Interpreting and multilingualism in the EU: Leave or Remain?

This paper seeks to give an overview of the current status of multilingualism and interpreting in the EU institutions at a time when English is increasingly used as a lingua franca. It examines the use of English in the different EU bodies and the extent to which ELF (English as a lingua franca) has an impact on the use of other languages. After evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of an English-only EU, the reactions of interpreters and interpreting services to the rise of ELF are analysed. In closing, the article reviews possible strategic actions the interpreting services could endorse in order to facilitate a more realistic and less resentful response to an inevitable phenomenon