Knowledge of foreign languages in EU around 65 pct

By Tuba Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - Some 65 percent of working-age adults in the European Union knew at least one foreign language, the EU's statistical office reported on Wednesday.

The data, which show figures on self-reported language skills in 2016, was released on occasion of the European Day of Languages.

Eurostat said more than 90 percent of respondents knew at least one foreign language in Sweden (97 percent), Latvia, Denmark and Lithuania (all 96 percent), Luxembourg (95 percent), Finland and Malta (both 92 percent) and Estonia (91 percent).

The highest level of multilingualism was seen in Luxembourg, where more than half of the working-age adults reported speaking at least three foreign languages.

Knowledge of at least three foreign languages was also high in Finland and Slovenia with 45 percent and 38 percent, respectively.

Foreign language knowledge was less than 50 percent in four member countries -- the United Kingdom (35 percent), Romania (36 percent), Hungary (42 percent) and Bulgaria (50 percent).