The object of this paper is to outline the current thinking of the European Commission, or more accurately of DGXIII in Luxembourg, on the subject of that fascinating point of intersection between language and technology. An initial presentation of background issues will serve as a platform on which to analyse the direction the Commission's policy on linguistic research might take in the 4th Framework Programme (1994–98). Finally some suggestions will be made of ways in which language teachers, and researchers in the field of CALL, could try to become involved in the R+D activities of the Framework Programme (in the short/medium term) and, perhaps more importantly, influence the scientific content of future European Community research programmes.