Brussels, 22/05/2008 (Agence Europe) - Europe's linguistic and cultural diversity must be preserved. At the same time, with globalisation and free movement, knowledge of several languages has become a necessity for all citizens to be able to enjoy economic, social and cultural benefits. In conclusions adopted on Thursday 22 May, the Council says that the policy on multilingualism must be linked to education and lifelong learning. It calls on member states to: - offer as wide a range of languages as possible for those who wish to learn; - ensure that there is an appropriate knowledge base of non-European languages in order to foster economic growth and competitiveness, while at the same time supporting European languages on the international scene; - ensure high quality education and provide appropriate support to migrants to allow them to learn the language of the host country. Member states are expecting a lot from the global framework for action on languages, which the Commission will present in the autumn and which will mark the start of a genuine European policy on multilingualism. (I.L.)