Council conclusions amending the Work Plan for Culture (2019–2022)

(2020/C 193/05)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

RECALLING the Council conclusions on the Work Plan for Culture 2019–2022 (1),

REITERATING that promoting sustainable development is a key action for European Union’s future in the Strategic Agenda 2019–2024 (2) and restating the role of culture as an engine for sustainable social and economic development, as underlined in the New European Agenda for Culture (3),

IN THE LIGHT OF the Resolution of the Council of the European Union and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council on the Cultural Dimension of Sustainable Development (4), whose objective is to strengthen culture’s contribution to sustainable development by launching a process that will include an OMC group and will lead to an action plan, to be prepared by the European Commission in coordination with Member States, on the cultural dimension of sustainable development at EU level,

AGREE, in the context of this process, which is aimed at maximising culture’s contribution to sustainability, to amend the Work Plan for Culture (2019–2022) by adding priority F on culture as a driver of sustainable development as follows:

Under II. PRIORITIES, the following is added:

‘F. Culture as a driver of sustainable development Sustainable development is a key political priority of the European Union, and there is an urgent need to step up action in this respect. Culture is intrinsically linked to all three dimensions of sustainable development (economic, social and environmental), and several fundamental objectives of cultural policies and measures at EU level converge with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their targets, which form the backbone of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: they include fostering inclusion, diversity, identity, participation, creativity and innovation. The impact of these policies and measures also fully complements the results of sustainable development: improved health and well-being, growth, innovation and job creation, and urban regeneration. The need to systematically employ cultural policies and measures to complement the instruments currently used to deliver sustainability was indicated in the Resolution on the Cultural Dimension of Sustainable Development adopted by the Council of the European Union and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States in November 2019.’

Under IV. ACTIONS, the following is added:

‘F. Culture as a driver of sustainable development Topic: The cultural dimension of sustainable development Working methods: OMC and an action plan* Rationale: In its Resolution on the Cultural Dimension of Sustainable Development, the Council confirms its commitment to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and agrees to step up efforts by initiating a process that will lead to an action plan on the cultural dimension of sustainable development at EU level. The European Commission was invited to prepare this action plan in coordination with Member States and to integrate it into the EU’s implementation strategy for the 2030 Agenda. The rapid setting up of an OMC group on the cultural dimension of sustainable development was indicated as part of this process in the Resolution. Target outputs: EU-level action aimed at supporting, coordinating or supplementing Member States’ cultural policies and measures will maximise their contribution to sustainable development. The integration of the action plan into the EU’s implementation strategy for the 2030 Agenda would achieve enhanced policy coherence and unlock culture’s full potential for sustainability. * The date of the finalisation of the action plan is dependent on the resources available at Commission level for the implementation of the Work Plan for Culture 2019–2022; however, this should not affect its integration into the EU’s implementation strategy for the 2030 Agenda.’

Under Annex A, the following is added:

‘Indicative timetable of the Work Plan for Culture 2019–2022 Priority Topics 2019 2020 2021 2022 1st half 2nd half 1st half 2nd half 1st half 2nd half 1st half 2nd half F. Culture as a driver of sustainable development The cultural dimension of sustainable development OMC group exam. OMC report action plan (5)

(1) OJ C 460, 21.12.2018, p. 12.

(2) Adopted by the European Council on 20 June 2019.

(3) COM (2018) 267 final.

(4) OJ C 410, 6.12.2019, p. 1.

(5) The date of the finalisation of the action plan is dependent on the resources available at Commission level for the implementation of the Work Plan for Culture 2019–2022; however, this should not affect its integration into the EU’s implementation strategy for the 2030 Agenda.’