According to Nana Mouskouri, Euro Member of Parliament (MP) and perhaps best known as the Greek singer of the smash hit of the 1960s, "Never on a Sunday," the danger is much more than simply seeing languages other than English falling into disuse on the Internet.

Mouskouri argues that the lack of use of non-English European languages on the Internet would work against the international success of the information superhighway. By using only English, she notes, "there is a danger that EC citizens would be excluded from the information society".

Mouskouri, one of the prime movers behind the EC's backswing against the use of English on the Internet, claims to speak -- and sing -- in six languages. The problem with using English on the Internet, to the exclusion of other European languages, is that it marginalizes smaller languages even more than before.

"I think it's essential that we protect that cultural heritage and make sure that it's not destroyed by the information society which would then be an information society with no content," she said.

So far, Mouskouri's campaign has received only the support from the EC, but there is a possibility that the EC could well turn the support into a full fledged campaign, backed by European legislation, something that could have some serious effects on the future of the Web in Europe.

(Sylvia Dennis/19960621/Press & Reader Contact: European Commission +32-2-299-1111)