Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the 'Communication from the European Commission on Cohesion policy and culture - a contribution to employment` (97/C 379/06)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the communication from the European Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on cohesion policy and culture - a contribution to employment (COM(96) 512 final);

having regard to the decision taken by the European Commission on 28 November 1996, under the first paragraph of Article 198c of the Treaty establishing the European Community, to consult the Committee of the Regions on the matter;

having regard to its decision of 15 January 1997 to direct Commission 7 - Citizens' Europe, Research, Culture, Youth and Consumers to draw up the relevant opinion;

having regard to its decision of 15 January 1997 to direct Commission 8 - Economic and Social Cohesion, Social Policy and Public Health, to draw up a supplementary opinion;

having regard to the draft opinion (CdR 69/97 rev. 2) adopted by Commission 7 on 11 July 1997 (rapporteur: Mr Rhodio);

whereas the supplementary opinion (CdR 82/97 rev.) adopted by Commission 8 on 7 April 1997 (rapporteur: Mr Lazaridis) has been incorporated in the draft opinion,

adopted the following opinion at its 19th plenary session on 17 and 18 September 1997 (meeting of 18 September).

1. Introduction

1.1. The Commission document examines culture to the extent that it is linked to the EU's cohesion policy, paying special attention to its effects on employment. The COR feels that the Commission's decision to address this issue and make it the subject of debate is a very positive development.

1.2. Unemployment constitutes a very serious social problem, as, apart from its adverse economic consequences, it also entails social problems such as social exclusion, especially among the long-term unemployed. The problem is particularly acute in today's big cities, and it threatens to weaken, and ultimately to rupture, the social fabric.

1.3. The COR would point out that the discrepancy between 'nominal` and 'real` convergence, of which social cohesion is an important part, has grown. As long as unemployment levels remain high, social cohesion will continue to be an unattainable goal.

1.4. These problems have inevitably led to a departure from the firm objectives of the Treaty of Rome (Articles 2, 130 A) on 'a harmonious development of economic activities ...an accelerated raising of the standard of living and closer relations between the States belonging to it`. The aims set out both in the Treaty of Rome and more recently in the Community Charter of Fundamental Social Rights can only be achieved by adopting a more human approach to the problems. This, of course, requires the implementation of joint policies by the EU Member States to tackle unemployment and social integration.

1.5. The communication is further proof that promotion of employment has become an increasingly key concern of EU policy. One important way to foster employment is to ensure that the assistance provided by the Structural Funds focuses on measures that have a maximum impact on employment. To be successful such an approach requires analyses of the kind put forward in the communication so as to identify the employment potential in different policy sectors.

1.6. The communication is made all the more important by the fact that it seeks to promote the implementation of Article 128(4) of the Treaty, which requires the Community to take cultural aspects into account in all its policy sectors. The aim must be to ensure that action in other policy areas does not have a detrimental impact on culture but exploits its inherent potential for enriching and creating new dimensions in work within other sectors of community life.

1.7. In the case of cohesion policy, this means that projects designed to strengthen cohesion should not weaken the cultural identity of localities and regions and thereby lead to greater similarity in ways of life at the expense of cultural diversity. Respect for this principle in practice requires the formulation of more clearly defined policy guidelines and it is therefore important that there is a wide debate on this issue.

1.8. The COR would emphasize that cohesion policy which takes cultural aspects into account must support the distinctive characteristics of regions, such as regional minority languages, because it is precisely these features which are the source of local and regional identity. In particular, it should be remembered that culture also represents a key element upon which social cohesion can be founded. Moreover, dynamic local and regional culture helps to anchor the population more firmly in the area concerned, which is one of the essential requirements for regional development.

2. General comments

2.1. The COR endorses the basic thrust of the communication, which sees good employment prospects in the cultural field. This is primarily due to the fact that societies are evolving into post-industrial societies in which labour-intensive leisure services in particular are taking on increasing importance. So, culture has an inherent potential to create new job opportunities. A sharp increase in cultural tourism and the events/entertainment industry is apparent. Innovative film, video, educational and multimedia branches enlist art and artistic components as the raw material of their production. This is also true of the new types of culture industries which are emerging in towns whose industrial structure has collapsed and where new activities are beginning to take shape. The culture industry is developing rapidly, especially in the audiovisual sector, and thus helping to create proper permanent jobs.

2.2. Consequently, Community research and innovation policies should also focus on the opportunities which are opening up in the cultural field and closely monitor development in the culture industry.

2.3. The Committee of the Regions feels it is important to define 'culture` in order to avoid misinterpretation of the Commission Communication. The lack of a definition would otherwise mean that there is a risk of construing the word to mean many different things when discussing EU business and initiatives in the field of culture.

2.3.1. For example, much Commission literature seems to use the word 'culture` as a synonym for the culture industry, or is interpreted to mean no more than cultural heritage, i.e. museums, historical monuments and buildings. At the same time, the various cultural players' creation and recreation of European culture and cultural expression, i.e. drama, literature, music, dance, art, etc., provides one of culture's most precious contributions to cohesion in Europe. This type of cultural expression should be highlighted in EU discussions, and included in the EU's understanding of the word 'culture`. The COR would point out that, just as new job opportunities can be created in, and through, cultural activities, irresponsible exploitation of cultural expression, traditions and assets can lead to cultural impoverishment. In the long run the freedom of culture, and its most important social role as a component of freedom of expression and mouthpiece for subjective truth will be undermined. Ensuring a balance between utilization of cultural expression as a job-creating instrument and the freedom of culture to operate independent of market forces and constraints is a difficult but important task.

In a regional context free artists and cultural institutions play a decisive part in shaping regional identity and the outside world's image of the region. Regions which fail to safeguard their artists' freedom to create, lose out not just in terms of democracy and diversity, but their identity and image suffer too.

In the COR's view, culture's role as watchdog of freedom can be preserved only if diversity, quality and artistic creation are protected. Alongside society's promotion of the part played by cultural expression in the production of goods and services, care must also be taken to guarantee the freedom of artists' working conditions and the structures underpinning culture.

2.3.2. Just as the recreation and renewal of European culture must be underpinned by artistic activity, so is our cultural infrastructure needed to provide a forum for this creativity. Without stable, independent cultural institutions such as libraries, vibrant theatres, orchestras, museums and educational cultural initiatives, it is unlikely that Europe will be able to exist as a cultural entity. The creation and maintenance of European cohesion depends largely on our cultural players and cultural infrastructure, i.e. artists and cultural institutions.

2.4. The COR takes the view that, especially in the area of regional development, culture should be understood in broad terms. In other words, culture should essentially be regarded as a way of life peculiar to a specific community in that each and every local culture helps to enhance culture in the wider, more general sense.

2.5. In a previous opinion the COR asserted that culture should always occupy a prominent position in regional development: 'The COR would underline that every regional development programme should contain an explicit cultural component as well as a cultural component based on the region's local potential and needs` (). Indeed, socio-economic development depends on cultural as well as economic factors.

2.6. The COR stresses that taking culture as a starting point for regional development is not a constraint on or obstacle to progress and innovation. Quite the contrary, it helps to foster belief in the future and to promote real innovation. Herein lies the crux of the issue at European level: only regional development which is based on the European tradition of diversity can lead to a future which is also characterized by diversity.

2.7. The COR would point out that stressing the importance of culture must also lead to concrete measures. For example, having noted the lack of information on the link between culture and regional job creation, as well as the evolution of the 'entertainment industry` and the new types of culture industries which are currently being developed, the Commission should conclude that urgent action is needed to remedy this shortcoming.

2.8. The COR therefore thinks that the EU should offer appropriate encouragement and support for local institutes, foundations, cultural associations, libraries, etc. which promote research, review and dissemination at regional, national and international level of events, aspects, figures and works that are representative of local culture and history. This EU support, which would be conditional on the recipient bodies having proper legal status and minimum facilities, could involve the promotion of technical and scientific cooperation and the provision of modern technological instruments and specific funding. The EU should also facilitate the exchange of ideas on, and the birth of, new types of regionally-based production and manufacture which enlist culture and cultural expression as their raw material. This support should be backed by measures aiming to stimulate and preserve cultural diversity, cultural structures and the artist's freedom to live and work in remote and less populated regions too. Alerting citizens to the importance of their cultural heritage as a cornerstone of economic and local development is regarded as of fundamental importance.

2.9. The COR would also underline that strict and consistent compliance with the subsidiarity principle is of paramount importance in the cultural field. Consequently, Community measures in the cultural sphere must always be based on cooperation with local and regional authorities. An effort should be made to encourage the involvement of the socio-economic players of a country in job-creation projects connected with the cultural heritage.

3. Specific comments

3.1. Urban and rural culture

3.1.1. The communication notes that 'cultural activities are in particular an important characteristic of European cities`. In the view of the COR, this statement gives an incomplete picture, because rural culture is an essential characteristic of rural areas in just the same way as urban culture is of cities. The COR feels that the value of both urban and rural culture should be highlighted.

3.1.2. Quite unrelated to this is the fact that the way of life typical of modern society has evolved primarily in cities. Consequently, urban culture and changes therein are in some ways at the very heart of the development of modern societies.

3.1.3. However, this does not mean that culture has no importance for development or job creation in rural areas. On the contrary, as the communication points out, many rural products and activities are related to a region's cultural heritage. The COR would nevertheless re-emphasize that this link with cultural heritage must not prevent us from seeking out new products and activities, including those which contribute to the creation of 'new` culture.

3.2. Culture and tourism

3.2.1. There is little discussion in the communication of the impact of cultural tourism on employment, although this is a recurrent theme in the examples cited.

3.2.2. The COR invites the Commission to take an initiative to open up some routes of common cultural origin-heritage which will help to break down borders and frontiers between regions with a view to economic cooperation, and the creation of networks of common cultural values.

3.2.3. The employment impact of cultural tourism would probably extend far beyond the traditional sphere of cultural tourism if new and innovative activities were encouraged. Moreover, by embracing new, emerging sectors of business in the cultural sphere, cultural tourism would be more evenly distributed between the seasons of the year than other forms of tourism and thus help to reduce seasonal fluctuation. Here the COR would confirm its call for continued support for cultural tourism in connection with its opinion on the Philoxenia programme ().

3.2.4. Looking ahead to the long-term protection of the environment and cultural heritage, the COR highlights the importance of integrating cultural tourism as part and parcel of a local and regional strategy to boost development and employment. Cultural tourism will be competitive and sustainable if tailored to specific local conditions since it will then supplement and build on cultural continuity and local as well as regional resources.

3.2.5. Cultural tourism also has important implications for social and economic cohesion and helps alleviate differences between the EU regions and Member States; this is a subject which the Commission should study in more depth in the future.

3.3. Culture and the attractiveness of regions

3.3.1. The Commission dwells at some length on the importance of cultural factors for the attractiveness of regions, particularly with regard to businesses' choice of location. The prominence given to this vital aspect is to be welcomed.

3.3.2. However, the COR thinks that it is equally important to explain clearly how culture enhances the attractiveness of regions - in other words, how culture has a direct impact on the quality of life. Culture is a basic element of a community's make-up and identity which pervades the daily life of citizens. When this is recognized, it becomes evident that culture should not be treated as a means but as an end in its own right and a necessary condition for sound economic activities.

3.4. Culture and interregional cooperation

3.4.1. The COR endorses the Commission's assertion that the exchange of experience between regions with different cultural backgrounds is vital and believes that the Community must continue pilot projects under Article 10 of the ERDF Regulation and, as far as possible, do more to support such activities.

3.4.2. In addition, the COR would emphasize that the more deeply interregional cooperation is rooted in the cultures of the partner regions, the more likely it is that it will afford economic benefits. Cooperation which draws on the partners' cultural backgrounds paves the way for new development projects which are based on innovation rather than imitation.

3.4.3. The COR would also underline the need for interregional cooperation in the cultural sphere so as to ensure that the cultural diversity that characterizes present-day Europe does not become a source of conflict and discord but a means to further development and closer European integration. Cultural cooperation must help people to learn to know and appreciate other ways of life, as this will help create a real basis for social cohesion between peoples and citizens. It is in this context that Europe's shared cultural heritage assumes growing importance.

3.5. Europe's cultural heritage

3.5.1. The COR feels that, rather than laying down principles, the Community should take concrete action to make cultural assets (archaeological treasures, monuments, works of art, archives, books, etc.) better known and to exploit the potential which they offer. In some regions in particular, such assets form a vast, unique cultural heritage.

3.5.2. Since regions and local communities are very varied, drawing up a number of specific, structured multi-annual programmes is of great cultural interest. It also undoubtedly has a positive impact on production and stimulates development mechanisms. Such programmes are targeted at specific objectives, e.g. the exploration or exploitation of archaeological sites in towns that are as yet unvisited; the development or regeneration of tourist routes or cultural sites with an illustrious past, or which played a major part in the history of Europe; the identification, protection, renovation and management of castles and museums; and promotion of programmes in the publishing sector to produce annotated and updated editions of works by well-known European writers.

3.5.3. In this connection, the Committee notes that the EU can help to build a sound, effective framework to preserve these precious and important reminders of our past. We can draw on them to elucidate and make the most of the contribution which Europe has made to the history of humanity over the millennia, and to breathe life into the massive resource offered by European civilization and turn it to good account socially, economically and productively.

3.5.4. Given the cultural needs of today and - more generally - the role which cultural assets can play in development and employment, the COR proposes the promotion and encouragement of culture-oriented enterprises both at local and EU level. These would be launched particularly by young people, and would aim to develop, supply and exploit cultural assets, whether they be publicly owned (by the state, local authorities, and so on) or of public interest (religious or cultural institutions, economic or privately-owned bodies, etc.).

3.5.5. The COR takes the view that the EU could address these issues in an innovative and practical manner by supporting or setting up targeted projects (together with other programmes such as Raphaël and Kaleidoscope). This would also provide resources and offer new job opportunities, thereby doing much to reduce the current high levels of - especially youth unemployment besetting all of the Member States.

4. Conclusions

4.1. The COR considers that the Commission communication has recognized the untapped potential which the cultural sector offers for promoting employment; in particular the COR expects the economic potential of cultural tourism to be the focus of continued interest and practical support. The COR also calls upon the Commission to take steps to encourage Member States and localities and regions to better exploit this potential.

4.2. In this opinion, the COR has emphasized that local and regional culture should be considered as a starting point for regional development policy. This approach has an important practical advantage: a regional policy complying with the principle set out above will have a greater impact on the target regions, because many times effects of action taken have actually benefitted the most developed regions rather than the regions directly concerned. Regional development projects that are closely linked to the cultural heritage of the target regions can be carried out best if use is made of local abilities and know-how. This in turn brings obvious benefits for the regions concerned.

4.3. In the view of the COR, the employment potential in the cultural field can best be exploited by giving special emphasis to promoting commercially interesting innovations.

Brussels, 18 September 1997.

The Chairman of the Committee of the Regions

Pasqual MARAGALL i MIRA

() OJ C 116, 14. 4. 1997, p. 65 (point 3.2.1.5).

() OJ C 42, 10. 2. 1997, p. 22.