Language should not be a barrier to accessing public services, understanding rights or participating fully in society. 

This policy paper explores the challenges faced by people across the EU who do not speak the language of the country where they live, highlighting how limited access to translation and multilingual information can affect human rights, non-discrimination and participation in the European labor market. 

The authors call for greater public awareness and more accessible solutions to improve communication between public institutions and multilingual communities. Among the proposed approaches is the development of simple, accessible platforms that can help people navigate public services and access essential information in a language they understand. 

The policy paper was developed by six young participants from Cyprus, France and Italy, bringing together perspectives from different European contexts. 

Through their work, the authors draw attention to an issue affecting millions of people across Europe and propose ways to make public services more inclusive, accessible and responsive to linguistic diversity. 

Available documents & links