Aside from English, is German the most important and useful language to learn...

 

Tomaž Vargazon

 ... in Europe? Does it boost your opportunities with jobs if you can speak it fluently, or is it French?

On a completely utilitarian basis, if you already know English, I’d literarily recommend any other major European languauge than German.

Germany ranks very high in English proficiency

There are very few countries in Europe that speak English better and more widespread than Germans do. If you know English, you can make do with that in Germany and most texts you might be interested in German are often available in English too. If you aren’t planning to move there to work you’ll hardly need it.

French is the better option, although the French generally do have passable knowledge of English - they just aren’t keen on using it. Italian and Spanish are even better choices, because for some reason their knowledge of English is lacking, if we’re polite. Portugese is a surprisingly good option too, because Brazil is popolous - although I’d recommend Spanish well before Portugese.

In the east, Polish is an obvious option, but so is Russian. East of Germany, you will often be able to make do with Russian with people who don’t know English. This is fading though, especially after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine Russian will likely be on the way out, so it’s low on my list of recommended languagues (but still above Czech or Slovak or Slovene for their limited utility). Nonetheless, for use in Europe, Russian may well have more utility than German, in no small part because Slavic languagues are surprisingly close to one another and knowing one gives you a limited ability to communicate all across the east. This also works with Latin languagues (Italian, Spanish, French, Portugese) in the west.

If you’re moving to Germany (or Austria, or Switzerland), you should study German langague, there is no question about that. However if you just want a European languague for purpose of travel or tourism or just are looking for a useful languague as a part of general education, opt for something else instead.

A European dilemma?

FRI, SEPTEMBER 15, 2017 BY THE MINDANAO DAILY MIRROR LEAVE A COMMENT

IN MY OPINIONKlaus Doring

Somehow, I really felt touched while listening. In his State of the Union speech, European Commission President Juncker has praised the bloc for “bouncing back” after 10 years of crises. He has outlined bold proposals for the Eurozone, trade and migration. Is it too late?

Well, the Commission Chief has ruled out Turkish EU membership “in the foreseeable future.” No wonder.

Then,  Juncker has called on European states to help improve the “scandalous” conditions in Libyan migrant centers to prevent people fleeing Africa to Italy by way of the Mediterranean. Longtime overdue!

Next, there were warm words for Balkan candidate countries. Sure.

Also, the future EU tax policy should be approved by a majority of member states, rather than the existing unanimity requirement, Juncker said. Is there really a chance for this. I doubt!

Of course, many Europeans call Juncker’s speech as ‘Wind back in Europe’s sails’.  Of course, in my opinion, last year, European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker had little to cheer about in his flagship address before the European Parliament. If anything, it was a call to stop the collapse of the EU.

Now, a year on from Brexit and with European economies on the upswing, Wednesday’s State of the Union speech struck a far more optimistic note, as Juncker praised the bloc’s achievements over the last 12 months and laid out his vision for its future.

“After 10 years of crises, economies are on the rise and the European Union is bouncing back” he said. “The wind is back in Europe’s sails, it now has a window of opportunity.” Oh yes – so very true!

Indeed, let’s throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the harbor. Catch the trade winds in our sails. It’s indeed high time for protecting European businesses. On strengthening Europe’s trade program, Juncker said that, “Europe has always been an attractive partner to trade with, and now countries from all over the world are knocking on our door.”

Juncker cited the bloc’s recent trade agreements with Canada and Japan, and called on a speedy conclusion to ongoing talks with Mexico and the South American trading bloc, Mercosur. Juncker also said talks should also begin with Australia and New Zealand.

Regulatory reforms aimed at protecting European businesses from undesired foreign takeovers and investment were also among the proposals made by the former Luxembourg prime minister. Europe cautious as China buys up foreign companies.

On migration, Juncker announced that the European Commission would outline a new migrant deportation policy by the end of the month. In a call for increased border security on Europe’s borders, the European Commission president emphasized the need to unburden countries, such as Greece and Italy, where many migrants have landed. “Italy saves Europe’s honor,” said Juncker, praising the Mediterranean nation for its perseverance and generosity in its handling of the crisis. I strongly agree!

Juncker’s proposal could be music to the ears of French President Emmanuel Macron, who has argued that the Euro needs its own, stronger institutions to prevent another debt crisis. However, the proposal will likely be met with tepid reactions in Germany/Berlin, which has largely dismissed reform calls for the common currency.

Juncker also endorsed an EU-wide adoption of the Euro currency. Denmark and Sweden, who in referendums both rejected the Euro, would be exempt. No doubts, when German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble welcomed Juncker’s idea for pan-EU use of the Euro, but said the same conditions must be met by all member states.

“It’s good that he’s applying some pressure and picking up the tempo,” for adoption of the Euro across the bloc, said

Strong words for Poland, Hungary and Turkey

Brussels’ recent tensions with Poland and Hungary have prompted concerns over the safe-guarding of EU values in eastern Europe. “Those states who are not capable of demo-cracy, are not worthy of Europe,” Juncker said.

The governments of both countries have taken an illiberal turn in recent years. The Polish government’s decision to push through judicial reforms allowing the government to elect Supreme Court judges has led the Commission to threaten invoking “Article 7” of the European Treaty, which would suspend Poland’s EU voting rights and even cut off EU funding. True!

That attack was also aimed at Turkey, which he accused of “creating ground for membership talks to fail” and “moving away from the European Union in leaps and bounds.” Ankara’s attitude “rules out EU membership for Turkey in the foreseeable future,” the European Commission President said.

There were, however, warm words for the western Balkan states, which Juncker said should have a realistic chance of joining the EU by 2019.

An European Dilemma? It depends ….

Promoting European Cultural and Educational Diplomacy in the Philippines

NOTES FROM THE EU DELEGATION By Franz Jessen (The Philippine Star) | 

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The year 2017 marks a landmark year in EU-Philippines cultural relations since this coming weekend, we will be launching the 20th edition of the European film festival in Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, before going to other cities in the Philippines. And what better way to mark this milestone than to feature a fusion of the best of classical and contemporary films from Europe with the finest mix of select Filipino films? Twenty-four films from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and Norway are showcasing their masterpieces from the enchanting and not so distant past, together with carefully crafted contemporary films.

Throughout the years, Cine Europa has evolved to become a dynamic festival which offers a broad selection of high quality European and Filipino films, giving the audience all around the country the opportunity to enjoy and to appreciate the values and the rich cultural heritage from Europe. Cine Europa was born out of the friendship between the European Union and the Philippines and has now become a buzz word in the film industry as it boasts of more than 45,000 moviegoers and enthusiasts attending the screenings since it started in the country.

Promoting cultural diversity has been one of the main objectives of the European Agenda for Culture since 2007. The EU is also a strong supporter of the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

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In 2016, for the first time, the EU adopted a “Strategy for international cultural relations” that focuses on advancing cultural cooperation with partner countries across three main strands: supporting culture and education as engines for sustainable social and economic development; promoting intercultural dialogue for peaceful inter-community relations; and reinforcing cooperation on cultural heritage.

In a globalized world, we are convinced that cultural and educational cooperation can counter stereotypes and prejudice by nurturing dialogue, open-mindedness, dignity and mutual respect. Inter-cultural dialogue can help prevent conflicts and foster reconciliation within and between countries. Culture and education can help contribute to address global challenges such as the integration of refugees, countering violent radicalization and the protection of the world’s cultural heritage. Culture and education can also be tools to deliver important social and economic benefits. According to the UNESCO’s Culture for Development Indicators (CDIS), culture contributes between 1.5 and 5.7 percent of GDP in low and middle-income countries, thus reflecting differences in the policy and institutional framework, the level of social participation and education, and the degree of freedom of expression.

Apart from the film festival, this year, the EU delegation in Manila has taken the initiative to organise a series of cultural symposiums to promote intercultural dialogue between the EU and the Philippines. We also recently organized a What’s EUr story essay writing competition with the end in view of involving young people to tell their own experiences, insights and impressions about anything related to the European Union. Most of the stories were about travels to the EU member states and it has been like a journey in Europe through the power of words that touch and strike the senses.

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The EU cultural strategy also includes an educational component through the Erasmus + program whose objective is to promote mobility and inter-university cooperation with partner countries. Between 2014 and 2020, the EU is financing 180,000 scholarships for students and staff involving Europe and other parts of the world. The EU is also supporting the establishment of Erasmus+ alumni groups. Worldwide, EU studies are expected to reach over 250,000 students every year through teaching and outreach activities.

The Erasmus+ programme has evolved over the years and has substantially supported intercultural understanding through co-operation with third countries. This program has greatly contributed to promoting the EU as a center of excellence in learning and research.

For this academic year, the Philippines has the highest number of awardees of Erasmus Mundus scholarships among the ASEAN countries with 37 beneficiaries. The Erasmus+ Program will allow them to pursue MA and PhD programs in different universities across the European continent. Since 2004, more than 200 Pinoy students and lecturers have benefitted from the programm. The scholarship covers air travel to Europe, tuition fees and a monthly living allowance between P55,000 and P138,000.

Like every year, the European Union Delegation to the Philippines is organising a European Higher Education Fair to promote the European Higher education system. The fair will take place on 18 October in Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong. Once again, the EU Delegation will rely on students and alumni to become living testimonials of how European higher education can engage into borderless and immeasurable opportunities.

Culture and education indeed form part of the EU soft diplomacy tools yet their impact is powerful and enormous enough as they not only reach out to the minds but to the hearts of their audiences.  

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(Franz Jessen is the Ambassador of the European Union.)

A vote for Europe…

TUE, MARCH 21, 2017 BY THE MINDANAO DAILY MIRROR LEAVE A COMMENT

IN MY OPINIONKlaus Doring

…  a vote against extremists! Yes, European leaders breathe easier now!

With his first-place finish in the Netherlands’ elections, Mark Rutte has effectively halted the right-wing populist Geert Wilders. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is among the European leaders welcoming the result. Merkel, at this very moment (on Friday, March 17) meeting U.S. President Donald Trump, says Dutch election result sends pro-Europe signal.

Both the vote count tallies and the reactions poured in during the early hours of last Thursday morning as politicians and individuals across Europe and the world took in the results of Wednesday’s parliamentary election in the Netherlands. In what many considered to be a bellwether election for the European Union, the center-right Rutte clearly defeated Wilders in what many saw as a symbolic victory against European populism.

With 54 percent of the vote counted, the projected results indicated Rutte scored a commanding victory, earning 33 out of the Dutch parliament’s 150 seats.

Many European leaders offered congratulatory messages to the acting Dutch prime minister, who will now stay on in office for a third term. But just as many chose to highlight Wilders’ defeat, framing his party’s second place finish with 20 seats – far below the 30-odd seats he had been predicted to win – as a resounding success for the unity and democratic values of a European Union battered by populism from both within and outside the bloc.

The response from Berlin came quickly. German Chancellor Angela Merkel phoned Rutte to offer her congratulations as well as her readiness to work with him and his new government, which he will now have to form with parliamentary alliances.

Of course, Merkel faces her own electoral test in September this year when Germans will cast their votes for the national parliament. The head of government from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) will seek to remain in office, though her primary rival and current coalition partner’s candidate Martin Schulz has been polling neck and neck with her. Schulz, a member of the Social Democratic Party, took to Twitter to celebrate Wilder’s defeat. “I am relieved,” the former EU parliamentarian wrote. “But we must continue to fight for an open and free Europe!”

For many the right-wing nightmare is everywhere. Also Germany hosts its own populist party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD), whose success has been fed by the arrival of over a million refugees and migrants to Europe since 2015 and fears of terrorism linked to Islam. However, the party has been struggling in recent polls due to internal divisions. And then: France is up next for  national elections. Outgoing French President Francois Hollande welcomed Rutte’s victory as a triumph against extremism.

France is indeed the next country in Europe to confront its own right-wing populist movement in spring presidential elections. Polls currently show the National Front’s Marine Le Pen winning the first-round of voting in April but falling short in the May run-off. However, a seemingly never-ending scandal that has engulfed conservative candidate Francois Fillon and a newly launched probe into travels undertaken by the political youngster Emmanuel Macron means the election’s course remains wide open.

“A vote for Europe, a vote against extremists,” strong words of EU Commission President Jean-Claude Junker….

The Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni similarly framed Wilders defeat as a win for pro-EU forces, writing on Twitter “No Nexit. The anti-EU right has lost the elections in the Netherlands.”

Perhaps the most straight-forward and succinct Tweet came from Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. In response to Rutte’s victory and Wilders’ defeat, the leader of the Scottish National party simply tweeted “Good.”

Europe’s problems

TUE, OCTOBER 25, 2016 BY THE MINDANAO DAILY MIRROR LEAVE A COMMENT

IN MY OPINIONKlaus Doring

Germany reforms its main intelligence service! This headline surprised me and many others too in whole Europe. How comes?

The German parliament has subjected the country’s intelligence service, the BND (Bundesnachrichtendienst), to increased government scrutiny. But critics object that it also gives the BND wide-ranging new powers to spy on foreign nationals.

Germany’s lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, has passed a comprehensive reform of the country’s main intelligence service, the BND. The new legislation strengthens government monitoring of intelligence activities while explicitly allowing the BND to carry out certain types of surveillance activities.

The reform comes in the wake of the 2013 revelations by American whistle-blower Edward Snowden that a number of national intelligence services, including the BND, had spied on behalf of the US National Security Agency (NSA) and that the NSA had spied on its allies. That prompted the formation of a German parliamentary committee to draft intelligence agency reforms.

The new legislation subjects the BND to monitoring by an “independent panel” of two judges and a federal prosecutor and a “permanent commissioner” from the Interior Ministry. It stipulates that surveillance of international communications networks must be authorized by the Chancellor’s Office rather than by the BND itself and explicitly prohibits economic and industrial espionage.

The new laws also provide for better protection for whistle-blowers within intelligence services and subjects the BND to annual public hearings instead of private ones, as has been the case. The reforms also explicitly allow the BND to direct espionage operations at EU institutions and other EU member states, if they are aimed at gathering “information of significance for [Germany’s] foreign policy and security.”The reform also permits the BND to cooperate with foreign intelligence services like the NSA if it serves specific purposes, including fighting terrorism, supporting the German military on foreign missions or collecting information concerning the safety of Germans abroad.

The legislation was passed with the votes of the governing Conservative-Social Democratic coalition, which said that the reforms address the concerns raised by the Snowden leaks while allowing the BND to use 20th century means to ensure Germany’s security. “How else is the BND supposed to protect us against terrorism other than listening in on conversations between people outside of Ger-many?” said Clemens Binninger of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union, the chairman of the Bundestag’s NSA parliamentary committee.

Do we have to deal with so-called Extra-legal spaces?

Former Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger tweeted, “Unconstitutional BND law: I’m consulting with my colleagues at the FDP (Liberal Democratic Party).

But what matters more? Or even most? EU leaders have ended a Brussels summit without agreeing on a free trade deal with Ottawa as Belgium’s region of Wallonia refused a last minute offer. Canada’s trade minister said the deal was “impossible” at the moment. Tensions were high in Brussels on Friday (yesterday, write this piece on Saturday, October 22, 2016), after the government of Wallonia refused to budge on CETA (Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement) despite massive pressure from Canada, the Belgian government, and the overwhelming majority of EU officials. Ottawa’s representative Chrystia Freeland blasted the EU as incapable of resolving the impasse, saying her country was “disappointed.”

“It seems evident for me and for Canada that the European Union is not now capable of having an international accord even with a country that has values as European as Canada, even with such a kind, patient, country,” the trade minister said in the Belgian city of Namur.

The parliament of the 3.5 million-strong region voted against the so-called CETA last week , blocking the deal near the very end of the seven-year negotiation procedure which aimed to cancel 98 percent of trade tariffs between EU and Canada. The Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was to travel to Europe and sign the deal on the 27th of October.

Romania and Bulgaria were also opposed to the deal, but decided to get on board in exchange for visa-free travel to Canada from 2017. Wallonia, however, still  holds out against it, with its lawmakers concerned about CETA lowering Europe’s health standards, hurting small farmers, and giving big business power to force governments to change laws.

Also, CETA is seen as a probe for a much larger deal with the US, with citizens across Europe voicing similar com-plaints.

CETA also faced a challenge in Germany’s Constitutional Court, but was deemed to be in line with German law just over a week ago.

Europe is dealing with a lot of problems on all sights, while this nation Philippines is facing a lot of changes. For the good or the better? Future shall show us.

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