# CE2005025EN.01004101.xml

| 1.2.2005 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 25/41 |
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1.2.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 25/41

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COMMON POSITION (EC) No 4/2005

COMMON POSITION

adopted by the Council on 21 October 2004

with a view to the adoption of Decision No.../2005/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of... amending Decision No 1419/1999/EC establishing a Community action for the European Capital of Culture event for the years 2005 to 2019

(2005/C 25E/04)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 151 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (1),

1

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (2),

2

Whereas:

| (1) | Decision 1419/1999/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999 establishing a Community action for the European Capital of Culture event for the years 2005 to 2019 (3) is geared towards highlighting the wealth, diversity and shared characteristics of European cultures and contributing to improving European citizens' mutual knowledge. |
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(1)

Decision 1419/1999/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999 establishing a Community action for the European Capital of Culture event for the years 2005 to 2019 (3) is geared towards highlighting the wealth, diversity and shared characteristics of European cultures and contributing to improving European citizens' mutual knowledge.

3

| (2) | Annex I to Decision 1419/1999/EC sets out the chronological order according to which the Member States can submit nominations for this event. That Annex is limited to the Member States at the time the Decision was adopted on 25 May 1999. |
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(2)

Annex I to Decision 1419/1999/EC sets out the chronological order according to which the Member States can submit nominations for this event. That Annex is limited to the Member States at the time the Decision was adopted on 25 May 1999.

| (3) | Article 6 of Decision 1419/1999/EC states that that decision may be revised, in particular with a view to the future enlargement of the European Union. |
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(3)

Article 6 of Decision 1419/1999/EC states that that decision may be revised, in particular with a view to the future enlargement of the European Union.

| (4) | In the light of the 2004 enlargement, it is important that the new Member States should likewise be able within a short period of time to submit nominations in the context of the European Capital of Culture event, without changing the order for the other Member States so that, from 2009 onwards and until the end of the current Community action, two capitals may be selected each year in the Member States. |
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(4)

In the light of the 2004 enlargement, it is important that the new Member States should likewise be able within a short period of time to submit nominations in the context of the European Capital of Culture event, without changing the order for the other Member States so that, from 2009 onwards and until the end of the current Community action, two capitals may be selected each year in the Member States.

| (5) | Decision 1419/1999/EC should therefore be amended, |
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(5)

Decision 1419/1999/EC should therefore be amended,

HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Decision 1419/1999/EC is hereby amended as follows:

| 1. | The following Recital shall be inserted:






  ‘(12a) | Whereas account should be taken of the financial consequences of this Decision in such a way as to ensure that there is adequate and appropriate Community funding for the designation of two European Capitals of Culture;’; |
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1.

The following Recital shall be inserted:

‘(12a)

Whereas account should be taken of the financial consequences of this Decision in such a way as to ensure that there is adequate and appropriate Community funding for the designation of two European Capitals of Culture;’;

| 2. | Article 2(1) shall be replaced by the following:
  ‘1.   Cities in Member States shall be designated as European Capital of Culture, in turn, as set out on the list contained in Annex I. Up until 2008 inclusive the designation shall apply to one city of the Member State appearing on the list. From 2009 onwards, the designation shall apply to one city of each of the Member States appearing on the list. The chronological order set out in Annex I may be altered by mutual agreement between the Member States concerned. Each Member State shall submit, in turn, its nomination of one or more cities to the European Parliament, the Council, the Commission and the Committee of the Regions. This nomination shall be submitted no later than four years before the event in question is due to begin and may be accompanied by a recommendation from the Member State concerned.’; |
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2.

Article 2(1) shall be replaced by the following:

‘1.   Cities in Member States shall be designated as European Capital of Culture, in turn, as set out on the list contained in Annex I. Up until 2008 inclusive the designation shall apply to one city of the Member State appearing on the list. From 2009 onwards, the designation shall apply to one city of each of the Member States appearing on the list. The chronological order set out in Annex I may be altered by mutual agreement between the Member States concerned. Each Member State shall submit, in turn, its nomination of one or more cities to the European Parliament, the Council, the Commission and the Committee of the Regions. This nomination shall be submitted no later than four years before the event in question is due to begin and may be accompanied by a recommendation from the Member State concerned.’;

| 3. | Annex I shall be replaced by the text appearing in the Annex to this Decision. |
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3.

Annex I shall be replaced by the text appearing in the Annex to this Decision.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Official Journal of the European Union

It shall apply from 1 May 2004.

Done at Luxembourg,

For the European Parliament

The President

For the Council

The President

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(1)  OJ C 121, 30.4.2004, p. 15.

1

(2)  Opinion of the European Parliament of 22 April 2004 (OJ C 104 E, 30.4.2004), Council Common Position of 21 October 2004 and Position of the European Parliament of ... (not yet published in the Official Journal).

2

(3)  OJ L 166, 1.7.1999, p. 1.

3

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ANNEX

ORDER OF ENTITLEMENT TO NOMINATE A ‘EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE’

| 2005 | Ireland | |
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| 2006 | Greece  (1) | |
| 2007 | Luxembourg | |
| 2008 | United Kingdom | |
| 2009 | Austria | Lithuania |
| 2010 | Germany | Hungary |
| 2011 | Finland | Estonia |
| 2012 | Portugal | Slovenia |
| 2013 | France | Slovakia |
| 2014 | Sweden | Latvia |
| 2015 | Belgium | Czech Republic |
| 2016 | Spain | Poland |
| 2017 | Denmark | Cyprus |
| 2018 | Netherlands (1) | Malta |
| 2019 | Italy | |

2005

Ireland

2006

Greece  (1)

2007

Luxembourg

2008

United Kingdom

2009

Austria

Lithuania

2010

Germany

Hungary

2011

Finland

Estonia

2012

Portugal

Slovenia

2013

France

Slovakia

2014

Sweden

Latvia

2015

Belgium

Czech Republic

2016

Spain

Poland

2017

Denmark

Cyprus

2018

Netherlands (1)

Malta

2019

Italy

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(1)  The Culture/Audiovisual Council, at its meeting of 28 May 1998, noted the exchange of positions between Greece and the Netherlands in accordance with Article 2(1) of Decision 1419/1999/EC.

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STATEMENT OF THE COUNCIL'S REASONS

I.   INTRODUCTION

| 1. | On 17 November 2003, the Commission submitted to the European Parliament and to the Council a proposal for a decision, based on article 151 of the EC Treaty, amending Decision 1419/1999/EC establishing a Community action for the ‘European Capital of Culture’ event for the years 2005 to 2019. |
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1.

On 17 November 2003, the Commission submitted to the European Parliament and to the Council a proposal for a decision, based on article 151 of the EC Treaty, amending Decision 1419/1999/EC establishing a Community action for the ‘European Capital of Culture’ event for the years 2005 to 2019.

| 2. | The European Parliament delivered its opinion at a first reading on 22 April 2004. The Commission made an oral presentation of its modified proposal on 29 April 2004. |
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2.

The European Parliament delivered its opinion at a first reading on 22 April 2004. The Commission made an oral presentation of its modified proposal on 29 April 2004.

| 3. | The Committee of the Regions delivered its opinion on 21 April 2004 (1). |
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3.

The Committee of the Regions delivered its opinion on 21 April 2004 (1).

| 4. | On 21 October 2004, the Council adopted its common position in accordance with Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty. |
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4.

On 21 October 2004, the Council adopted its common position in accordance with Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty.

II.   AIM OF THE PROPOSAL

The proposal aims to allow the new Member States to participate in the European Capital of Culture event before the current decision expires in 2019. It does not change the existing order of entitlement for nominations from Member States, but establishes a new system appointing two Member States eligible to submit nominations each year from 2009 onwards, so that two capitals may be selected in the Member States.

III.   ANALYSIS OF THE COMMON POSITION

1.   General comments

The Council did not make any amendment to the Commission's proposal. The Commission accepted in full one of the five amendments proposed by the Parliament (amendment 1).

2.   Amendments made by the European Parliament

2.1.   Amendments accepted by the Council

The Council endorsed in full the amendment proposed by the Parliament and accepted by the Commission (amendment 1).

2.2.   Amendments not integrated by the Council

The Council, like the Commission, considered that amendments 2, 3, 4 and 5 went beyond the scope of the proposal and did not regard it as appropriate to incorporate them.

III.   CONCLUSIONS

The Council considers that its common position is balanced and fully in line with the main objective of the Commission's proposal, thereby facilitating the participation of the new Member States in the European Capital of Culture event as soon as possible.

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(1)  OJ C 121, 30.4.2004, p. 15.

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