In 2019, 59% of students in upper secondary education studied two or more foreign languages ​​in the European Union, the highest proportion being in Luxembourg, France, Estonia, Romania, the Czech Republic and Finland, according to data published by the European Statistical Office (Eurostat), transmits Agerpres.

Knowledge of foreign languages ​​is an essential tool for cultural exchanges, as such skills are required and encouraged in many jobs, and can facilitate communication in many other contexts.

Among EU Member States, all students in upper secondary education were studying two or more foreign languages ​​in Luxembourg and France in 2019. 99% of students from Estonia, Romania, the Czech Republic and Finland follow. These countries are followed by students from Slovakia (98%), Croatia (95%) and Slovenia (92%).

In contrast, in Greece only 1% of upper secondary students studied two or more foreign languages ​​in 2019, with low numbers also in Portugal (6%), Ireland (12%), Italy (25%) and Spain (27%).

In 2019, English was the most studied foreign language in the EU in upper secondary education (96% of students), followed by Spanish (26%), French (22%), German (20%) and Italian (3%).

Among languages from outside of the EU, the most studied was Russian (3%), especially in Estonia (68%), Latvia (57%), Lithuania (30%) and Bulgaria (24%).

Eurostat data were published in the run-up to the European Day of Languages ​​on 26 September.

Translated by: Radu Matei