Exporting to new markets around the world is easier with better language capabilities, according to Fitch Chartered Accountants in Belfast.

Michael Fitch, head of the firm, pointed out: "Businesses that employ people with language skills can achieve up to 44% more export sales than those who don't, new research from CILT, the national centre for languages, has found.

"It claims to have found a clear link between languages and export success, saying that over one in ten European companies could be losing business because of identified communication barriers."

Mr Fitch said if all exporting SMEs invested in a language strategy, and employed staff with foreign language skills, there could be very significant gains to the economy.

While English was a key language for gaining access to export markets, Russian, German and Polish are used largely in eastern Europe.

French is used in many areas of Africa and Spanish is integral to any company wishing to trade in Latin America.

The European Commissioner for multilingualism, Leonard Orban, said: " Far from being an unwelcome cost to doing business, investing in language skills can dramatically improve a company's opportunities.

"I plan to place multilingualism at the heart of the Lisbon strategy for more growth and jobs."