Vol. 14 (2025)
Language and Law

Special Issues

The Multilingualism Paradox in EU Law: In Our Own Language Version We Trust

Published 07.05.2025

  • Stefaan van der Jeught

Abstract

EU law is equally authentic in 24 languages. This is a unique achievement of the European Union (EU), which also greatly enhances the legal certainty within its legal order by enabling individuals to ascertain their rights and obligations under EU law in their own language. Moreover, it is settled case law of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) that EU regulations are not enforceable against individuals in an EU Member State if the regulation has not been officially published in the language of that Member State. At the same time, however, reliance on one's own language version is only relative. Indeed, it is settled case law that individuals cannot rely solely on a particular language version of EU law read in isolation. The true meaning of EU law must be determined by a purposive interpretation in the light of all language versions. One or more language versions may therefore prove to be inaccurate. This paper examines this paradox. It argues that individuals should not have to bear the burden of linguistic inconsistencies

Cite as: Van der Jeught, JLL 14 (2025), 81–98, DOI: 10.14762/jll.2025.081

Keywords

multilingualism, law, EU, legal certainty, reliance on one linguistic version

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