Sorry Juncker! English is by FAR the most popular language in Europe - study finds
ENGLISH is by far the most popular language in Europe a report has found, despite Jean-Claude Juncker claiming it is losing its importance.
Juncker speaks French as English is ‘less’ important in EU
The study revealed that 97 per cent of children across the continent now learn English – and that is according to the European Commission where Juncker is president.
He had previously joked: “I will express myself in French because, slowly but surely, English is losing importance in Europe.”
97 per cent of children across the continent now learn English
I will express myself in French because, slowly but surely, English is losing importance in Europe
But just a third of EU pupils learn French as a foreign language, with 23 per cent learning German and 13 per cent learning Spanish.
The proportion of European primary school pupils learning English has increased 18 per cent, from 79 per cent in 2005, while 85 per cent study English at “upper secondary education”.
English is a mandatory subject in all European countries except Finland, where Swedish is the mandatory second language.
The report also found English culture had a “subconscious impact” on European pupils.