Estonia to Require B1 Language Proficiency for All Conscripts
Estonia's parliamentary defense committee has advanced a bill that will require all military conscripts to achieve B1 level proficiency in the Estonian language by 2027, with those failing to meet the standard facing mandatory state-funded courses and potential administrative penalties such as the suspension of driving licenses.
- —The Estonian Parliament's State Defense Committee has unanimously decided to initiate a bill requiring conscripts to achieve B1 level proficiency in Estonian by the start of 2027.
- —Conscripts who do not meet the B1 language requirement will be obligated to complete a mandatory Estonian language course within one year, with the initial course funded by the state.
- —Failure to attend language courses or pass the B1 exam may result in administrative enforcement measures, including the suspension of driving or hunting licenses, and fishing or weapon permits.
- —The proposed legislation aims to ensure conscripts can fully understand military training, orders, and safety instructions, with an estimated annual cost of 400,000 euros for language courses and exams.
- —This initiative follows a previous attempt to include language requirements in a law passed in November, which was not promulgated by the President, leading to the current separate bill.
Recap
Estonia is formalizing language proficiency as a core component of military readiness, linking conscript service directly to linguistic integration. The policy uses a combination of state-funded training and administrative penalties to ensure all service members can effectively understand commands and safety protocols. This move reflects a strategic decision to eliminate communication barriers within the defense forces, treating language skill not as a cultural issue but as a critical element of national security.