Information society: multiannual programme to promote the linguistic diversity of Europe (MLIS)

In adopting the report by Mrs Nana MOUSKOURI (PPE, Gr), Parliament approved the general approach of the programme while at the same time tabling nearly 60 amendments to the Commission proposal, primarily with a view to enhancing the programme's cultural dimension. In order to defend this cultural dimension, the report proposes that the legal basis of the programme should not just be Article 130 of the EC Treaty (industrial competitiveness) but also Article 128 (cultural dimension). Parliament's amendments also emphasized the need to: - attach as much importance to the social aspect of the information society as to the economic interest (everyone must be provided with access to multimedia); - bring out the cultural and linguistic wealth and diversity of the Community; - protect and support the minority languages and ensure their survival in the multilingual information society; - support the SMEs involved in the multimedia market; - use the Structural Funds to help protect the linguistic heritage; - supplement the programme with foundation-laying action to expand the teaching of Community languages in schools. Parliament also called for the programme's total financial allocation to be raised from ECU 15 m to ECU 20 m (including 5 million for the revision of the financial perspective). Other amendments reflect the EP's concerns about commitology. �