Catalonia to invest €200m to promote Catalan language and add 100k new speakers annually

Catalonia will invest €200 million this year to promote the use of the Catalan language and ensure that 100,000 new speakers are added every year until 2030.

The government, left-wing political parties, and several civil society groups presented the measures of the 'Pacte Nacional per la Llengua' (Nationwide Language Agreement) on Tuesday in Barcelona. 

The deal sees around €200 million annually focused on improving the use of the Catalan language in 21 different aspects, which will be reviewed annually.

Among the main challenges, the most important one is that the use of the Catalan language increases among the population and guarantees the use of the language in institutions, companies, and services, as well as becoming an everyday working language in the education system.

Nine overall objectives

The new agreement proposes nine major objectives, or “horizons,” across 21 specific areas.

The first objective is to have a comprehensive language policy, involving all public administrations, the private sector, social organizations, and residents. The policy aims to guarantee equal rights and responsibilities, to promote the well-being of the language, foster respect and social and territorial cohesion, and encourage technological advancements.

The second objective is to increase the number of Catalan speakers. Specifically, the goal is to have more than 600,000 additional Catalan speakers by 2030, in order for the number of Catalan speakers to increase above the rate of demographic growth.

The third objective is to make Catalan a fully official language in public institutions, companies, and services, including in the healthcare sector and law enforcement. This also includes ensuring that Catalan becomes an official language in the EU.

The fourth objective is to ensure that everyone has equal access to Catalan in schools, from early childhood education through university and research. This includes ensuring that Catalan is the language of instruction.

The fifth objective is to invest in adult language education, in a “stable and guaranteed” manner, particularly for the newly arrived.

The sixth objective is to push for Catalan to become fully integrated in workplaces and to ensure that workers’ language rights are respected and that language skill accreditation at work is possible in the workplace.

The seventh objective is to improve the cultural offering by increasing and diversifying it in all formats, particularly digital and audiovisual.

The eighth objective is to strengthen the linguistic unity in Catalonia and internationally. This also includes encouraging collaboration across the territories where Catalan is spoken to create a sense of community and commonality.

The ninth and final objective is to ensure everyone in society, regardless of age, is committed to speaking and promoting the Catalan language, particularly in social, sports, and other organizations and associations.

€255 million in 2025 

The agreement's initial budget for 2025 is €255 million, the highest ever for linguistic policies in Catalonia.

Among the main events, there is a campaign to introduce newcomers to the Catalan language and make it easy to learn the language from the first day. Authorities will also set in motion a committee to develop a plan to see Catalan being used more in the working environment, and a large campaign to push Catalan speakers to keep using the language.

'Squeaky deal'

Catalan pro-independence Junts party, which did not sign the agreement, said it is a "squeaky deal" as the political force is not among the signing parties.

Spokesperson Mònica Sales said that the government and the signing members did not respect the "two important elements" set by Junts, such as awaiting the verdict on the policies regarding setting at least 25% of classes taught in Catalan, as well as waiting for the language to be official in Europe.

Sales said that despite the decision being solely made among the three parties that backed Salvador Illa as Catalan president, the group is open to "negotiating the agreement" in the future.

Meanwhile, far-left pro-independence CUP party leader Laia Estrada said the agreement is "a propaganda tool for the Socialist party (PSC)." The group defends that the "main enemy against the Catalan language is the Spanish state," and it "does not make any sense to reach a deal with them (about the Socialists)," Estrada added.