WRITTEN QUESTION E-2872/98

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

(28 September 1998)

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, 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 Commission 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 Commission intend to appoint a coordinator to monitor the various forms of programming?

Can the Commission 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?

Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission

(16 November 1998)

The "European City of Culture" has hitherto been an intergovernmental initiative, the choice of cities being a political decision taken by the representatives of the Member States. As a result the Commission's assistance has so far been confined to granting a financial contribution to all the events proposed by the European City of Culture each year, on the basis of Decision No 719/96/EC of 29 March 1996 (Action IV) establishing the Kaleidoscope programme(1).

At the Council meeting of 20 November 1995 the Ministers for Culture agreed to choose nine European Cities of Culture for the year 2000 because of its symbolic nature. These cities have formed a network to ensure effective collaboration and coordination. Decisions are made collectively, on the basis of joint proposals, at regular meetings of the network itself. The Commission does not take part in the network's discussions. The nine cities have formed a partnership to run a common secretariat.

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.

On 30 October 1997 the Commission presented Parliament and the Council with a proposal establishing the Community "European City of Culture" initiative. This was subsequently incorporated into the proposal establishing the first Community framework programme for culture (2000-04)(2), which the Commission presented to Parliament and the Council on 6 May 1998. The latter proposal provided for a Commission contribution of ECU 2,5 million towards the "European City of Culture" event in the year 2000.

As the legislative procedure for the adoption of this programme is that laid down in Article 189b of the EC Treaty, it is now for Parliament and the Council to define the programme and the relevant financial package.

(1) OJ L 99, 20.4.1996.

(2) OJ C 211, 7.7.1998.