English is recognised as an official language in Ukraine: what will change for citizens
26 June 2024 17:01
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a law that officially establishes English as the language of international communication in Ukraine. The relevant information appeared on the page of the draft law No. 9432 “On the Use of English in Ukraine,” according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
This draft law was submitted by the President of Ukraine and even marked as urgent. Although it was not included in the list of European integration bills, the explanatory note explained the need for its adoption as being due to Ukraine’s European integration aspirations.
Main provisions
The law defines the status of English as a language of international communication in Ukraine and establishes the principles of its use in various spheres of public life.
The law defines the list of positions for which English language proficiency is required. This applies to senior civil servants, heads of local administrations, military officers, senior management of law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and heads of state-owned enterprises.
It is envisaged that the level of English proficiency for these categories will be set by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. Persons who have at least a B2 level of English will receive a 10% bonus to their salary.
The Law regulates the use of English in the activities of public authorities and local self-government bodies. In particular, it provides for the acceptance of documents in English without translation, correspondence with foreign addressees in English and the creation of English-language versions of official websites.
In the field of education, the law provides for compulsory study of English at all levels – from pre-school to higher education. It also plans to support English language learning programmes for adults and train qualified teachers.
In the cultural sector, the draft law proposes to ensure the availability of information in English about cultural events, museum exhibits and archival documents. It also provides for the possibility of showing English-language films in their original language with Ukrainian subtitles.
In the transport sector, it is proposed to ensure the availability of information and announcements in English at railway stations, airports and ports.
In the healthcare sector, the law provides for the possibility of providing medical services in English at the request of foreigners, as well as the availability of information about medical institutions in English.
Most of the provisions of the law are expected to enter into force on the date of its publication, but some of the requirements for compulsory English language proficiency will come into force two years after the end of martial law in Ukraine.
Overall, the law is aimed at expanding the use of English in Ukraine and increasing the level of English proficiency among citizens, which should contribute to Ukraine’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
