Mandatory "PPR by phone" is less bollox to people who realise all equipment can go wrong - including radio. I feel quite sure that is one of the reasons it is required by most aerodromes over here.
And frankly, I do not think there is any universal obligation for ATC to speak English, and I am quite sure many controllers don't. In Russia, for a beginning. Email or fax stands a better chance of being understood, though that says nothing about the likelihood of getting a reply.