WRITTEN QUESTION P-2861/98

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE) to the Council

(14 September 1998)

Subject: Arrangements envisaged by the Council for the project shared amongst European cities of culture in 2000

In recognition of the symbolic significance of the year 2000, the EU has decided to undertake a project which for the first time will be shared amongst nine European cities of culture: Avignon, Cracow, Reykjavik, Santiago de Compostela, Helsinki, Bergen, Bologna, Brussels and Prague. Five cities from EU Member States and four from European countries outside the Union will thus join together in a cultural cooperation project without precedent in Europe, insofar as it brings together three cities from northern Europe, three from central Europe and three from southern Europe. Evidently, such an important and ambitious project requires special support and adequate funding to ensure that it enjoys success by giving prominence to a European cultural project which embraces the entire continent and forging the ties which the project can and must make possible, and avoids the potential failure inherent in merely juxtaposing nine different and independent projects devoid of a common thread binding European culture together.

That being the case, can the Council say what plans, projects, programmes and means of support it has envisaged to ensure that the project for European cities of culture in 2000 enjoys the success it deserves?

In particular, does the Council intend to appoint a coordinator to monitor the various forms of programming?

Can the Council specify the total sum it intends to earmark in the budget for this important event and provide a breakdown of that sum, so as to enable those responsible for the event to plan their activities accordingly?

Reply

(16 November 1998)

The agreement underlying the "European City of Culture" event (pending adoption by the European Parliament and the Council of the proposal for a Decision submitted by the Commission for 2002 and beyond) is an intergovernmental agreement established by a Resolution of the Ministers for Cultural Affairs meeting within the Council on 13 June 1985(1).

Amendments were subsequently made to that Resolution, in each instance in an intergovernmental framework, by conclusions of 18 May 1990(2), 18 May 1992(3) and 12 November 1992(4).

The choice of the European cities of culture for 2000 was therefore an intergovernmental act taken by the Ministers for Cultural Affairs meeting within the Council. It ensues that the Council was unable to take any initiative along the lines of the last three questions put by the Honourable Member. However, wide-ranging collaboration has developed amongst the cities designated.

The Honourable Member's attention is drawn to the fact that European cities of culture have hitherto received limited support under cultural support programmes (experience has shown that Community support covered approximately 1 % of the costs incurred). Those programmes will expire at the end of 1999.

On 26 May 1998 the Commission submitted a proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning a first European Community framework programme in support of culture (2000-2004), in which it proposes a sum of ECU 2,5 million for the European City of Culture project. The Culture 2000 programme is currently being examined by the Council's subordinate bodies.

(1) OJ C 153, 22.6.1985.

(2) OJ C 162, 3.7.1990.

(3) OJ C 151, 16.6.1992.

(4) OJ C 336, 19.12.1992.