MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
11 December 2001
pursuant to Rule 42(5) of the Rules of Procedure
by Doris Pack, Giuseppe Gargani, Mario Mauro, Vasco Graça Moura, Maria Martens and Cristina Gutiérrez Cortines
on behalf of the PPE-DE Group
on the promotion of language diversity
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B5-0770/2001
B5‑0812/2001
European Parliament resolution on the promotion of language diversity
The European Parliament,
– having regard to Decision No 1934/2000/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 July 2000, establishing the European Year of Languages 2001,
A. whereas all the European languages are equal in value and dignity and are an integral part of European cultures and civilisation,
B. whereas the Charter of Fundamental Rights guarantees linguistic diversity (Art. 22),
C. whereas linguistic diversity must be preserved and multilingualism promoted in the Union, with equal respect for the languages of the Union and with due regard to the principle of subsidiarity,
D. whereas as many as 40 million citizens of the Union regularly use a regional or lesser-used language, and these include over 60 indigenous regional or lesser-used language communities,
E. whereas the principal objectives of the European Year of Languages were: to raise awareness of the richness of linguistic diversity within the European Union; to bring to the notice of the widest possible public the advantages of acquiring skills in a range of languages as a key element in personal development and intercultural understanding; to encourage lifelong learning of languages and related skills by all persons legally residing in the Member States whatever their age, background or education; and to collect and disseminate information about the teaching and learning of languages,
1. Reaffirms that the Member States and the Commission must take measures to enable all citizens to learn languages for the purposes of communication, as a basis for improved mutual understanding and tolerance, personal mobility, and access to information in a multilingual and multicultural Europe;
2. Stresses the importance of Europe promoting lifelong language learning;
3. Urges the Commission to submit, by 31 December 2002 at the latest, a detailed report on the evaluation of the results as well as an overall assessment containing factual information on the European Year of Languages, with particular emphasis on the lesser-used languages;
4. Calls on the Commission to propose concrete measures for the promotion of linguistic diversity and language learning;
5. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission.