English language in Ukraine to receive a new status: Zelensky's bill already in the Parliament
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Photo: Getty Images)
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has submitted a bill No. 9432 to the Verkhovna Rada titled "On the Use of the English Language in Ukraine," which aims to officially establish the status of the English language as one of the languages of international communication in Ukraine.
The document proposes to define categories of positions, the candidates for which must possess proficiency in the English language.
The bill regulates the specifics of using the English language in the work of state and local authorities, local self-government bodies, and emergency response units, during the crossing of the state border, in the fields of education, culture, transportation, healthcare, and more.
Bill substantiation
As stated in the explanatory note to the bill, currently, English is the de jure official language in 58 out of 196 countries worldwide, and de facto in many other countries and territories such as Bangladesh, Cyprus, Israel, Jordan, Malaysia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and the United Arab Emirates. It is one of the six languages of the United Nations and an official language of the European Union, Council of Europe, European Commission, European Free Trade Association, and NATO.
"English is the language of international conferences and sports competitions, the language of communication in the international scientific community, and a leader among languages on the Internet. Currently, over 1.5 billion people worldwide are learning English," the document states.
Ukraine's European integration aspirations include the recognition of European standards in the field of language policy, as mentioned in the explanatory note. Currently, Ukraine has the status of a candidate for membership in the European Union but still faces linguistic barriers in relation to the EU. Compared to other European countries, Ukraine lags behind in citizens' readiness to communicate in a foreign language, including English. According to the 2021 EF English Proficiency Index, which measures English language proficiency in different countries worldwide, Ukraine ranks 40th out of 112 countries, indicating a moderate level of English proficiency.
"The transformation of the status of the English language in Ukraine is a necessity and a strategic step towards our country's full membership in the EU since knowledge of the English language is a key competence in the context of globalization," the document states.
Individuals required to possess English language proficiency
English language proficiency should be mandatory for individuals applying for positions in:
- Category "A" of the civil service;
- Categories "B" and "C" of the civil service, the list of which is determined by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine;
- Heads of local state administrations, their first deputies, and deputies;
- Contracted officers serving in the military, the list of which is determined by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine;
- Middle and senior-level officers of the National Police of Ukraine, heads of other law enforcement agencies, and heads of the civil protection service, the list of which is determined by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine;
- Prosecutors;
- Tax and customs authorities, the list of which is determined by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine;
- Heads of state-owned economic entities, the list of which is determined by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
The requirement for English language proficiency may be established by the appointing authority for candidates applying for positions in local self-government bodies (except elected positions) whose primary responsibilities involve international cooperation.
It is worth noting that, according to a survey conducted by the "Rating" Sociological Group, since the beginning of the war, the use of the Russian language in everyday life among Ukrainians has decreased by approximately half to 13%.
