efficient means of communication between the peoples of the future Europe. In all fields a neutral, logical and practical language would be an important help for Europe. However, it would have to be taught right from elementary school. In the belief that Esperanto is the solution to the problems we are facing, I give you my full support."

- Fernand HERMAN, PSC/PPE, Belgium, 22 March 1995

"With the planned expansion to 25 member states, the problem of languages is about to become a truly unsolvable problem. The chances of Esperanto therefore improve at the same rate as our difficulties increase."

- Marie-Paule KESTELIJN-SIERENS, VLD/ELDR, Belgium, 31 January 1995

"So, in the long term, the Union will possibly (or probably) have to think about a supranational language, such as Esperanto, for the community institutions. Until then I reject the use of a limited number of languages."

- Mark KILLILEA, Fianna Fail/EDA, Eire

"I am very interested in the details about the language (Esperanto) that you have sent me, and I would like to give any support I can to any resolutions calling for more recognition for this language."

- Giacomo LEOPARDI, Forza Europa, Italy

"The European Union must be characterized by elements of its own, super partes, if it wants to ensure equal participation for all the member states.

If, for example, the Union assumes elements taken from one state rather than another, without making them fully homogeneous, it places one state rather than another in a position of supremacy. As with the single currency, the adoption of Esperanto, as a language belonging to no-one and at the same time to everyone, would in my opinion be a fundamental means of cohesion among all the member states."

- Joe McCARTIN, Fine Gael/EPP, Eire

"Thank you for your letter and for the information on Esperanto. I will keep it in my dossier until the issue is debated in the European Parliament."

- Patricia McKENNA, Greens, Eire

"Rest assured that I will follow a policy to introduce Esperanto in the European Parliament."

- Marco Pannella, ARE, Italy

"(...) Like many other people, I was fairly much in agreement with some of the traditional criticisms made by Benedetto Croce of the idea of an auxiliary language, an international language, an artificial (in the best sense of the word) language (...). I have changed my mind for a number of reasons, some of them objective: above all because the dimensions of the problems of our time and our society can no longer be circumscribed within traditional linguistic parameters. It was therefore inevitable that I would finally be convinced of the need for and the profound morality of a planned and neutral international language. At this point, Esperanto is the natural choice: for over one hundred years the language has continued to develop and establish itself. (...) However, my problem, the political problem, is different: I believe that an international language, a lingua franca, is absolutely necessary, and that it can only be established if we manage, during the course of this generation (after that it will be to

o late), to introduce legislation and practice to allow people, especially children, to learn this language - an essential instrument for the devlopment of the character and for the gradual creation of an accessible network of international communication, which seems to me to be indispensable both for the individual and for society. (...)"

- Anne VAN LANCKER, SP/PSE, Belgium

"As regards the use of Esperanto in the European instituions, I think that it is very important to defend, as a democratic right, the use of one's own language within the European Parliament. Above all, I believe that if in the future we have to find a practical solution to the question of language in the European institutions, Esperanto will be a valid solution. In this respect, I think that Esperanto should become part of our daily lives. To this end, the schools will have to make a special effort."

- Frederik WILLOCKX, SP/PSE, Belgium

"The question of languages in the European Union creates increasingly serious problems. However, I do not want any question of "practicality" to become a reason for eliminating the juridical status of the minor languages. Despite this, we must not be blind to the increasing difficulties in the European institutions. In fact, in the long term we may well have to think about a supranational language such as Esperanto."