Multilingualism is the ability of societies, institutions, groups and individuals to use several languages, and the co-existence of different language communities within the same geographical area.
In the EU, it is both a shared reality and a policy priority, forming part of the European Education Area. As one of the 8 key competences for lifelong learning, language learning is an integral element of education and training systems. The EU promotes multilingualism to boost personal fulfilment, improve job opportunities and encourage active citizenship.
Being multilingual also strengthens cultural understanding and makes it easier for people to live, work and study across Europe. While the Council of Europe uses the term ‘plurilingualism’ to describe individual language skills, the EU uses ‘multilingualism’ to refer to both personal abilities and wider social contexts.
Explore linguistic diversity, EU multilingualism policy, key actions and Europeans’ language skills.
