• Developing a clear and stable policy framework.
  A platform for multilingualism is proposed which will assist Member States and the Commission to identify strategic issues and formulate policy objectives and actions. The work of this forum will be supported by studies and promotional actions covering the EU.
  
  
• Putting more focus on language learning.
  Recent EU initiatives have given more attention to language learning, such as the Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci programmes, and the Education and Training, and Language Engineering sectors of the Telematics Applications Programme. In addition, one of the projects selected for international cooperation at the G-7 Ministerial Conference in Brussels in February 1996 includes language learning as an important element. For Europe's educational systems and the private sector to build on the results of such initiatives, they must take place in a coordinated manner.
  
  
• Building a strong language industry.
  The "language industry" may be thought of as the loose grouping of industries whose primary business is the development, production and marketing of computer-based products for handling and transforming languages. Examples of language products are authoring and editing tools such as spelling and grammar checkers, translation support tools like dictionaries, terminology banks and translation systems. Although strengthening of this area is primarily the task of the industries concerned, the Member States and the EU should play a catalysing role to support industry efforts. This is particularly necessary as the European industry is confronted with markets which are more fragmented and less advanced in terms of demand than, for instance, the US, and tend to be dominated by SMEs who lack the financial and marketing muscle to tackle foreign markets.
  
  
• Promoting multilingual content.
  The European content industry (publishing and audiovisual), of crucial importance to Europe's successful participation in the information society, needs to be stimulated to produce and market multilingual content. This issue is addressed under the INFO2000 and the MEDIA II programmes. An important condition is the development of techniques to reduce the costs of producing different language versions for the various language markets of Europe. Extensive use of new information technologies will enable a more integrated approach to this problem.
  
  
• Developing an advanced translation industry.
  Interpreters play a highly skilled and valuable role in diplomatic, political, scientific and commercial spoken communication. The need for interpretation will expand in the information society, especially in areas such as multilingual videoconferencing. Likewise, there will be increased demand for the services of professional translators, assisted by machine-based aids. The translation industry will therefore grow but needs to be modernised, providing access to multilingual tools and language resources such as electronic dictionaries or terminology banks, and fostering increased networking between individual translators or translation companies. Actions will be initiated to mobilise and strengthen the European translation industry.
  
  
• Extending and exploiting the technology base.
  European research in language technology is world-class, but its commercial exploitation is more fragmented than in the USA or Japan. The strong basis that exists must be transferred to the industry to create language technology products building on a solid infrastructure of reusable language resources.

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