WRITTEN QUESTION P-0456/96 by Jaime Valdivielso de Cué (PPE) to the Council (22 February 1996)

Subject: Cultural programmes: Raphael, Ariane, etc.

The wealth and diversity of European culture is outstanding, and the Commission has been acting to safeguard and enhance the architectural and artistic heritage. Changes were also introduced with the entry into force of the Treaty on European Union, which gives culture a title of its own in the new Article 128 of the Treaty. Public attachment to the European idea depends on preserving the profound values of tradition and history which form the soul of our peoples. Parliament has repeatedly stressed that the EU will be able to achieve ever closer integration only if it takes systematic action to conserve and safeguard these values, and the cultural heritage is without doubt the best means of doing so. Bearing this in mind, has the Council assessed the negative impact of suspending the Raphael programme?

It is inconsistent for the Council to insist that all Community cultural actions be grouped together and introduced on the legal basis provided by the EU Treaty (Article 128) and at the same time to interrupt the procedure for implementing the Ariane and Raphael programmes.

Can the Council give an indication of its intentions and state whether it considers that cultural action should be taken year by year, with decisions being taken only as part of the annual budgetary procedure? Does the Council consider this to form the basis for a structured cultural policy founded on medium- and long-term planning?

Does the Council attach any importance at all to the development of cultural action explicitly enshrined in Articles 3 and 128 of the Treaty?

Reply (1 July 1996)

In common with the European Parliament, the Council attaches greatest importance to the Community, as stipulated in Article 128 of the EC Treaty, contributing to the flowering of the cultures of the Member States, while respecting their national and regional diversity and at the same time bringing the common cultural heritage to the fore.

Since the Treaty on European Union entered into force the Council and the European Parliament have received three proposals for Decisions involving programmes in the cultural sector.

The first of these proposals, Kaleidoscope, was recently adopted by the European Parliament and the Council.

The second, Ariane, now seems to be heading towards a positive outcome, as proceedings within the Council have resumed in a constructive spirit which should make it possible to adopt a common position of the Council in the fairly near future.

As regards the third proposal, Raphael, the Council has not managed to achieve the unanimity necessary for a common position. Contacts are continuing with a view to finding a solution to the problems impeding progress on this dossier.

The Council has endeavoured to reach acceptable solutions which, while respecting the spirit of the proposals under discussion, make it possible to achieve the necessary common denominator.

The success of Kaleidoscope and the resumption of work on Ariane testify to this positive and determined attitude on the part of the Council.

Mediation will also be required to achieve a positive result with Ariane and Raphael.

The Council, which already received constructive support from the European Parliament on Kaleidoscope, hopes that the latter will take into account the legal and institutional difficulties of the decision-making process and will help it, as in the past, in seeking a balanced solution.