English language ‘less important after Brexit’

FLORENCE: European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has taken a swipe at Britain, saying he would not give a speech in English because it was becoming less significant after Brexit.

“Slowly but surely English is losing importance in Europe,” Juncker told a conference in Florence before switching into French and drawing applause from his audience.

Juncker, who hails from Luxembourg, speaks several European languages fluently and regularly uses English at international gatherings. The conference, on the state of the EU , comes at a time of tensions between Brussels and London ahead of formal negotiations over Britain’s withdrawal from the 28-nation bloc.

Juncker said Britain’s decision to leave was “a tragedy”.

“We will negotiate fairly with our British friends, but let’s not forget that the EU is not abandoning the United Kingdom.

“It is the other way around. And that will make a difference in the years ahead.”

Speaking in English, the European Commission’s chief Brexit negotiator, Frenchman Michel Barnier, said a priority in the talks would be to guarantee rights for some 3.2 million EU citizens living in Britain and for some 1.2 million Britons living in EU member states. He said protecting these rights was “a moral duty”. – Reuters