Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the "Commission staff working paper — Promoting language learning and linguistic diversity" (SEC(2002) 1234)
Date: 2003-01-22
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: European identity, European language, European symbol, action programme, language teaching, multilingualism

C 85/126

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

8.4.2003

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Commission staff working
paper — Promoting language learning and linguistic diversity’

(SEC(2002) 1234)

(2003/C 85/26)

On 25 November 2002 the European Commission decided to consult the European Economic and Social
Committee, under Article 262 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on ‘Promoting
Language Learning and Linguistic Diversity’.

At its 396th plenary session of 22 and 23 January 2003 (meeting of 23 January) the European Economic
and Social Committee appointed Ms Heinisch rapporteur-general and adopted the following opinion by
105 votes to 4 with 4 abstentions.

1.

Introduction

— adopting a new action programme on e-learning;

1.1.
The need for European Union and Member State action
to improve language learning was recognised by the Heads of
the State and Government who in Barcelona in March 2002
called for further action to improve the mastery of basic skills,
in particular by teaching at least two foreign languages from a
very early age. This conviction was also behind the Education
Council’s invitation to Member States on 14 February 2002 to
take concrete steps to promote linguistic diversity and language
learning, and its invitation to the Commission to draw up
proposals in these fields by early 2003.

Article 22 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the
1.2.
European Union of 7 December 2000 states that the Union
shall respect cultural, religious and linguistic diversity.

— submitting an action plan to promote a multilingual

Europe.

With its action plan to promote language learning,
the
European Commission is reacting to the experience of the
European Year of Languages and that derived from the
evaluation of its results.

The EESC considers it positive and forward-looking that the
Commission does not regard the European years (of lifelong
learning and languages) as isolated activities but has rather
evaluated their results and incorporated them into the edu-
cation programmes. The EESC supports this approach.

2.2. Moreover, it is inevitable that, in view of the forth-
coming accession of 12 new Member States, the EU should
focus its attention on languages.

1.3.
In 2001 Europe celebrated the European Year of
Languages, which was a resounding success and stimulated
many thousands of activities involving hundreds of thousands
of citizens across Europe in the task of promoting language
learning and linguistic diversity.
It generated widespread
enthusiasm for language learning and increased the motivation
of many to get personally involved in learning about other
languages and cultures.

The EESC therefore welcomes the promotion of language
learning throughout the EU. Languages must not be allowed
to become frontiers or barriers to global
integration and
communication. Articles 149 and 150 of the EC Treaty are the
basis of education policy in the EU. The responsibility of the
Member States for curricula and the shaping of education
systems is not affected.

2. General comments

2.3.
The EU must react to the coming challenge in a
multilingual way. Only in this way can the cultural identity of
peoples, regional diversity and thus the cultural richness of
Europe be maintained. And at the same time this will do justice
to the principle of subsidiarity.

2.1.
The European Commission’s 2003 work programme
(late October 2002) is intended to consolidate the Lisbon
process, by:

‘A man who speaks two languages is worth two men’ (King
Charles V 1338-1380).

— developing proven procedures in the field of lifelong
learning and e-learning (e.g. common work programme
on general and vocational education systems, the infor-
mation society for all);

2.4.
It is the job of the EESC to promote and facilitate
worker mobility, and to ensure that reciprocal understanding
and solidarity are no longer hindered by language barriers,
whilst however maintaining Europe’s linguistic and cultural
diversity. All Europe’s languages have the same cultural value.

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3. Conclusions

3.1.
The EESC supports the Commission in promoting
language learning and cultural diversity with due regard to
subsidiarity in the education field. The EESC stresses the need
to ensure that basic knowledge of the mother tongue is fully
consolidated (results of the Pisa study) before embarking on
foreign language learning.

3.2.
The EESC calls for intensive cooperation between the
Member States in order to develop learning networks and
ensure a continuous exchange of proven methods, didactic
approaches, learning materials and initial and further teacher
training.

The EESC calls for linguistic diversity to be strength-
3.3.
ened by means of
targeted measures in all Community
programmes (regional employment and social policy, research
and development, information society etc.), e.g.:

— More subtitling of films through the Media programme;

— More translation of literary works into other languages

through the Culture 2000 programme.

3.4.
The EESC sees the Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci
programmes, however, as the main vehicles for promoting
language learning. Special projects should be established in
this area

— for better quality language teaching;

— for the promotion of new learning materials;

— for comparing extra-curricular learning programmes;

— for easier access for all to language learning opportunities;

— for lifelong language learning;

— for promoting regional and minority languages.

Here the EESC sees an opportunity for support through an
interaction between education and research.

The EESC calls for appropriate projects to promote

3.5.
pre-school language learning.

3.5.1.
should be incorporated into the European projects.
Switzerland/France)

New approaches to language learning through music
(e.g.

‘Anyone who wishes to bring different people together must
first find a common language’. This common language is
undoubtedly music.
‘Music has transfer effects on speech
development both in the mother tongue and in the learning of
foreign languages’
(Donata Elschenbroich, Weltwissen der
Siebenjährigen).

3.5.2.
It is important that parents should be offered the
same language-learning opportunities as their children. This is
an important step in efforts to achieve integration. Language
acquisition begins in the family.

The EESC sees the promotion of language learning during the
earliest stages of childhood as a way of curbing violence and
xenophobia among very young children (pre-school groups
may include children from up to 20 different countries) —
preventive approach.

3.5.3.
The EESC calls for cross-border cooperation in
the pre-school area between parents, educators/teachers. The
process of sensitising children to language learning must begin
very early and the foundations of lifelong learning must be
laid at the pre-school stage.

3.6.
The EESC calls for an assessment of training plans for
foreign language learning from pre-school to tertiary level and
proposes that all aspiring teachers be required to spend part of
their study period abroad.

The EESC also proposes that all schoolchildren be
3.7.
encouraged to spend a period abroad in the course of their
school careers.

The EESC calls for improved approaches to language
3.8.
teaching rather than for more class time for the teaching of a
single language and would like to see greater involvement of
native speakers.

3.9. With regard to adult lifelong learning, the EESC calls
for special further education programmes for parents and
senior citizens which take account of different
learning
situations. The competition entitled European label for innova-
tive projects in language teaching and learning should be
retained.

The EESC calls for freedom of choice in deciding on
3.10.
the two foreign languages to be taught in addition to the
mother tongue.

3.10.1.
neighbour’s language programme.

The EESC supports the Franco-German Learn your

3.10.2.
as their children’s first foreign language.

The EESC is aware that most parents choose English

The EESC sees English as a lingua franca, while being aware of
the limits of any lingua franca (it does not permit any real
understanding of other cultures). Circumstances dictate that
English will probably in time become the language spoken by
a majority of Europeans.

The EESC sees a need to think about the choice of
3.10.3.
official and working languages and to encourage young people
to take up the relevant professions (interpreter, translator etc).

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3.11.
The EESC is aware of shortcomings in the arrange-
ments for implementing various programme areas, with
regard to user-friendliness, transparency, timely availability of
documents and forms, and calls for implementing arrange-
ments to remain in force for a longer period.

3.12.
nation between the Commission and national authorities

The EESC calls for greater transparency in coordi-

3.13.
The EESC calls on the Commission to support the
dissemination of suitable high-quality learning materials via
European networks.

3.14.
The EESC sees it as its task to inform the organisations
and associations represented at the Committee on the need for
promotion of languages, and to call on them to assume
responsibility for supporting all their citizens in their language
learning and to ensure that this opportunity is made available
to them across the board through learning networks.

The coordination of learning opportunities must be monitored
(communicative/integrated approach).

The EESC therefore feels that it should be involved by the
Commission in the implementation of the programmes, and
that it should be responsible for organising hearings and the
dissemination of information and for raising the awareness of
the partners at European level. The EESC can act as a forum
for the exchange of opinions and their dissemination. This is
more likely to yield results than large-scale consultation
structures (the proposed timetable to 31 January 2003 is too
short) and it is in line with the procedures of the Commission
and the EESC.

The EESC is a bridge between Europe and civil society. Its
members directly represent the interests of the EU’s disparate
civil society organisations. In this capacity the Committee
defends the right
to European citizenship, and language
learning is an important part of this.

Brussels, 23 January 2003.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Roger BRIESCH