WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1794/97 by Luigi COLAJANNI to the Commission. Practical steps to safeguard the cultural and artistic heritage in the Mediterranean
Date: 1997-05-16
Institutions: COLAJANNI, European Parliament
Subjects: Mediterranean third countries, cultural cooperation, cultural heritage, heritage protection, non-governmental organisation, world organisation













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91997E1794

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1794/97 by Luigi COLAJANNI to the Commission. Practical steps to safeguard the cultural and artistic heritage in the Mediterranean  


Official Journal C 373 , 09/12/1997 P. 0157 





WRITTEN QUESTION P-1794/97 by Luigi Colajanni (PSE) to the Commission (16 May 1997)Subject: Practical steps to safeguard the cultural and artistic heritage in the MediterraneanThe final declaration of the Barcelona Euro-Mediterranean Conference of 27 and 28 November 1995 states that it is necessary to 'make concrete proposals for action, inter alia (in the field of the) cultural and creative heritage'. Parliament, in its resolution adopted on 13 March 1997 (A4-0027/97) calls on the Commission to promote a new programme designed to safeguard the Euro-Mediterranean artistic heritage and to restore, maintain and promote the archaeological and historical possessions of the Mediterranean third countries.Could the Commission tell us in this connection:1. what measures have been implemented, the reasons for the choices already made and what the short- and medium-term prospects are;2. what steps have been taken to involve intergovernmental and non-governmental institutions and organizations already experienced in the area of the cultural and artistic heritage in the definition of a working method and the choice of priorities for action?Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission (9 June 1997)Cultural heritage gave rise to the first ministerial conference under the Euro-Mediterranean partnership since the Barcelona conference. A total of 27 ministers of culture from the Community and its Mediterranean partner countries met at Bologna on 21 and 22 April 1996 to discuss the conservation and enhancement of the Euro-Mediterranean cultural heritage.The Ministers approved a declaration identifying a number of priority subjects for cooperation.The Bologna Declaration called on the Commission to set up a mechanism for following up the conference and to put in hand projects for enhancing the cultural heritage. So, a first meeting of representatives of the 27 culture ministers and a small number of representatives of international organizations took place on 9 and 10 September 1996 with the aim of identifying and proposing regional projects which bring together as many Euro-Mediterranean partners as possible. Some 100 proposals were put forward and their practical details and objectives were discussed.A further meeting of experts on 20 and 21 December discussed matters in greater detail; 21 regional projects of Euro-Mediterranean interest were to be prepared. The work of evaluating and finalizing requests for funds is now in progress with the aim of financing 16 projects from the MEDA programme, some of them over three years. The aim is to start practical cooperation this year.Governmental and non-governmental organizations active in the field of cultural and artistic heritage have been associated with this process in all phases of developing cooperation. They were invited to the Bologna conference then enlisted to prepare the projects either at meetings of experts or by project coordinators.