History

Learning and teaching languages were among the top priorities identified by member states in the early years of the Council of Europe and by the first sessions of the Standing Conference of European Ministers of Education.

This section reviews the history of the Language Policy Programme’s successive projects, thus providing an overview of the evolution of concerns among member states and of the responses that were provided over time.

 Language Education Policy

In the spirit of article 2 of the European Cultural Convention and in response to the changing needs and priorities of member states, the Council of Europe has developed activities in the area of language education policy. Actions seek not only to promote language learning but also to secure and strengthen language rights, deepen mutual understanding, consolidate democratic citizenship and contribute to social cohesion.