The summer and autumn of 2011 were busy months for the development of EU language policy, reaffirming the long-term commitment to multilingualism through a series of papers and reports, and an important statement of policy by the European Council of Ministers.The small Multilingualism unit within the EU Commission has moved from being overseen by a dedicated Commissioner for Multlingualism (Leonard Orban) to being a small part of the much larger portfolio of the Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism, Sport, Media and Youth (Androulla Vassiliou). The hope is that a broader focus will enable multilingualism to become integrated into a much wider range of activities.The unit's recent work has included three Commission staff working papers published in July 2011. One provides an updated inventory of Community actions in the area of Multilingualism.2 Another reports on the implementation of Council Resolution of 21 November 2008 on a European strategy for multilingualism.3 The third offers a Policy Handbook on language learning at pre-primary school level.4The Commission has sponsored two significant working groups. The Business Platform for Multilingualism comprises representatives from professional associations, social partners, trade promotion organisations and higher education/ vocational training institutions. It aims to promote language learning for competitiveness and employability, and to develop services and tools to help companies and individuals improve professional performance through effective language strategies. An extract from its recent report is provided below.The second group is a thematic working group on Languages for Jobs, comprising government representatives from several EU member states, associate countries and applicant countries. It aims to develop policy recommendations on languages and employability - with the objective of ensuring a better match between demand and supply of language and communication skills on the labour market. The executive summary of its recent report is provided below.The results of the Commission's work, together with strenuous engagement by the Polish Presidency, led to a policy statement by the Council which entrenches the results at the highest level of policy making in the EU. In November 2011, the European Council of Ministers for Education, Youth, Culture and Sport adopted a number of important policy statements, ranging from a renewed agenda for adult learning and the modernization of higher education, through to measures for combating match-fixing and improving governance in sport. Among the statements was a series of conclusions on language competences. The Council press release states,The Council adopted conclusions on language competences to enhance mobility (16744/11) which are aimed primarily at re-emphasising that language learning is a key factor in promoting economic growth and competitiveness, as well as in enhancing mobility and employability.The Polish Presidency reiterated that language learning is one of its key priorities in the field of education and training: in addition to the social and cultural benefits it brings, multilingual citizens are thus better placed to take advantage of the many educational, professional and economic opportunities created by an integrated Europe.Commissioner Vassiliou informed the Council that the Commission launched a study on language skills, involving 14 member states, which will be published in the course of 2012. She also recalled that one of the main priorities of the new programme for was also language learning and multilinguism.5The Commissioner's reference to Erasmus relates to the Commission's ambitious proposals for the seven-year, euro19 billion, ERASMUS for all programme, which is due to start in 2014.6 The Commission's proposals include a com mitment to intensifying language learning as a main policy theme within the Education and Training dimension of Europe's strategy for economic growth - Europe 2020:Through the open method of coordination, the Programme will concentrate on the main policy themes which contribute to these key EU objectives: promoting the use of ICT in schools, as well as at all levels of formal education; raising the literacy levels of young and adult Europeans; reducing early school leaving; promoting excellence and stronger links between education, research and innovation; intensifying language learning alongside transversal competences such as learning to learn and entrepreneurship. …