Should German count as only one language?

[Beet]

What is the status of foreign language education in Europe? Is it normal for so many Europeans as we have on this forum to be fluent in English? In the US you are not expected to begin learning foreign language until age 11 or 12 and then it is only required for two to four years, and as a result most Americans do not speak a foreign language unless they have made a special effort or are in a peculiar circumstance.

[Beet]

In Western Europe, at least, most people would have attained a certain level of command of English, yeah. English really is crucial to fully participate in popular culture and to further one's career.

It strikes me that English is the greatest language of privilege in many places around the world, as are all lingua francas to some extent, but this one especially.