Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Promoting Language Learning and Linguistic Diversity: an Action Plan 2004 - 2006
Date: 2003-07-24
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU action, EU programme, European citizenship, continuing education, education policy, foreign language, language teaching, teacher training

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 24.07.2003
COM(2003) 449 final

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION
TO THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT,
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE
AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

Promoting Language Learning and Linguistic Diversity:
An Action Plan 2004 – 2006

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................... 3

1.

2.

3.

4.

The context ................................................................................................................... 3

Consultation ................................................................................................................. 4

A shared responsibility................................................................................................. 5

The Action Plan............................................................................................................ 6

SECTION 1 ................................................................................................................................ 7

I.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

II.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

LIFE-LONG LANGUAGE LEARNING .................................................................... 7

'Mother tongue plus two other languages’: making an early start................................ 7

Language learning in secondary education and training .............................................. 8

Language Learning in Higher Education ..................................................................... 8

Adult language learning ............................................................................................... 9

Language Learners with special needs......................................................................... 9

Range of languages. ..................................................................................................... 9

BETTER LANGUAGE TEACHING .......................................................................... 9

The language-friendly school....................................................................................... 9

The Languages Classroom ........................................................................................... 9

Language teacher training .......................................................................................... 10

Supply of language teachers....................................................................................... 10

Training teachers of other subjects............................................................................. 11

Testing language skills ............................................................................................... 11

III.

BUILDING A LANGUAGE-FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT .................................. 12

1.

2.

3.

IV

An inclusive approach to linguistic diversity............................................................. 12

Building language-friendly communities................................................................... 12

Improving supply and take-up of language learning.................................................. 13

A FRAMEWORK FOR PROGRESS ........................................................................ 14

SECTION 2: ACTIONS PROPOSED FOR 2004 - 2006 ........................................................ 14

2

INTRODUCTION

At long last, Europe is on its way to becoming one big family, without bloodshed, a
real transformation … a continent of humane values … of liberty, solidarity and above
all diversity, meaning respect for others' languages, cultures and traditions.
(Laeken Declaration)

1.

The context

The peoples of Europe are building a single Union out of many diverse nations, communities,
cultures  and  language  groups;  it  is  a  Union  built  around  the  equal  interchange  of  ideas  and
traditions  and  founded  upon  the  mutual  acceptance  of  peoples  with  different  histories  but  a
common future.

Within a very short time, the European Union will undergo its most significant enlargement to
date. The new Union will be home to 450 million Europeans from diverse ethnic, cultural and
linguistic  backgrounds.  It  will  be  more  important  than  ever  that  citizens  have  the  skills
necessary to understand and communicate with their neighbours.

Building a common home in which to live, work and trade together means acquiring the skills
to communicate with one another effectively and to understand one another better. Learning
and speaking other languages encourages us to become more open to others, their cultures and
outlooks.

The European  Union  is built around  the  free  movement  of  its  citizens,  capital  and  services.
The citizen with good language skills is better able to take advantage of the freedom to work
or study in another Member State.

In the context of the Lisbon strategy of economic, social and environmental renewal launched
in March 2000, the Union is developing a society based upon knowledge as a key element in
moving towards its objective of becoming the most competitive knowledge-based economy in
the  world  by  the  end  of  the  decade.  Learning  other  languages  contributes  to  this  goal  by
improving cognitive skills and strengthening learners’ mother tongue skills, including reading
and writing.

Also  in  this  context,  the  Commission  is  working  to  develop  the  entrepreneurial  spirit  and
skills of EU citizens (for example through the European Charter for Small Enterprises1 as well
as  the  Green  Paper  on  Entrepreneurship).  Such  goals  will  be  easier  to  achieve  if  language
learning is effectively promoted in the European Union, making sure that European citizens,
and  companies,  have  the  intercultural  and  language  skills  necessary  to  be  effective  in  the
global market-place.

Many other policies being pursued at European level would benefit from an improvement in
citizens’ language skills.

In short, the ability to understand and communicate in other languages is a basic skill for all
European citizens.

1

endorsed by the European Council in Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal, on 18-19 June 2000.

3

                                                
Language skills are unevenly spread across countries and social groups2. The range of foreign
languages spoken by Europeans is narrow, being limited mainly to English, French, German,
and Spanish. Learning one lingua franca alone is not enough. Every European citizen should
have meaningful communicative competence in at least two other languages in addition to his
or  her  mother  tongue.  This  is  an  ambitious  goal,  but  the  progress  already  made  by  several
Member States shows that it is perfectly attainable.

The  European  Year  of  Languages  2001  highlighted  the  many  ways  of  promoting  language
learning and linguistic diversity.  Heads of the State and Government in Barcelona in March
2002 recognised the need for European Union and Member State action to improve language
learning; they called for further action to improve the mastery of basic skills, in particular by
teaching at least two foreign languages to all from a very early age.

A  European  Parliament  Resolution  of  13  December  2001  called  for  measures  to  promote
language  learning  and  linguistic  diversity.  On  14  February  2002  the  Education  Council
invited  Member  States  to  take  concrete  steps  to  promote  linguistic  diversity  and  language
learning, and invited the European Commission to draw up proposals in these fields.

This Action Plan is the European Commission’s response to that request. It should be read in
conjunction  with  the  Consultation  Document  Promoting  Language  Learning  and  Linguistic
Diversity (SEC 2002 12343) which sets out the  European Commission’s philosophy  and the
context for the actions proposed.

2.

Consultation

In  preparing  this  Action  Plan,  the  European  Commission  undertook  a  wide  public
consultation  involving  the  other  European  Institutions,  relevant  national  ministries,  a  wide
range  of  organisations  representing  civil  society,  and  the  general  public.  The  consultation
document was made available on-line in all European Union languages. Over 300 substantive
responses to the consultation were received. A conference for representatives of civil society
in Brussels on 10 April 2003 closed the consultation.

The  European  Commission  would  like  to  record  its  gratitude  to  all  those  organisations  and
individuals who took the time to make comments and suggestions. A complete report on the
consultation  process  and  a  synthesis  of  the  results,  as  well  as  the  proceedings  of  the
conference, will be published separately on the Europa server.

In  summary,  the  main  thrust  of  the  Commission’s  analysis  of  the  current  situation  and  its
proposals  for  the  future  was  approved  by  respondents.  There  was,  for  example,  agreement
about  the  desirability  of  spreading  the  benefits  of  multilingualism  to  all  European  citizens
through lifelong language learning, starting at a very early age. The propositions that English
alone is not enough, and that lessons should be made available in a wide variety of languages
were  widely  supported.  The  usefulness  of  programmes  at  national  and  European  level  that
promote the mobility of language learners  and teachers, and other forms of contact between
citizens, was highlighted. The need to improve the quality of language teaching attracted very
broad-based  support.  More  effective  mechanisms  for  ensuring  the  transparency  of  language
certification were deemed necessary by many. The potential for making Europe’s towns and

2

3

More detailed information about differences between Member States was contained in the background
documents that accompanied the Consultation process; these are still available at
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/policies/lang/languages/consult_en.html#background
available at http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/policies/lang/languages/consult_en.html#consult

4

                                                
cities  more  ‘language  friendly’,  the  scope  for  making  better  use  of  sub-titling  for  language
learning, and the importance of  action  to  assist so-called  ‘regional’  and ‘minority’ language
communities  were  stressed.  Many  respondents  agreed  on  the  necessity  for  each  country  to
undertake a study of its language needs and define its own languages policy.

The consultation has highlighted a broad consensus that further action is to be taken now to
improve  language  learning  and  to  promote  linguistic  diversity  in  Europe.  The  views  of  the
respondents have been taken into account in this Action Plan.

3.

A shared responsibility

By  their  very  nature,  language  learning  and  linguistic  diversity  are  issues  that  can  be
addressed in different ways at different levels.

The role of national, regional and local authorities

It is the authorities in Member States who  bear the primary responsibility for implementing
the  new  push  for  language  learning  in  the  light  of  local  circumstances  and  policies,  within
overall European objectives.

The  Council  of  Europe  encourages  its  Member  States  to  reflect  upon  these  responsibilities
through  a  ‘language  audit’  with  a  view  to  formulating  language  education  policies  that  are
coherent  with  the  promotion  of  social  inclusion  and  the  development  of  democratic
citizenship in Europe.

In their work on the Concrete Objectives of Education and Training systems4, Member States
have  agreed  common  objectives  towards  which  they  work  by  setting  indicators  and
benchmarks,  sharing  good  practice  and  undertaking  peer  reviews.  They  have  identified  the
improvement  of  language  skills  as  a  priority.  This  programme  of  work,  by  which  Member
States  agree  to  move  forward  together  in  developing  key  aspects  of  language  policy  and
practice,  will  therefore  provide  the  framework  for  many  of  the  actions  required  at  Member
State level to promote language learning and linguistic diversity.

The role of the European Union

The  European  Union’s  role  in  this  field  is  not  to  replace  action  by  Member  States,  but  to
support  and  supplement  it.  Its  mission  is  to  help  them  develop  quality  education  and
vocational training through cooperation and exchange, and to promote developments in those
issues  that  can  best  be  tackled  at  a  Union-wide  level.  This  is  why  the  key  question  in  the
consultation  process  was:  “in  what  ways  could  the  European  Commission  stimulate  and
complement action at other levels?”

The main tools available to the Union in this field are its funding programmes, and especially
those in the fields of Education, Training and Culture5. The Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci
programmes  together  invest  over  €  30  million  a  year  in  actions  with  a  specific  language–
learning objective. In the years 2000 - 2002, the Socrates programme has funded:

– 

1 601 joint language projects involving 58 500 pupils and 6 500 teachers;

4

5

For more information, please see the detailed work programme for this process: Council document
5980/01 14 February 2001 http://register.consilium.eu.int/pdf/en/01/st05/05980en1.pdf
http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/education_culture/index_en.htm

5

                                                
– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

2 440 language assistantships;

16 563 in-service training grants for teachers of a foreign language;

18 projects developing training tools and courses for language teachers;

intensive linguistic preparation courses in a less widely used and less taught language
for 3 632 Higher Education students;

38 learning partnerships, and 12 cooperation projects to promote languages in adult
education;

33 projects developing new language learning or testing tools; and

15 projects promoting awareness about the benefits of language learning and bringing
language learning opportunities closer to citizens.

In the same period, the Leonardo da Vinci programme has funded:

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

750 periods of in-service training abroad for teachers of a foreign language;

56 projects developing language learning tools for vocational training purposes and in
the workplace;

5 projects developing methods of validating language skills

4 language audits in companies;

120 000 transnational placements, exchanges and study visits for people in training.

The programmes, which have helped many hundreds of thousands of pupils, trainees, teachers
and  trainers  to  improve  their  language  skills  or  acquire  new  ones,  and  have  funded  the
development  of  innovative  approaches,  methods  and  materials  for  language  teaching,  are
currently  being  reviewed.  In-depth  general  evaluations  of  these  programmes  are  currently
underway,  and  a  specific  analysis  of  their  impact  upon  the  promotion  of  language  learning
will be completed by the end of 2003.

The  European  Commission  will  ensure  that  promoting  language  learning  and  linguistic
diversity retains its place in subsequent programmes.

Member  States  are  also  encouraged  to  make  use  of  other  European  programmes  and  the
European Social Fund and the European Investment Bank to fund developments in language
learning.

However,  it  would  be  illusory  to  believe  that  European  programmes  could  bear  the  main
burden of promoting language learning and linguistic diversity; nor should they: the funding
allocated to them can never take the place of direct investment at national, regional and local
level in educational infrastructure, in appropriate class sizes, in the training of teachers, or in
international exchanges, for example.

4.

The Action Plan

This document is divided into two main parts.

Section 1 sets out the context and the main policy objectives to be pursued. The Consultation
Document identified three broad areas in which action should be taken: extending the benefits
of  life-long  language  learning  to  all  citizens,  improving  language  teaching,  and  creating  a
more  language-friendly  environment.  The  Action  Plan  is  structured  around  these  same
themes,  and  for  ease  of  reference,  uses  the  same  headings.  Clearly,  not  all  of  the  broad

6

objectives set out in Section 1 can be achieved in all Member States within the timeframe of
this Action Plan.

Section 2 makes concrete proposals for tangible improvements in the short term. It proposes a
series  of  actions  to  be  taken  at  European  level  in  2004  –  2006  with  the  aim  of  supporting
actions taken by local, regional and national authorities. The actions use resources available
in  existing  Community  programmes  and  activities;  none  of  them  requires  additional
budgetary resources to be allocated to the Commission. Taken together, actions proposed,
and  those  taken  by  Member  States,  can  secure  a  major  step  change  in  promoting  language
learning and linguistic diversity.

In 2007 the Commission will review the action taken at all levels and report to the European
Parliament and Council.

SECTION 1

I.

LIFE-LONG LANGUAGE LEARNING

This section focuses on the key objective of extending the benefits of language learning to all
citizens.  Language  competencies  are  part  of  the  core  of  skills  that  every  citizen  needs  for
training,  employment,  cultural  exchange  and  personal  fulfilment;  language  learning  is  a
lifelong activity.

1.

'Mother tongue plus two other languages’: making an early start

It is a priority for Member States to ensure that language learning in kindergarten and primary
school is effective, for it is  here  that  key attitudes towards other languages  and  cultures  are
formed,  and  the  foundations  for  later  language  learning  are  laid.  The  European  Council  in
Barcelona 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”.

In  implementing  this  commitment,  most  Member  States  will  be  called  upon  to  make
significant additional investments.

The  advantages  of  the  early  learning  of  languages  -  which  include  better  skills  in  one’s
mother tongue - only accrue where teachers are trained specifically to teach languages to very
young  children,  where  class  sizes  are  small  enough  for  language  learning  to  be  effective,
where  appropriate  training  materials  are  available,  and  where  enough  curriculum  time  is
devoted  to  languages.  Initiatives  to  make  language  learning  available  to  an  ever-younger
group of pupils must be supported  by  appropriate resources, including  resources for  teacher
training.

Early learners become aware of their own cultural values and influences and appreciate other
cultures, becoming more open towards and interested in others. This benefit is limited if all
pupils  learn  the  same  language:  a  range  of  languages  should  be  available  to  early  learners.
Parents  and  teaching  staff  need  better  information  about  the  benefits  of  this  early  start,  and
about the criteria that should inform the choice of children’s first foreign language. (> Actions
I.1.1 toI.1.5)

7

2.

Language learning in secondary education and training

In secondary education or training young people complete the acquisition of the essential core
of skills that will serve them throughout a lifetime of language learning.

Member  States  agree  that  pupils  should  master  at  least  two  foreign  languages,  with  the
emphasis  on  effective  communicative  ability:  active  skills  rather  than  passive  knowledge.
‘Native  speaker’  fluency  is  not  the  objective,  but  appropriate  levels  of  skill  in  reading,
listening,  writing  and  speaking  in  two  foreign  languages  are  required,  together  with
intercultural competencies and the ability to learn languages whether with a teacher or alone.

Language assistantships, of the kind funded by Socrates / Comenius, can improve the skills of
young  language  teachers  whilst  at  the  same  time  helping  to  revitalise  language  lessons  and
have  an  impact  upon  the  whole  school,  in  particular  by  introducing  schools  to  the  value  of
teaching  less  widely  used  and  less  taught  languages.  For  this  reason,  all  secondary  schools
should  be  encouraged  to  host  staff  from  other  language  communities,  such  as  language
assistants or guest teachers. In linguistic border areas there are many additional opportunities
for contact between pupils and teachers from neighbouring language communities.

Socrates / Comenius school language  projects, in which a  class works together  on a project
with  a  class  abroad,  and  which  culminate  in  class  exchanges,  provide  young  learners  with
genuine opportunities to use language skills through contact with learners of the same age. All
pupils should have the experience of taking part in such a  project  and  in  a  related language
exchange visit. (> Actions I.2.1 to I.2.3)

Content  and  Language  Integrated  Learning  (CLIL),  in  which  pupils  learn  a  subject  through
the medium of a foreign language, has a major contribution to make to the Union’s language
learning  goals.  It  can  provide  effective  opportunities  for  pupils  to  use  their  new  language
skills now, rather than learn them now for use later. It opens doors on languages for a broader
range  of  learners,  nurturing  self-confidence  in  young  learners  and  those  who  have  not
responded  well  to  formal  language  instruction  in  general  education.  It  provides  exposure  to
the  language  without  requiring  extra  time  in  the  curriculum,  which  can  be  of  particular
interest in vocational settings. The introduction of CLIL approaches into an institution can be
facilitated  by  the  presence  of  trained  teachers  who  are  native  speakers  of  the  vehicular
language. (> Actions I.2.4 to I.2.7)

3.

Language Learning in Higher Education

Higher  Education  institutions  play  a  key  role  in  promoting  societal  and  individual
multilingualism.  Proposals  that  each  university  implement  a  coherent  language  policy
clarifying  its  role  in  promoting  language  learning  and  linguistic  diversity,  both  amongst  its
learning community and in the wider locality, are to be welcomed.

In  non-anglophone  countries  recent  trends  to  provide  teaching  in  English  may  have
unforeseen consequences on the vitality of the national language. University language policies
should therefore include explicit actions to promote the national or regional language.

All students should study abroad, preferably in a foreign language, for at least one term, and
should gain an accepted language qualification as part of their degree course. (> Action I.3.1)

8

4.

Adult language learning

Every adult should be encouraged to carry on learning foreign languages, and facilities should
be  made  readily  available  to  make  this  possible.  Workers  should  have  the  opportunity  to
improve the language skills relevant to their working life. Cultural activities involving foreign
music, literature or films, holidays abroad, town-twinning activities, voluntary service abroad
can be promoted as opportunities for learning about other cultures and languages. (> Action
I.4.1)

5.

Language Learners with special needs

Language  learning  is  for  everybody.  Only  a  very  small  minority  of  people  has  physical,
mental or other characteristics that make language learning impossible. Provision for learners
with  special  needs  of  one  kind  or  another  is  increasingly  being  made  within  mainstream
schools  and  training  institutions;  however,  such  learners  are  still  excluded  from  language
lessons in some cases. Good practice in teaching languages to learners with special needs can
be further developed and new methods and approaches need to be developed for the teaching
of foreign languages to such learners. (> Action I.5.1)

6.

Range of languages.

Promoting  linguistic  diversity  means  actively  encouraging  the  teaching  and  learning  of  the
widest  possible  range  of  languages  in  our  schools,  universities,  adult  education  centres  and
enterprises.  Taken  as  a  whole,  the  range  on  offer  should  include  the  smaller  European
languages as well as all the larger ones, regional, minority and migrant languages as well as
those with  ‘national’  status,  and  the  languages  of  our  major  trading  partners  throughout  the
world.  The  imminent  enlargement  of  the  European  Union  will  bring  with  it  a  wealth  of
languages  from  several  language  families;  it  requires  a  special  effort  to  ensure  that  the
languages of the new Member States become more widely learned in other countries. Member
States  have  considerable  scope  to  take  a  lead  in  promoting  the  teaching  and  learning  of  a
wider range of languages than at present.

II.

1.

BETTER LANGUAGE TEACHING

The language-friendly school

It is important that schools and training institutions adopt a holistic approach to the teaching
of language,  which makes  appropriate connections between the  teaching  of‘mother  tongue’,
‘foreign’ languages, the language of instruction, and the languages of migrant communities;
such policies will help children to develop the full range of their communicative abilities. In
this context, multilingual comprehension approaches can be of particular value because they
encourage learners to become aware of similarities between languages, which is the basis for
developing receptive multilingualism. (> Action II.1.1)

2.

The Languages Classroom

There  is  general  agreement  that  the  Socrates  and  Leonardo  da  Vinci  programmes  have
stimulated the development of many useful tools for teaching and learning foreign languages6.

6

See the following on-line catalogues of resources: Lingua Products catalogue:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/socrates/lingua/catalogue/home_en.htm

9

                                                
Information about these products needs to become more widespread, especially amongst key
multipliers such as teachers, trainers, heads and inspectors. (> Action II.2.1 to II.2.2)

Considerable scope  for  contact  between pupils in  other  language  communities  is  offered  by
eLearning approaches based  on  Internet-facilitated  school  twinnings  and on the pedagogical
use of ICT for learning (eLearning). Care needs to be taken that they favour the learning of a
wide variety of languages.

3.

Language teacher training

Language teachers have a crucial role to play in building a multilingual Europe. They, more
than teachers of other subjects, are called upon to exemplify the European values of openness
to others, tolerance of differences, and willingness to communicate.

It  is  important  that  they  have  all  had  adequate  experience  of  using  the  target  language  and
understanding its associated culture. All teachers of a foreign language should have spent an
extended period in a country where that language is spoken and have regular opportunities to
update their training.

There is a significant disparity in modes of training, however, and not all teachers have lived
or studied in a country whose language they teach. Whilst the initial and in-service training of
teachers of a  foreign language is the responsibility of Member States, there is a  role for the
Socrates  and  Leonardo  da  Vinci  programmes  to  complement  their  actions,  where  there  is  a
European added value.

The  skills  and  personal  resources  required  to  teach  languages  well  are  considerable.  Initial
training  should  equip  language  teachers  with  a  basic  ‘toolkit’  of  practical  skills  and
techniques,  through  training  in  the  classroom;  language  teachers  need  the  advice  of  trained
mentors as well as regular opportunities to keep their language and teaching skills up to date,
inter aliavia e- learning and distance learning.

Language  teachers  may  often  feel  isolated,  unaware  of  developments  elsewhere  with  the
potential to  improve their work;  they  may  not  have  access  to  adequate  professional  support
networks; it is therefore important to facilitate contacts and effective networks between them
at a regional, national and European level.

More work is required to make sure that the results of research into language pedagogy, and
the evidence of good practice and successful innovation, are disseminated to the people who
can make use of them. To date, the key role played by language teacher trainers, inspectors of
foreign  language  teaching  and  other  professionals,  in  promoting  good  practice  has  not
received the attention it merits. (> Actions II.3.1 to II.3.2)

4.

Supply of language teachers

Some Member States face shortages of adequately-qualified language teachers; these may be
general shortages or may relate to certain languages or certain types of education or training;
these  shortages  need  to  be  addressed  and  sustainable  solutions  found.  More  can  be  done  to
exchange  teachers  between  Member  States;  such  teachers  may  work  as  teachers  of  their
mother  tongue,  teachers  of  another  language  or  as  teachers  of  another  subject  through  their

Leonardo da Vinci products catalogue:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/leonardo/new/compacc_en.html

10

                                                                                                                                                        
mother  tongue.  In  linguistic  border  areas  there  is  particular  scope  for  initiatives  targeting
neighbouring languages in this field.

Member States have been recommended7 to remove legal and administrative obstacles to the
mobility of teachers and their progress needs to be monitored. (> Actions II.4.1 to II.4.2)

5.

Training teachers of other subjects

Most pupils and trainees could study at least some of their curriculum through the medium of
a foreign language. Many more members of the teaching profession should in future be able
to  teach  their  subject(s)  through  at  least  one  foreign  language;  to  this  end,  trainee  teachers
should study language(s) alongside  their  area  of  specialisation  and  undertake  a  part  of  their
teaching studies abroad.

6.

Testing language skills

Heads  of  State  and  Government  in  Barcelona  in  March  2002  noted  the  lack  of  data  on
citizens’  actual  language  skills,  and  called  for  the  establishment  of  a  European  Indicator  of
Language  Competence.  Such  an  indicator  will  provide  valuable  information  for  decision-
takers  in  the  education  and  training  systems.  The  Commission  will  shortly  bring  forward
proposals  for the design  and  administration  of  a  periodic  test  of  language  skills,  which  will
gather data for a new European indicator of language competence.

It  is  also  important,  however,  to  tackle  the  information  requirements  of  language  learners
themselves, their employers, their teachers and education and training institutions. There is a
great diversity of tests and certificates of language skills in Europe, both within and outside
formal  education  and  training  systems.  Not  all  tests  are  devised  for  the  same  purpose,  or
constructed to the same degree of rigour. These differences make the comparison of language
skills  between  individuals  difficult;  it  is  not  easy  for  employers  or  education  institutions  to
know  what  real,  practical  language  skills  the  holder  of  any  language  certificate  really  has.
This  reduces  the  portability  of  language  examination  results,  and  may  hinder  the  free
movement of workers and students between Member States.

The Common Reference Scales of the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of
Reference for Language8 provide a good basis for schemes to describe individuals’ language
skills  in  an  objective,  practical,  transparent  and  portable  manner.  Effective  mechanisms  are
needed to regulate the use of these scales by examining bodies. Teachers and others involved
in testing language skills need adequate training in the practical application of the Framework.
European networks of relevant professionals could do much to help share good practice in this
field.

The European Language Portfolio9 can help people to value, and make the most of, all their
language  skills,  howsoever  acquired,  and  to  carry  on  learning  languages  by  themselves  (>
Actions II.6.1 to II.6.4)

7

8

9

by the Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on Mobility … for Students,
Persons Undergoing Training, Volunteers, Teachers and Trainers (2001/613/EC)
http://www.coe.int/T/E/Cultural_Co-operation/education/
Languages/Language_Policy/Common_Framework_of_Reference/default.asp
http://culture2.coe.int/portfolio/inc.asp?L=E&M=$t/208-1-0-1/main_pages/welcome.html

11

                                                
III.

BUILDING A LANGUAGE-FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT

Language learning is for all citizens, throughout their lives. Being aware of other languages,
hearing other languages, teaching and learning other languages: these things need to happen
in every home and every street, every library and cultural centre, as well as in every education
or training institution and every business.

The regions, towns and villages of Europe are called upon to become more language-friendly
environments, in which the needs  of speakers of  all languages  are  fully  respected,  in  which
the existing diversity of languages and cultures is used to good effect; and in which there is a
healthy demand for and a rich supply of language learning opportunities .

The European Commission believes that the key areas for action at European level here are:
fostering an inclusive approach to languages, building more language friendly  communities,
and improving the supply and take-up of language learning.

1.

An inclusive approach to linguistic diversity

Linguistic  diversity  is  one  of  the  European  Union’s  defining  features.  Respect  for  the
diversity of the Union’s languages is a founding principle of the European Union.

The mainstream European education, training and culture programmes are already accessible
to  speakers  of  all  languages,  whether  ‘official’  languages  or  regional  languages,  minority
languages, languages spoken by migrant communities, or sign languages10.

The Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci programmes, and their successors, can play a greater part
in promoting linguistic diversity by funding projects to raise awareness about and encourage
the learning of so-called ‘regional’ ‘minority’ and migrant languages, to improve the quality
of  the  teaching  of  these  languages,  to  improve  access  to  learning  opportunities  in  them;  to
encourage  the  production,  adaptation  and  exchange  of  learning  materials  in  them  and  to
encourage the exchange of information and best practice in this field. European Union actions
in other fields also have more to contribute.

In  the  longer  term,  all  relevant  Community  programmes  and  the  Structural  Funds  should
include more support for linguistic diversity, inter alia for regional and minority languages, if
specific action is appropriate.

National and regional authorities are encouraged to give special attention to measures to assist
those language communities whose number of native speakers is in decline from generation to
generation,  in  line  with  the  principles  of  the  European  Charter  on  Regional  and  Minority
languages. (> Actions III.1.1 to III.1.3)

2.

Building language-friendly communities

Every  community  in  Europe  can  become  more  language-friendly  by  making  better  use  of
opportunities  to  hear  and  see  other  languages  and  cultures,  thereby  helping  to  improve
language awareness and learning.  It is in the interest of the Union to capitalise on the skills

10

There is an exception in the case of some Socrates actions which are targeted at learning languages as
foreign languages; in these cases, the list of eligible languages is defined by the Decision as the official
languages of the European Union plus Letzebuergesch and Irish. In general, however, regional and
minority language communities do not seek support for the teaching of their languages as foreign
languages.

12

                                                
and  experiences  of  its  many  bi-  and  tri-lingual  citizens,  and  temporary  residents  such  as
Erasmus students; monolingual citizens have much to learn from them; public authorities can
make better use of their skills in schools, adult education centres, cultural establishments and
workplaces.

Research shows that the use of sub-titles  in film  and television can encourage  and facilitate
language learning. The power of the media - including new media such as DVDs - could be
harnessed  in  the  creation  of  a  more  language-friendly  environment  by  regularly  exposing
citizens  to  other  languages  and  cultures.  The  potential  for  the  greater  use  of  sub-titles  to
promote language learning could be exploited.

As  access  to  the  Internet  becomes  more  widespread,  its  unique  potential  for  delivering
language  learning  is  being  recognised.  Language  learning  modules  on  the  Web  can
complement the work of a language teacher, or be used  for independent study.  The  Internet
has the further advantage of  facilitating contact between speakers – and learners - of  a very
wide range of languages.

Tourism  projects,  cross-border  projects  and  town  twinning  schemes  can  form  the  nuclei  of
local language learning schemes, enabling citizens to learn the language(s) of their neighbours
or twin town(s), and offering an incentive to do so. (> Actions III.2.1 to III.2.2)

3.

Improving supply and take-up of language learning

It  is  essential  to  improve  the  take-up  of  language  learning  opportunities  by  continuous
activities  to  raise  awareness  of  the  benefits  of  language  learning,  and  by  bringing  language
resources  closer  to  the  people  who  need  them.  The  Council  of  Europe’s  initiative  the
European  Day  of  Languages11  can  be  valuable  in  motivating  people  to  learn  foreign
languages.

European Union initiatives such as the European Languages Label12 also have a key role in
this  by  highlighting  local,  regional,  or  national  projects  that  have  found  creative  ways  to
improve the quality of language teaching.

The  provision  of  language  learning  facilities  and  courses  is  the  responsibility  of  local,
regional  and  national  authorities.  Both  within  and  outside  formal  systems  there  is  still
considerable unmet demand not only for language lessons but also for information and advice
on language learning.

Appropriate structures are required to motivate people of all ages to learn languages, to offer
guidance  about  how  to  start,  and  to  provide  easy  access  to  a  variety  of  different  language
learning activities. This is likely to require some investment in new provision, though there is
also much to gain by making better use of existing language learning resources  and  staff in
schools  and  universities,  libraries,  local  learning  networks  and  adult  education  centres.  (>
Actions III.3.1 to III.3.3)

11

12

26 September each year; see http://www.coe.int/T/E/Cultural_Co-operation/education/Languages/
Language_Policy/European_Day_of_Languages/default.asp
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/language/label/index.cfm

13

                                                
IV

A FRAMEWORK FOR PROGRESS

The  promotion  of  language  learning  and  linguistic  diversity  involves  a  real  investment  and
commitment by public authorities at local, regional,  and national as well  as European  level.
None  of  these  authorities  needs  act  in  isolation;  each  can  learn  from  experience  elsewhere.
The  objectives  of  this  Action  Plan  will  be  facilitated  by  structures  that  work  for  better-
informed decisions on language learning and linguistic diversity (> Actions IV.1.1 to IV.1.6),
a  more  efficient  and  effective  sharing  of  information  and  ideas  amongst  practitioners  (>
Actions IV.2.1 to IV.2.2), and clear procedures for the follow-up of the Action Plan itself. (>
Actions IV.3.1 to IV.3.3

SECTION 2: ACTIONS PROPOSED FOR 2004 - 2006

The point has already been made that the major share of action to extend the benefits of life-
long language learning to every citizen, to improve the quality of language  teaching, and to
create a more language-friendly environment will need to be borne by Member States.

Each Member State starts from a different position in terms, for example, of

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

the spread of language skills amongst its population and their degree of openness to the idea
of lifelong language learning;

the quantity and quality of the physical and virtual structures available for language learning
in formal and informal settings;

the numbers and qualifications of specialist language teachers for primary, secondary,
vocational, higher and adult education;

the degree of autonomy of educational institutions;

the flexibility of school curricula;

the regulations governing the employment of teachers from abroad;

the annual per capita investment in promoting and teaching foreign language learning and
linguistic diversity, and in training teachers of a foreign language; and

the structures available for the regular training and mentoring of teachers of a foreign
language.

It is for each Member State to consider these and other relevant issues and establish its own
programme  of  actions.  This  can  include  work  to  be  undertaken  in  the  context  of  the
‘Objectives of systems of education and training’ process.

Member States will be invited to report in 2007 on the actions they have undertaken.

This  section  therefore  concentrates  on  proposals  for  actions  at  a  European  level  that  will
complement Member States’ own initiatives.

14

I.

0

I.0.1

Life-long Language Learning

General

Persons receiving a mobility grant under the Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci programmes
are able to receive funding for training in the language of the host country before they travel.
A greater degree of take-up of this possibility will be encouraged, and the option will be
considered of making it compulsory in future in all cases where the beneficiary does not
speak the language of the host country.
2005 onwards

1.

‘Mother tongue plus two other languages’: making an early start

In implementing their commitment to teach at least two foreign languages from a very early
age,  Member  States  should  consider  whether  adjustments  are  necessary  to  primary  school
curricula,  and  whether  provision  for  the  training  and  deployment  of  additional  specialist
teaching staff and other teaching and learning resources in primary and pre-primary schools is
adequate.

I.1.1

I.1.2

I.1.3

I.1.4

I.1.5

A study on the main pedagogical principles underlying the teaching of foreign languages
and cultures to very young learners will be funded.
2005 (Call for Tenders 2004)

Information about the benefits of early foreign language learning and linguistic diversity
will be disseminated to as wide an audience as possible, including parents.
2005

A European conference will disseminate to education decision-takers the latest findings on
early foreign language learning, with the aim of establishing a network of practitioners in
this field.
2006

The Socrates programme’s Lingua action 2 will fund a series of transnational projects to
develop materials for teaching language awareness and foreign languages other than lingua
francas to primary and pre-primary learners. The Commission will propose that the general
Socrates Call for Proposals in 2004 be amended accordingly.
2006

The Commission services and National Agencies will work to increase take-up of the
Language Assistantship action, in particular to support language teaching at primary level.
2005 and 2006

2.

Language Learning in secondary education and training

I.2.1

Comenius 1.2 school language projects allow classes to work on a joint project with a class
in another country; they culminate in class exchanges in which pupils’ foreign language
skills are further improved.
The indicative proportion of Comenius 1 funding allocated to such projects will be raised to
25% and the Commission services and National Agencies will work to improve take-up of
these resources.
2005 and 2006

I.2.2

A study of the linguistic and intercultural skills relevant to each stage of compulsory
education or training will be undertaken.
2006 (Call for Tenders 42005)

15

I.2.3

The Commission services and National Agencies will encourage a greater take-up of the
resources currently available in Socrates Comenius action 2 to develop training materials
and modules to promote multilingual comprehension approaches in mother tongue and
foreign language lessons.
2005

Promoting Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)

I.2.4

I.2.5

I.2.6

I.2.7

The Socrates programme’s Lingua action 2 will fund a series of transnational projects for
the development and dissemination of new, specific methodologies for teaching subjects
through languages other than lingua francas. The Commission will propose that the general
Socrates Call for Proposals in 2004 be amended accordingly.
2005

The Commission will propose that the general Socrates Call for Proposals published in 2004
(Socrates Comenius action 1: school projects) be amended so as to increase support to
schools wishing to introduce a Content and Language Integrated Learning approach. In
particular, extended exchanges of teachers between partner schools will be encouraged.
2005 and 2006

A European conference will be held for decision-takers and inspectors to launch a major
new study on the benefits of Content and Language Integrated Learning.
2004

The European Eurydice Unit will gather and disseminate information on the availability of
Content and Language Integrated Learning in European education and training systems,
based on the collection of available data by its Network.
2005

3.

Language Learning in Higher Education

I.3.1

The Socrates programme’s intensive language preparation courses are specialised courses in
the less widely used and less taught language (LWULT) of the countries participating in
Socrates. They enable Erasmus students to study the language of their host country, before
starting the Erasmus period.
The Commission services and National Agencies will work closely with universities to find
ways of encouraging more Erasmus students to take advantage of these courses, with a
target of 10% of incoming Erasmus students to the LWULT countries attending these
courses by 2006.
2005 and 2006

4.

Adult language learning

I.4.1

A Web Portal will be established on the Europa server giving easy access to information for

(1)

(2)

the general public (e.g. about language learning and linguistic diversity, about the languages
spoken in Europe, reasons for learning languages) and
language professionals (e.g. on-line teaching resources and teacher training modules).
The Portal will be widely marketed.
2006 (Call for Tenders 2005)

5.

Language Learners with special needs

I.5.1

The Commission services will collect and disseminate information about good practice in
the teaching of foreign languages to learners with special needs, with particular reference to
the organisation of curricula and teaching systems.
2006

16

6.

Range of languages

Member  States  should  provide  adequate  information  to  parents  about  the  choice  of  their
child’s first foreign language, and the flexibility of school curricula to permit the teaching of a
wider range of languages.

II.

1.

II.1.1

Better Language Teaching

The language-friendly school

The Commission services and National Agencies will work to increase take-up of school
development projects (Socrates Comenius action 1) whose objective is to develop and
implement holistic school language policies in primary, secondary or vocational schools.
2005 and 2006

2.

The Languages Classroom

II.2.1

II.2.2

The Commission services and National Agencies will work to increase the use by teachers,
trainers, and learners of the language products developed under the Socrates and Leonardo
da Vinci programmes.
2005 and 2006

The e-twinning action of the new E-learning programme will make it possible for all
European schools to build pedagogical partnerships with a school elsewhere in Europe,
fostering language learning and intercultural dialogue, and promoting awareness of the
multilingual and multicultural European model of society.

3.

Language teacher training

In  this  field,  Member  States  have  a  crucial  role  to  play  in  ensuring  that  all  teachers  of  a
foreign language have:

-

-

appropriate initial training including practical training in the pedagogy of foreign languages,
and experience of living in a country whose language they teach, and

regular paid access to in-service training.

Member  States  will  recall  that  the  Council  Resolution  of  14  February  2002  invited  them  to
encourage  future  language  teachers  to  take  advantage  of  relevant  European  programmes  to
carry out part of their studies in a  country or region of a country where the language which
they will teach later is the official language.

II.3.1

The Commission services and National Agencies will undertake targeted campaigns to
disseminate information about the Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci programmes’ mobility
schemes for language teachers and their trainers, with a view to increasing take-up of these
actions in 2005 and 2006.
The proportion of Socrates Comenius 2 funding allocated to such projects will be raised to
25% of the total Socrates Comenius 2 budget.
2004

II.3.2

A study will be funded to identify the core pedagogical and linguistic skills necessary for
today’s language teachers, and propose a framework for their assessment;
2005 (Call for Tenders 2004)

17

4.

Supply of language teachers

In  this  field,  Member  States  have  a  particular  responsibility  to  remove  any  remaining
administrative  or  legal  barriers  to  the  employment  of  teachers  of  a  foreign  language  from
other Member States.

II.4.1

Following its recent study on obstacles to teacher mobility in the Union, the Commission
will fund a more detailed analysis specifically of the obstacles to the mobility of language
teachers, including a survey of their own perceptions and attitudes and recommendations for
Member States.
2005 (Call for Tenders 2004)

II.4.2

A Symposium on the supply of qualified language teachers in Europe will be organised.
2006

5.

6.

Training teachers of other subjects (see CLIL)

Testing language skills

In this respect, Member States were invited by the Council Resolution of 14 February 2002 to
set  up  systems  of  validation  of  competence  in  language  knowledge  based  on  the  Common
European Framework of reference for languages developed by the Council of Europe, and to
stimulate European cooperation in order to promote transparency of qualifications and quality
assurance of language learning.

II.6.1

II.6.2

II.6.3

II.6.4

III.

1.

III.1.1

A test of language skills will be designed and administered across the European Union to
samples of pupils at the end of compulsory education, in order to gather data for the new
European indicator of language competence.
2005 and 2006 (Call for Tenders 2003/4)

The Commission services will take stock of the benefits of including the assessment of
language skills in the Copenhagen Declaration. In particular, the single framework for the
transparency of competencies and qualifications (Europass), which should enter into force in
2005, will envisage links to language assessment tools.
2006

An inventory of language certification systems in Europe will be undertaken.
2004 (Call for Tenders 2004)

A working conference will be organised at which Member States, testing organisations,
education institutions, professional associations, social partners and others can devise
mechanisms to support the effective and transparent use of the scales of the Common
European Framework in language testing and certification.
2005

Building A Language-Friendly Environment

An inclusive approach

A conference will be organised to promote cooperation in issues affecting ‘regional’ and
‘minority’ languages in education systems.
2005

18

III.1.2

III.1.3

A revised and extended edition of the Euromosaic report on Regional and minority
languages will be published to take account of the enlargement of the European Union.
2004

Under the new approach to the funding of projects relating to regional and minority
languages, support will be made available from mainstream programmes rather than specific
programmes for these languages. The Commission’s annual monitoring report on culture
will monitor the implementation of this new approach.
2004 onwards

Member  States  are  encouraged  to  give  special  attention  to  measures  to  assist  language
communities whose number of native speakers is in decline from generation to generation, in
line with the principles of the European Charter on Regional and Minority languages.

2.

Building language-friendly communities

III.2.1

III.2.2

The 2004, 2005 and 2006 Calls for proposals for Town-twinning projects will be amended
so that multilingualism in the European Union is an eligible topic for meetings of citizens
and for thematic conferences.
2004 onwards

The Commission will launch an open study to analyse the potential for greater use of sub-
titles in film and television programmes to promote language learning and to examine ways
and means of encouraging greater use of sub-titled audio-visual material for language
learning purposes.
2005

3.

Improving supply and take-up of language learning

III.3.1

III.3.2

III.3.3

IV

1.

IV.1.1

The Commission will propose that the general Socrates Call for Proposals in 2004 be
amended so that the Grundtvig action attaches a higher priority to projects in the field of
foreign language teaching and learning, and in particular the languages of migrant
communities.
2005 and 2006

The successful European Language Label will be re-focused
(a) by introducing in each country or region an Annual prize for the individual having made
the most progress in foreign language learning, and the best language teacher;
(b) by using targeted annual European priorities to focus on good practice; and
(c) by more extensive annual publicity campaigns at national and regional level, particularly
concentrating on initiatives such as the European Day of Languages.
2005 and 2006

The Commission services will publish a five-yearly monitoring report on the state of
diversity in the supply of language teaching in the Union.
2005 (Call for Tenders 2004)

A Framework For Progress

Better-informed decisions

A permanent high-level group of representatives of Member States, social partners, and the
world of education, training and culture will be established to assist in the monitoring of this
Action Plan, stimulate public debate with stakeholders about language learning and
linguistic diversity, and monitor change in language learning and linguistic diversity in the

19

Union.
2004

IV.1.2

A detailed study of the requirements for language skills in European Union, and the personal
benefits of foreign language learning, recommending ways of motivating more citizens to
learn languages, will be funded.
2004 (Call for Tenders 2003)

IV.1.3

Studies will be undertaken into:

-
-

IV.1.4

IV.1.5

IV.1.6

the costs of non-multilingualism and
the effects on the European economy of business lost due to a lack of foreign language skills
 2005 (Call for Tenders 2004)

Research will be undertaken, under Priority 7 of the Sixth Framework Research Programme,
into such issues as the links between multilingualism and the multicultural society,
European identity, and the knowledge-based society, the basis of language learning, and
implications for language teaching methodologies.
 2006

The European Eurydice network will publish a separate volume, to supplement the Key
Data report, containing a representative set of indicators and a detailed analytical overview
on foreign language teaching in schools in Europe. This will appear at the end of 2004 and
be updated every two years.
2004

The Commission will collect and publish information on the extent to which its programmes
in the field of Education, Training, Youth, Media and Culture promote language learning
and linguistic diversity.
2005 onwards

2.

More effective information sharing between practitioners

IV.2.1

IV.2.2

The establishment of a European network of Inspectors of foreign language education and
training (and similar policy makers) will be supported.
2004 - 2005

The Socrates programme’s Arion mobility scheme will support study visits by Language
inspectors.
2005 – 2006

3.

Clear procedures for the follow-up of the Action Plan

IV.3.1

The Commission will propose a series of concrete measures by means of which the new
programmes may take forward the objectives set out in this Action Plan from 2007 onwards.

IV.3.2 Member States should report to the Commission in 2007 on:

– 

– 

– 

the extent to which they have implemented Council Resolution 2002 C 50/ 01 of 14
February 2002

the extent to which they have made use of the additional opportunities for supporting
languages within the Socrates and Leonardo programmes under actions I.0.1, I.1.4, ,
I.1.5, I.2.1, I.2.3, I.2.4, I.2.5, I.3.1, II.1.1, II.2.1, II.2.2, II.3.1, III.3.1 III.3.2, and IV.2.2

the actions they have undertaken under each of the 15 sub-headings of this
Communication, and

20

– 

the most successful practices they have identified in this period, with a view to
disseminating them more widely, for example through the Objectives Process.

IV.3.3

The Commission will present a communication to the Parliament and the Council on these
matters in 2007, and propose adjustments or further action where necessary.

21

FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Policy area(s): Education and culture

Activity/activities: Culture and languages

TITLE OF ACTION:

PROMOTION OF LANGUAGE LEARNING AND LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY -
ACTION PLAN 2004-2006

1.

BUDGET LINES + HEADINGS

15.02.02.02 Socrates

15.03.01.02 Leonardo da Vinci

15.05.01.01 MediaPlus

2.

2.1

OVERALL FIGURES

Total allocation for action (Part B):

€ 8.200 million in commitment appropriations

2.2

Period of application:

2004-2006

2.3

Overall multiannual estimate of expenditure:

Note:  the  information  presented  below  is  meant  to  show  the  total  cost  of  the
initiative. However, it should be noted that most of the needs will be financed from
the Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci and MediaPlus programmes and the budgets already
allocated to these programmes, without increasing these budgets (both the operating
appropriations  for  the  programmes  and  the  appropriations  for  administrative
expenditure  are  concerned;  if  it  should  prove  necessary  to  augment  these
administrative appropriations  on account of the Action  Plan  this  would  be  done  by
transfer,  within  the  limits  of  the  overall  allocations  for  the  programmes).  The  only
additional  cost  occasioned  by  this  Action  Plan  therefore  concerns  administrative
expenditure from Part A of the budget (point 7 of this financial statement).

a)  Schedule  of  commitment  appropriations  (CA)/payment  appropriations  (PA)  (financial
intervention) (cf. point 6.1.1)

€ million (to 3rd decimal place)
2007

2008

Total

2009
and
subs.
years

2004

2005

2006

22

CA

PA

0.300

3.550 3.450

0.240

2.900 3.470

0.690

7.300

7.300

b) Technical and administrative assistance and support expenditure (cf. point 6.1.2)

CA

PA

0.500

0.400

0.400

0.420

0.080

Subtotal a+b

CA

PA

0.300

4.050

3.850

0.240

3.300

3.890

0.770

0.900

0.900

8.200

8.200

c)  Overall  financial  impact  of  human  resources  and  other  administrative  expenditure
(cf. points 7.2 et 7.3)

CA / PA

0.390

0.390

0.390

TOTAL a+b+c

CA

PA

0.690

4.440

4.240

0.630

3.690

4.280

0.770

1.170

9.370

9.370

2.4

Compatibility with the financial programming and the financial perspective

(cid:1) Proposal compatible with the existing financial programming

(cid:1) This proposal will entail reprogramming of the relevant heading in the

financial perspective

(cid:1) Proposal  may  require  application  of  the  provisions  of  the  Interinstitutional
Agreement

2.5

Financial impact on revenue

(cid:1) No financial implications (involves technical aspects regarding

implementation of a measure)

(cid:1) Financial impact - The effect on revenue is as follows:

3.

BUDGET CHARACTERISTICS

Type of expenditure

New

EFTA
participation

Participation
by applicant
countries

Financial
Perspective
Heading

CE/NCE

DA/NDA

YES/NO

YES/NO

YES/NO

N°3

NCE

DA

YES

YES

YES

23

4.

LEGAL BASIS

The  bulk  of  the  funding  will  come  from  the  Socrates,  Leonardo  da  Vinci  and
MediaPlus programmes.

5.

5.1

DESCRIPTION AND GROUNDS

Need for Community intervention

5.1.1 Objectives pursued

The  peoples  of  Europe  are  building  a  single  Union  out  of  many  diverse  nations,
communities,  cultures  and  language  groups;  it  is  a  Union  built  around  the  equal
interchange  of  ideas  and  traditions  and  founded  upon  the  mutual  acceptance  of
peoples with different histories but a common future.  Within  a very  short time, the
European  Union  will  undergo  its  most  significant  enlargement  to  date.  The  new
Union  will  be  home  to  450  million  Europeans  from  diverse  ethnic,  cultural  and
linguistic  backgrounds.  It  will  be  more  important  than  ever  that  citizens  have  the
skills necessary to understand and communicate with their neighbours.

Building a common home in which to live, work and trade together means acquiring
the skills to communicate with one another effectively and to understand one another
better. Learning and speaking other languages encourages us to become more open to
others,  their  cultures  and  outlooks.  The  ability  to  understand  and  communicate  in
other languages is a basic skill for European citizens.

Language skills are unevenly spread across countries and social groups. The range of
foreign languages spoken by Europeans is narrow, being limited mainly to English,
French, German, and Spanish. Learning one lingua franca alone is not enough. Every
European citizen should have meaningful communicative competence in at least two
other languages  in  addition to his  or  her  mother  tongue.  This  is  an  ambitious  goal,
but  the  progress  already  made  by  several  Member  States  shows  that  it  is  perfectly
attainable.

The  European  Year  of  Languages  2001  highlighted  the  many  ways  of  promoting
language  learning  and  linguistic  diversity.  Heads  of  the  State  and  Government  in
Barcelona in March 2002 recognised the need for European Union and Member State
action  to  improve  language  learning;  they  called  for  further  action  to  improve  the
mastery of basic skills, in particular by teaching at least two foreign languages to all
from  a  very  early  age.  A  European  Parliament  Resolution  of  13  December  2001
called  for  measures  to  promote  language  learning  and  linguistic  diversity.  The
Education Council on 14 February 2002 invited Member States to take concrete steps
to  promote  linguistic  diversity  and  language  learning,  and  invited  the  European
Commission to draw up proposals in these fields.

This Action Plan is the European Commission’s response to that request. It should be
read in conjunction with the Consultation Document Promoting Language Learning

24

and  Linguistic  Diversity  (SEC  2002  1234)13  which  sets  out  the  European
Commission’s philosophy and the context for the actions proposed.

5.1.2 Measures taken in connection with ex-ante evaluation

The main conclusions of the external evaluation of the European Year of Languages
2001  were  that  the  Year  had  been  successful  in  stimulating  strong  interest,  in
achieving high levels of participation and in delivering effective actions. The report
also  encouraged  the  Commission  to  build  on  the  activities  and  momentum  created
with  well-focussed  policy  developments  and  the  spread  of  good  practice.  (See :
Report  on  the  Implementation  of  the  European  Year  of  Languages  (COM  (2002)
597).

Before drafting the present Action Plan, the Commission undertook a wide-ranging
public  consultation  exercise  on  the  basis  of  a  Consultation  Document  SEC  (2002)
1234.  The  responses  received  were  in  broad  agreement  with  the  policies  and
proposals set out ; these have now been incorporated in the Action Plan.

5.1.3 Measures taken following ex-post evaluation

New action.

5.2

Actions envisaged and arrangements for budget intervention

The  Action  Plan  makes  concrete  proposals  for  tangible  improvements  in  the  short
term.  It  proposes  a  series  of  actions  to  be  taken  at  European  level  in  2004  –  2006
with the aim of supporting actions taken by local, regional and national authorities.
The  actions  use  resources  available  in  existing  community  programmes  and
activities; none of them requires additional budgetary resources to be allocated to the
Commission. Taken together, actions proposed,  and those taken by Member  States,
can  secure  a  major  step  change  in  promoting  language  learning  and  linguistic
diversity.

The main strands of the Action Plan are as follows:

I. Life-long Language Learning: ‘Mother tongue plus two other languages’: making
an  early  start;  Language  Learning  in  secondary  education  and  training;  Language
Learning  in  Higher  Education;  Adult  language  learning;  Language  Learners  with
special needs; Range of languages.

II.  Better  Language  Teaching:  The  language-friendly  school;  The  Languages
Classroom;  Language  teacher  training;  Supply  of  language  teachers;  Training
teachers of other subjects; Testing language skills.

III. Building  A  Language-Friendly  Environment:  An  inclusive  approach;  Building
language-friendly communities; Improving supply and take-up of language learning.

IV.  A  Framework  For  Progress:  Better-informed  decisions;  More  effective
information sharing between practitioners; Clear procedures for the follow-up of the
Action Plan.

13

available at http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/policies/lang/languages/consult_en.html#consult

25

                                                
5.3

Methods of implementation

The  actions  will  be  implemented  in  accordance  with  the  rules  applying  to  the
implementation of the programmes which will be funding the Action Plan.

6.

6.1

FINANCIAL IMPACT

Total financial impact on Part B (over the entire programming period)

(The method of calculating the total amounts set out in the table below must be explained by
the breakdown in Table 6.2. )

6.1.1 Financial intervention: CA in million € (to the 3rd decimal place)

Breakdown
Life-long Language

Learning

Better Language Teaching

Building A Language-

Friendly Environment

A Framework For Progress

2004

0.300

2005

0.200

2006

0.300

2.700

0.450

0.200

3.550

2.900

0.250

3.450

TOTAL

0.300

Total

0.800

5.600

0.700

0.200

7.300

6.1.2 Technical and administrative assistance, support expenditure and
IT expenditure (commitment appropriations)

2004

2005

2006

Total

and

Technical 

1) 
administrative assistance
a) 
offices (TAO)

Technical 

assistance

and

technical 

b)  Other 
administrative assistance:
- intra-muros:
- extra-muros (Web portal):

0.400

0.400

Subtotal 1

0.400

0.400

2) Support expenditure:

a) Studies

b) Meetings of experts

c) Information and
publications

Subtotal 2

TOTAL

0.100

0.100

0.500

0.400

26

0.800

0.800

0.100

0.100

0.900

6.2.

Calculation  of  costs  by  measure  envisaged  in  Part  B  (over  the  entire
programming period)

Breakdown

Study grants
Conference grants
European Language Competence
Test project
European Language Label project

 TOTAL COST

CA in € million (to the 3rd decimal place)

Type
 of outputs
(projects, files,
etc.)
1

Number of
outputs
(total for years
1…n)
2

Average unit
cost

Total cost
(total for years
1…n)

3

4=(2X3)

0.200
0.267
-
5.000
0.500

5
3
-
1
1

10

1.000
0.800
-
5.000
0.500

7.300

7.

IMPACT ON STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENDITURE

7.1.

Impact on human resources

Implementing  the  Action  Plan  will  not  require  any  extra  human  resources,  these
already having been  assigned to the actions managed under  the  programmes  which
will be financing the Action Programme.

Staff to be assigned to management of the
action using existing and/or additional
resources

Number of
permanent posts

Number of
temporary posts

Total

Description of tasks deriving from the
action

A more detailed description of tasks
may be annexed if necessary.

Types of posts

A
B
C

Officials or
temporary staff

Other human
resources
Total

7.2

Overall financial impact of human resources

Type of human resources

Amounts €

Method of calculation*

Officials
Temporary staff

Other human resources

(specify budget line)

Total

27

The amounts represent total expenditure for 12 months.

7.3

Other operating expenditure deriving from the action

Budget line
(No and heading)

Overall allocation (Title A7)
A0701 – Missions
A07030 – Meetings
A07031 – Compulsory committees
A07032 – Non-compulsory committees
A07040 – Conferences
A0705 – Studies and consultations

Information systems(A-5001/A-4300)

Other expenditure - Part A

Amounts €

Method of calculation

-
0.060
-
-
0.110
0.220

-
2 meetings per year of 35 persons *
-
-
2 conferences **
4 studies***

The amounts represent total expenditure for 12 months.

Total

0.390

2 meetings per year of 35 participants (1 representative per participating country plus

*
representatives of civil society (social partners, etc.), at a unit cost of € 840

Conferences  not  eligible  for  grants  from  the  Socrates  and  Leonardo  da  Vinci
**
programmes.  Total  estimated  cost  of  €  330  000  over  the  three  years,  for  two  conferences,
shown here as an annual cost.

Studies not eligible for grants from the Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci programmes.
***
Total  estimated  cost  of  €  660  000  over  the  three  years,  for  four  studies,  shown  here  as  an
annual cost.

I.
II.
III.

Annual total (7.2 + 7.3)
Duration of action
Total cost of action (I x II)

€ 390 000
3 years
€ 1 170 000

8.

8.1

MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Monitoring system

Performance indicators(s) (quantitative and/or qualitative) for this sub-activity

(cid:1)  increase in take-up for the Socrates / Leonardo mobility actions referred to  in the Action

Plan

(cid:1)  No of persons/organisations involved 

(cid:1)  N° of studies undertaken

(cid:1)  N° of conferences undertaken

28

(cid:1)  N° of items of information disseminated.

8.2

Arrangements and schedule for the planned evaluation

The Action Plan itself (Section 2 : IV) contains “Clear procedures for the follow-up
of the Action Plan”. These are :

IV.3.1 The  Commission  will  propose  a  series  of  concrete  measures  by  means  of
which  the  new  programmes  may  take  forward  the  objectives  set  out  in  this  Action
Plan from 2007 onwards.

IV.3.2 Member States should report to the Commission in 2007 on:

– 

– 

– 

– 

the extent to which they have implemented Council Resolution 2002 C 50/ 01 of 14
February 2002

the extent to which they have made use of the additional opportunities for supporting
languages within the Socrates and Leonardo programmes under actions I.0.1, I.1.4, ,
I.1.5, I.2.1, I.2.3, I.2.4, I.2.5, I.3.1, II.1.1, II.2.1, II.2.2, II.3.1, III.3.1, III.3.2, and
IV.2.2

the actions they have undertaken under each of the 15 sub-headings of this
Communication, and

the most successful practices they have identified in this period, with a view to
disseminating them more widely, for example through the Objectives Process.

IV.3.3 The  Commission  will  present  a  communication  to  the  Parliament  and  the
Council  on  these matters  in 2007, and propose  adjustments  or  further  action  where
necessary.

9.

ANTI-FRAUD MEASURES

The anti-fraud arrangements applying to the programmes which will be financing the
various actions within this Action Plan will also apply to these actions.

29