WRITTEN QUESTION E-0420/99

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

(1 March 1999)

Subject: Arrangements envisaged by the Commission 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.

In reply to my earlier parliamentary question E-2872/98(1), the Commission said that "as a contribution to the preparatory activities carried out jointly by the nine European Cities of Culture for the year 2000 and on the basis of actual projects presented by the cities, the Commission has granted support amounting to ECU 200 000 in 1997 and ECU 250 000 in 1998. For 1999 the Commission is not in a position to commit itself financially until the Community budget for that year has been formally approved."

Since the 1999 budget has now been formally approved, can the Commission provide information regarding the aid which it intends to make available in 1999 as a contribution to the extensive, high-cost preparatory work which such an ambitious European project will entail in the year leading up to the major event which is due to take place in the year 2000?

Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission

(16 April 1999)

The Commission granted support under the Kaleidoscope programme - by way of exception - to preparatory actions carried out jointly by the nine European Cities of Culture for 2000.

This support, which was granted to specific projects presented by the cities, amounted to [fmxeuro] 200 000 in 1997 and [fmxeuro] 250 000 in 1998.

The Kaleidoscope programme has been extended for another year in order to cover 1999, with the same budget as for 1998.

Experimental projects for the framework programme will also be supported in 1999 from Item B3-2004 under the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 October 1998 on legal bases and implementation of the budget(2).

Here the Commission intends to support once again, for the third consecutive year, the preparatory actions carried out by the nine cities. It will endeavour, if possible, to make a bigger contribution than in 1998 but it must bear in mind the limits set to the budget for culture and other ongoing cultural projects.

The Commission hopes to be able to support the implementation of the programme presented by the nine cities for the year 2000 as part of the "Culture 2000" programme which should be operational on that date following the decisions which will be taken by the institutions.

(1) OJ C 118, 29.4.1999, p. 156.

(2) OJ C 344, 12.11.1998.