European Union Promotion of Languages

The European Commission believes that languages have a vital role to play in building a 'common home' in which 450 million Europeans can live, work and trade together. Learning other languages contributes to its goal of becoming 'the most competitive knowledge-based economy in the world' by the end of the decade. It regards the ability to understand and communicate in other languages as a basic skill for all European citizens

In response to a European Parliament Resolution, the European Commission has drawn up an Action Plan for Promoting Language Learning and Linguistic Diversity for the period 2004-2006.

Since 1998 the European Commission has co-ordinated the European Label initiative, known in the UK as the European Award for Languages. The scheme is designed to reward and recognise innovation and effectiveness in language learning. For information about the Awards in the UK, click here. For access to the database of Award-winners from across Europe, click here.

In 2001 the European Commission was responsible, in collaboration with Member States and with the Council of Europe, for organising the European Year of Languages, which highlighted many ways of promoting language learning and lingusitic diversity.