BRUSSELS — The European Union brings together 15 states with a total population of 380 million people. Thirteen other countries have applied to join. Europeans speak some 45 different languages, of which 11 are recognized as official languages for the purposes of EU business. But millions of European citizens routinely speak not only the official language of their country but also another European language: For example, 45 percent of EU citizens can hold a conversation in at least one foreign language.