A4-0243/95

Decision on the common position established by the Council with a view to the adoption of a European Parliament and Council Decision establishing a programme to support artistic and cultural activities having a European dimension (KALEIDOSCOPE) (C4-0372/95 - 94/0188(COD))

(Codecision procedure: second reading)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the common position of the Council, C4-0372/95 - 94/0188(COD),

- having regard to its opinion at first reading (( OJ C 109, 1.5.1995, p. 281.)) on the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council, COM(94)0356 (( OJ C 324, 22.11.1994, p. 5.)),

- having regard to the amended Commission proposal, COM(95)0373 (( OJ C 278, 24.10.1995, p. 9.)),

- having regard to Article 189b(2) of the EC Treaty,

- having regard to Rule 72 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to the recommendation for second reading of the Committee on Culture, Youth, Education and the Media (A4-0243/95),

1. Amends the common position as follows;

2. Calls on the Commission to support Parliament's amendments in the opinion it is required to deliver pursuant to Article 189b(2)(d) of the EC Treaty;

3. Calls on the Council to approve all Parliament's amendments, amend its common position accordingly and definitively adopt the act;

4. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Council and Commission.

Common position of the Council Amendments by Parliament

(Amendment 1)

Recital 4

>Original text>

(4) Whereas it is also important to encourage all citizens, especially young people, to become more involved in culture so as to promote greater access to culture and the arts for the various European audiences and help provide greater knowledge and mutual respect and to promote the idea of citizenship of the European Union;

>Text following EP vote>

(4) Whereas it is also important to encourage all citizens, especially young people - and more particularly those in less-favoured circumstances, especially those who live in outlying regions and rural parts of the Union - to become more involved in culture so as to promote greater access to culture and the arts for the various European audiences and help provide greater knowledge and mutual respect and to promote the idea of citizenship of the European Union;

(Amendment 2)

Article 1, first paragraph

>Original text>

This Decision establishes the action programme 'Kaleidoscope¨ set out in the Annex, hereinafter referred to as 'this programme¨, for the period 1 January 1996 to 31 December 1998.

>Text following EP vote>

This Decision establishes the action programme 'Kaleidoscope¨ set out in the Annex, hereinafter referred to as 'this programme¨, for the period 1 January 1996 to 31 December 2000.

(Amendment 3)

Article 2(c)

>Original text>

(c) assist in the improvement of the professional skills of artists and other cultural operators, in particular, by stepping up exchanges of experiences, thus facilitating greater cooperation between artists from various Member States;

>Text following EP vote>

(c) assist in the improvement of the professional skills of artists and other cultural operators, in particular by supporting cultural projects which include further training as part of their organisation and by stepping up exchanges of experiences, thus facilitating greater cooperation between artists from various Member States;

(Amendment 4)

Article 5

>Original text>

1. The Commission shall implement this programme in accordance with this Decision.

2. The Commission shall be assisted by a Committee consisting of two representatives per Member State which shall be chaired by the Commission representative. Members of the Committee may be assisted by experts or advisers.

3. The Commission representative shall submit to the Committee:

- the annual work programme;

- the general balance between all the Actions;

- the selection rules and criteria for the various types of project described in the Annex (Actions 1,2,3 and 5);

- the projects in respect of which Community financing exceeds

ECU 10 000;

- the detailed procedures for monitoring and evaluating this programme and the conclusions of the assessment reports laid down in Article 8 and any other measures readjusting this programme arising therefrom.

>Text following EP vote>

The Commission shall be responsible for implementing the programme. For the purpose of carrying out that task, the Commission shall be assisted by the Advisory Committee for incentive measures in the cultural field (hereinafter referred to as the 'Committee¨), according to the procedure laid down below.

The Committee, of an advisory nature, shall consist of two representatives appointed by each Member State and shall be chaired by a representative of the Commission.

The Commission representative shall submit to the Committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The Committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft within a time limit which the chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter, if necessary by taking a vote.

The opinion shall be entered in the minutes; each Member State shall have the right to request that its position be entered in the minutes.

The Commission shall take the utmost account of the opinion delivered by the Committee. It shall inform the Committee of the manner in which its opinion has been taken into account.

>Original text>

4. The Committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft measures referred to in paragraph 3 within a time limit which the Chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter. The opinion shall be delivered by the majority provided for in Article 148(2) of the Treaty for the adoption of decisions which the Council is required to take on a proposal from the Commission. When the Committee votes, the votes of the representatives of the Member States shall be weighted in accordance with the aforementioned Article. The Chairman shall not vote.

>Original text>

The Commission shall adopt measures which shall be applicable immediately. However, where such measures are not in accordance with the opinion delivered by the Committee, the Commission shall communicate them to the Council forthwith. In that event, the Commission may defer the application of the measures it has decided for a period of two months from the date of such communication.

>Original text>

The Council, acting by a qualified majority, may take a different decision within the period laid down in the previous subparagraph.

>Original text>

5. The Commission may also consult the Committee on any other question concerning the implementation of this programme as well as those laid down in paragraph 3.

>Original text>

6. The Commission representative shall submit to the Committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The Committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft within a time limit which the Chairman may lay down according to to the urgency of the matter, by a vote if necessary.

>Original text>

The opinion shall be entered in the minutes; each Member State shall have the right to request that its position be entered in the minutes.

>Original text>

The Commission shall take the utmost account of the opinion delivered by the Committee. It shall inform the Committee of the manner in which its opinion has been taken into account.

(Amendment 5)

Article 6(1)

>Original text>

1. The financial framework for the implementation of this programme for the period referred to in Article 1 shall be ECU 26,5 million.

>Text following EP vote>

1. The financial framework for the implementation of this programme for the period referred to in Article 1 shall be ECU 68 million.

(Amendment 6)

Annex, Action 1(1), first subparagraph

>Original text>

1. This programme is open to cultural and artistic projects jointly organised by cultural networks or by cultural partners from at least three Member States, and involving creative or performing artists or others active in the cultural sector from at least three Member States.

>Text following EP vote>

1. This programme is open to cultural and artistic projects jointly organised by cultural networks or by cultural partners from at least three Member States, and involving creative or performing artists or others active in the cultural sector from at least three Member States. Priority is also given to networks which promote access to culture for the least-favoured sectors of the population.

(Amendment 7)

Annex, Action 2(1), 1st indent

>Original text>

- projects must be jointly organised by cultural networks or by cultural partners from at least five Member States, and must involve creative or performing artists or others active in the cultural sector from at least five Member States;

>Text following EP vote>

Deleted

(Amendment 13)

Annex, Action 2(2)

>Original text>

2. However, in the context of projects under this Action, particular attention could be paid to some existing large-scale European actions (in particular, the European Community Youth Orchestra, the European Community Baroque Orchestra) for which Community support could exceed 25% of the total cost of the project, without prejudice to a regular assessment of such actions in accordance with Article 8.

>Text following EP vote>

2. However, in the context of projects under this Action, particular attention could be paid to some significant existing large-scale European actions, in particular the European Community Youth Orchestra and the European Community Baroque Orchestra, for which Community support could exceed 25% of the total cost of the project, without prejudice to a regular assessment of such actions in accordance with Article 8.

(Amendment 9)

Annex, Action 2(2a) (new)

>Text following EP vote>

2a. Cultural events organised jointly by the Member States to mark Europe Day on 9 May shall be considered to be large-scale projects with a European dimension, and therefore eligible for support under this Action.

(Amendment 10)

Annex, Action 4

>Original text>

European City of Culture and European Cultural Month

>Text following EP vote>

Deleted

>Original text>

The Community shall provide assistance each year to the European City of Culture and to the City designated to organise the European Cultural Month.

(Amendment 11)

Annex, Action 5(A) (1)

>Original text>

1. To bring about an improvement in cultural cooperation between professionals in the cultural sector, between local, regional, national and European authorities, assistance could be granted in limited individual cases to projects involving meetings organised at European level or to studies and research directly linked to the development of Community cultural action.

>Text following EP vote>

1. To bring about an improvement in cultural cooperation between professionals in the cultural sector (particularly those living in less-favoured remote, mountainous or island regions), between local, regional, national and European authorities, assistance could be granted in limited individual cases to projects involving meetings organised at European level or to studies and research directly linked to the development of Community cultural action.