The Communication entitled Multilingualism: an asset for Europe and a shared commitment builds on the progress of earlier years and aims to achieve a qualitative shift by presenting a more comprehensive policy, going beyond education to address languages in the wider context set by the EU Agenda for social cohesion and prosperity, the two central objectives of the Lisbon strategy.

The Communication entitled Multilingualism: an asset for Europe and a shared commitment builds on the progress of earlier years and aims to achieve a qualitative shift by presenting a more comprehensive policy, going beyond education to address languages in the wider context set by the EU Agenda for social cohesion and prosperity, the two central objectives of the Lisbon strategy.
Starting from the view that the life of European's has become more international and multilingual due to factors such as globalisation, technological change, increased mobility and immigration, the Communication sets out to respond to the challenges posed by this reality, and proposes an inclusive approach which mainstreams multilingualism across a series of EU policy areas.

The Communication lays out two central objectives for multilingualism policy:

• to raise awareness of the value and opportunities of the EU's linguistic diversity and encourage the removal of barriers to intercultural dialogue.
• to give all citizens real opportunities to learn to communicate in two languages plus their mother tongue.

There are four central chapters which lay out the main themes:

1. Multilingualism for intercultural dialogue and social cohesion
2. Multilingualism for prosperity
3. Lifelong language learning
4. The media, new technologies and translation.

At the end of each chapter a series of concrete actions are outlined, they include initiatives to raise awareness among member states and target groups or ways to make better use of all Commission initiatives to promote multilingualism policy. They are completed by a short chapter on the external dimension of multilingualism, which for the first time emphasises the potential of better exploiting EU languages abroad and non-EU-languages in the EU. The Communication concludes with a framework for implementation which foresees improved dialogue with Member States and exchange of good practice, as well as platforms for dialogue with civil society and enterprises. A global review is programmed for 2012.
The following gives a short overview of the above-mentioned chapters.

Multilingualism for intercultural dialogue and social cohesion
This chapter addresses the growing linguistic diversity of our societies where numerous languages are in use. It endorses the importance of a common language, the official language of the country, while recognising the need to maintain and value competences in other languages acquired at home or outside school. The growth of mobility among citizens requires additional effort in terms of linguistic mediation on the part of local communities and service providers, e.g. translation and interpretation services to ensure smooth integration.

Multilingualism for prosperity

Languages are treated here from both the angle of employability and competitiveness. The Business Forum for Multilingualism pointed out that that emerging markets are increasingly important for EU companies and, therefore, they need adequate language skills among their workforces to compete there. On the employability side, linguistic and intercultural skills increase workers' chances of obtaining a better job, giving them access to a wider range of job offers, including jobs abroad. Studying and working abroad is one of the most effective ways of learning other languages and making contacts with other cultures. Education and training curricula should make the most of exchanges, partnerships and E-twinning with schools in other countries.

Lifelong language learning

The Communication reaffirms that language learning must be a lifelong process, and underlines that it should be offered more widely in vocational and adult education, where provision has hitherto been scant. At the same time a broader range of languages should be available to accommodate individual interests. Increased use of the media and new technologies would help here, and would in addition offer increased possibilities of learning outside formal education. Great importance is attached to implementing an overall strategy for schools and teacher education, in particular removing barriers to teacher mobility and exchanges, to enhance both their language fluency and careers. Emphasis is also placed on early learning, content and integrated language learning, and equipping teachers of the national language to teach effectively in classes characterised by increasing numbers of students of different mother tongues.

The media, new technologies and translation

The Communication insists that everybody, including the monolingual and linguistically less skilled, should have the chance to communicate efficiently in the enlarged EU. The media, new technologies and translation services can bring the increasing variety of languages and cultures in the EU closer to citizens and provide the means to cross language barriers, while the media have great potential to promote intercultural dialogue. Faced with the globalising economy and online services and ever-increasing information in all imaginable languages, it is important that the internet and mobile devices provide citizens with multilingual access to information and services.

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