The development of policy on languages and intercultural skills in the wider Europe is led by two organisations:

The Council of Europe, which deals in the main with languages education policy and instruments such as the Common European Framework of Reference and the European Language Portfolio.  

The European Union, whose executive body, the European Commission provides, following consultation, directives, recommendations and funded initiatives for member state governments to adopt, adapted to the context of national legislation, policy and practice.

The European Union is also responsible for two funded programmes in the field of education and languages, Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci.

Use the left-hand menu or follow the links above to explore these areas further.