The role of Language Technologies (LT) as an enabling factor for growth and competitiveness is rapidly increasing due to the progressive internationalisation of all kinds of commercial and non-commercial relationships beyond political, cultural and linguistic frontiers and namely due to European Union integration (Digital Single Market) and its enlargement.
However the European market for multilingual solutions is fragmented both on the supply value chain and the demand sides. On the one hand, traction in demand is below critical mass, due to the coexistence of multiple small market segments defined by the 60+ European languages. On the other hand, transfer mechanisms of R&D results into marketable products are weak or slow and LT vendors operating within their national markets, face serious problems in exploiting the opportunities resulting from the explosive growth of digital content due to their limited capacities.
The MLi Support Action is working to deliver the strategic vision and operational specifications needed for building a comprehensive European MultiLingual data & services Infrastructure, along with a multiannual plan for its development and deployment, and foster multi-stakeholders alliances ensuring its long term sustainability.