lifelong learning looks to foster multilingualism
On the 6th June 2008 the European Commission published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJ) the Council's conclusions of 22 May 2008 on multilingualism in the European Union.
Linguistic and cultural diversity are distinctive features in the daily lives of an increasing number of European citizens and companies as a result of increased mobility, migration and globalisation. Considering that now linguistic competences are a desirable life-skill for all EU citizens, enabling them to enjoy the economic, social and cultural benefits of free movement within the Union, foreign languages were based within the Framework for the definition of basic skills to be provided through Lifelong Learning.
The Council recognised that as well as contributing to personal and cultural enrichment, a knowledge of languages is one of the basic skills European citizens need to acquire in order to play an active part in the European knowledge society, and one that both promotes mobility and facilitates social integration and cohesion. Similarly, the Council emphasised that with a view to promoting economic growth and competitiveness, it is also important for Europe to maintain a sufficient knowledge base in non-European languages with a global reach. At the same time, efforts should be made to uphold the position of European languages on the international stage.
Thus in anticipation, the Commission emphasised that quality teaching is essential for successful learning at any age and efforts should therefore be made to ensure that language teachers have a solid command of the language they teach, have access to high quality initial and continuous training and possess the necessary inter-cultural skills. As part of
language teacher training, exchange programmes between Member States will also be actively encouraged and supported.