Draft:European Centre for Modern Languages

• Comment: There is a lack of independent sources in this draft. Ca ^{talk to me!} 10:44, 12 June 2025 (UTC)

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The European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML) was founded on 8 April 1994 as an Enlarged Partial agreement of the Council of Europe. This type of agreement allows non-member states of the Council of Europe to participate.^[1] The ECML operates within the Council of Europe's Department of Education,^[2] part of the Directorate General of Democracy. The ECML was created through Resolution (94)10,^[3] which initiated a pilot phase until December 1997. Resolution (98)11^[4] in July 1998 established the ECML as a permanent institution.

The ECML follows the European Cultural Convention, adopted on 19 December 1954 in Paris, which aims to foster mutual understanding between European peoples, promote cultural diversity, and encourage the study of languages, history, and civilisation. As articulated in Council of Europe Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)1,^[5] the ECML advocates for the importance of plurilingual and intercultural education for democratic culture.

Activities

The aim of the ECML is to "the implementation of language policies and the promotion of innovative approaches to the learning and teaching of modern languages".^[6]

The ECML's programme, which spans four years, is determined by its member states and reflects national concerns and emerging trends in language education.^[7] Project-oriented work and training and advisory activities are the two main areas of the ECML programme. In both areas, teams of experts from Europe and around the world develop practical materials, training modules or handouts for decision-makers, teacher trainers, teachers and other interest groups.^[8]

The current programme (2024–2027) focuses on Language education at the heart of democracy.^[9]

European Day of Languages

Initiated by the Council of Europe in 2001,^[10] the European Day of Languages is celebrated annually on 26 September by the Council of Europe^[11] in collaboration with the European Commission.^[12] It aims to raise awareness of the linguistic richness of Europe, promote cultural and linguistic diversity and encourage life-long language learning. The ECML coordinates this event in partnership with national relays from the 46 member states of the Council of Europe. The campaign website^[13] provides free materials in more than 40 languages, including minority languages such as Basque, Frisian, Catalan and Scots.

Member states and partnerships

36 States joined the ECML: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria (host country), Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.^[14]

The ECML also has a special agreement with Canada, under which the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI) at the University of Ottawa acts as the national contact point.^[15]

Cooperation with the European Commission

Since 2013, the ECML and the European Commission have cooperated to provide professional training opportunities for language experts within ECML and EU member states.^{[16][17][18][19]}

Cooperation with the Professional Network Forum

The ECML collaborates with international non-governmental organisations and institutions in language education through the Professional Network Forum. Members include:

• American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL),
• International Association of Applied Linguistics (AILA),^[20][21]
• Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE),^[22]
• European Confederation of Language Centres in Higher Education (CercleS)^[23],
• European Association for Language Testing and Assessment (EALTA)^[24],
• Evaluation and Accreditation of Quality Language Services (EAQUALS),^[25][26]
• European Civil Society Platform for Multilingualism (ECSPM),^[27]
• Education et Diversité Linguistique et Culturelle (EDiLiC),^[28]
• Conseil européen pour les langues/European Language Council (CEL/ELC)^[29],
• European Federation of National Institutions for Language (EFNIL)^[30],
• European Parents' Association (EPA)^[31],
• European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC),
• Fédération internationale des professeurs de langues vivantes (FIPLV),^[32]
• International Association of Multilingualism (IAM)^[33],
• International Certificate Conference e.V. (ICC)^[34]
• Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI) of the University of Ottawa.

Cooperation with the Language Network Graz

Founded in 2007, the Language Network Graz^[35] brings together local and regional organisations in education and culture to jointly promote multilingualism through initiatives such as the annual language festival in Graz.^[36]

See also

• Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
• European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
• Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
• Languages of Europe
• Languages of the European Union
• List of linguistic rights in European constitutions
• Linguistic rights
• Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights

References

1. "CM(2013)58-final - Partial and enlarged agreements – Practical modalities governing accessions to and withdrawals from partial and enlarged agreements - As adopted by the Deputies at their 1175th Meeting on 3 July 2013".
2. "Language Policy and Practice". Council of Europe.
3. "CM/Rec(2015)1 - Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member States on intercultural integration (Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 21 January 2015 at the 1217th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies)". Council of Europe.
4. "Res(98)11 - confirming the continuation of the European Centre for Modern Languages". Council of Europe.
5. "Council of Europe Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)1 and explanatory memorandum - The importance of plurilingual and intercultural education for democratic culture".
6. "The Council of Europe and Language education - Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)". Council of Europe.
7. McCarty, T.; May, S. (2016). "Language Policy and Education in the New Europe". Language Policy and Political Issues in Education, Encyclopedia of Language and Education (PDF). Springer International Publishing AG. pp. 1–17. ISBN 978-3-319-02320-5.
8. Byram, Michael; Fleming, Mike (2023). Quality and Equity in Education : A Practical Guide to the Council of Europe Vision of Education for Plurilingual, Intercultural and Democratic Citizenship. Multilingual Matters. ISBN 978-1800414013.
9. "Programme 2024-2027 - Language education at the heart of democracy". European Centre for Modern Languages.
10. Walfisz, Jonny (26 September 2024). "European Day of Languages celebrates the continent's linguistic diversity". Euronews.
11. "CM/Del/Dec(2001)776/7.1 - European Year of Languages Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1539 (2001)". Council of Europe.
12. "European Day of Languages - 26 September". European Commission.
13. "European Day of Languages". Council of Europe.
14. "Members of the Enlarged Partial Agreement of the European Centre for Modern Languages (Graz, Austria)". Council of Europe.
15. "OLBI partnerships". University of Ottawa.
16. Milt, Kristiina (2025) [March 2025]. "Fact Sheets on the European Union: Language policy". European Parliament.
17. Martyniuk, Waldemar (2016). Research for Cult Committee - Language Teaching and Learning within EU Member States - In-Depth Analysis (PDF). European Parliament, Directorate-General For Internal Policies Policy Department B: Structural and Cohesion Policies Culture and Education. pp. 5, 16–17, 27–28. ISBN 978-92-823-9456-4.
18. Le Pichon-Vorstman, Emmanuelle; Siarova, Hanna; Szőnyi, Eszter (2020). The future of language education in Europe: case studies of innovative practices (PDF). Luxembourg: European Union. pp. 36–37, 40, 114, 125, 128. ISBN 978-92-76-13060-4.
19. Language teaching and learning in multilingual classrooms. Publications Office of the European Union. 2015. pp. 54, 58, 68, 74, 91. doi:10.2766/766802. ISBN 978-92-79-51830-0.
20. "European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML)". International Association of Applied Linguistics. 28 February 2025.
21. "AILA Europe's strategic partnership with the Council of Europe". International Association of Applied Linguistics.
22. "Partners for impact". Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE).
23. "European Confederation of * * Language Centres in Higher Education/". cercles.org. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
24. "European Association for Language Testing and Assessment/". ealta.eu/. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
25. "Strategic partners". Evaluation and Accreditation of Quality Language Services (EAQUALS).
26. "ECML (European Centre for Modern Languages): Resources, Links & Project updates". Eaquals. 15 May 2020.
27. "Languages and language policy". ECSPM - European Civil Society Platform for Multilingualism.
28. "Websites dedicated to Pluralistic Approaches". Education and Linguistic and Cultural Diversity.
29. "Conseil européen pour les langues/European Language Council (CEL/ELC)/". celelc.org. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
30. "European Federation of National Institutions for Language (EFNIL)/". efnil.org/. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
31. "European Parents' Association (EPA)/". europarents.eu/. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
32. "FIPLV strategic partners: ECML – European Centre of Modern Languages". FIPLV. 23 February 2013.
33. "International Association of Multilingualism (IAM)". iam.wildapricot.org. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
34. "About us". ICC - the International Language Association.
35. "Sprachennetzwerk Graz / Language Network Graz". Austrian Association of the European Centre for Modern Languages.
36. "Grazer Sprachenfest / Graz Language Festival". Sprachen Netzwerk Graz / Graz Language Network.

External links

• Official website