WRITTEN QUESTION E-1427/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(17 May 2001)

Subject: Safeguarding Europe's cultural heritage

On 16 April part of the Aurelian Walls in Rome collapsed. This in itself would be enough to suggest a degree of responsibility on the part of the authorities in charge of maintaining the ancient structure, since restoration work, carried out as recently as 1999, did not produce the expected results. Was this the result of negligence or incompetence on the part of those organising the work? These questions highlight the problem of insensitivity regarding the upkeep of Italy's archaeological heritage, which also belongs to Europe and the whole world and should be protected by means of a policy aimed at taking more effective measures to safeguard a treasure which is only remembered when disastrous events of this kind take place.

1. Can the Commission say whether it financed, via one of its programmes, the restoration of works of archaeological interest in Rome for the Millennium celebrations?

2. If it did, did it receive a report on the work actually carried out?

3. Does it have appropriate instruments for protecting an archaeological treasure which is not only of national interest from the negligence shown by those responsible for it?

4. Does it not consider that steps should be taken to create the specific concept of European cultural heritage to cover all the archaeological sites, historic buildings and works of art in the territory of the Union and their state of conservation, in order to be able to take steps, in conjunction with the Member States, to safeguard them?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(1 October 2001)

1. The Commission did not finance any restoration of monuments in Rome for the Millennium celebrations.

2. According to Article 151 (ex Article 128) of the EC Treaty, the Community is responsible for:

- encouraging cultural cooperation between Member States;

- supporting and supplementing action by Member States (and providing financial support if necessary) in the following areas:

(a) improvement of the knowledge and dissemination of the culture and history of the European peoples;

(b) conservation and safeguarding of cultural heritage of European significance;

(c) non-commercial cultural exchanges;

(d) artistic and literary creation, including in the audiovisual sector.

It is important to note that Article 151 also excludes any harmonisation of the laws and regulations of the Member States(1) in this area.

3. With regard to the possibility of creating a European cultural heritage, the Commission would like to draw the Honourable Member's attention to Parliament's recent report on the Member States' application of the Convention for the Protection of the World Heritage, in which it is hoped that Member States can be encouraged to examine, together with the Council of Europe, the possibility of a classification system for European heritage based on common definitions and identification criteria. This would help to identify the cultural, linguistic and natural heritage, the importance of which goes beyond national level, and to give this heritage an identifiable European label in order to help underline the diversity and wealth of European heritage and to emphasise the fact that it is shared.

The Commission would like to draw the Honourable Member's attention to the fact that listing a site as European cultural heritage would not in itself guarantee its protection.

(1) EC Treaty, Article 151(5), first indent.