Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on a 'Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision establishing a Community initiative for "The European City of Culture" event'
Date: 1998-03-13
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: EU initiative, European symbol, cultural cooperation, cultural event, town

C 180/70

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

11.6.98

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on a ‘Proposal for a European Parliament and
Council Decision establishing a Community initiative for “The European City of Culture”
event’

(98/C 180/12)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council
establishing a Community initiative for ‘The European City of Culture’ event (1);

having regard to the decision taken by the Council on 5 December 1997, under Article 128 and
the first paragraph of Article 198c of the Treaty establishing the European Community, to
consult the Committee of the Regions on this matter;

having regard to the decision of its Bureau of 8 March 1996 to direct Commission 7 — Citizens
Europe, Research, Culture, Youth and Consumers — to draw up the relevant opinion;

having regard to the draft Opinion (CdR 448/97 rev.) adopted by Commission 7 on 23 January
1998 (Rapporteur: Mr Efstathiadis),

adopted the following opinion at its 22nd plenary session on 12 and 13 March 1998 (meeting
of 13 March).

1.

Introduction

1.1.
It is generally accepted that culture provides the
best way of bridging differences between societies; it is
the prerequisite for understanding and, therefore, for
effective cooperation between nations.

Cooperation and mutual understanding at a
1.2.
cultural
level based on respect for the identity of
each nation and each ethnic group, will contribute to
achieving economic convergence and social justice or
indeed any policy where it is difficult to find common
ground in Europe.

1.3. One European instrument in the sphere of culture
is the event of the ‘European city of culture’. The COR
welcomes the proposal of the Commission to place this
event in the Community framework and to set up a
community initiative to provide support for it.

2.2.
The experience gained from the first cycle of
designated cities of culture from 1985 to 1999, enables
us to make certain useful observations.

2.3.
This event confirms the international nature of
culture, which results in a strengthening of the cultural
dimension as a critical and defining element of European
identity.

Strengthening local cultural values and particu-
2.4.
larities underscores the cultural diversity of Europe,
which is crucial to the development of social cohesion,
the fight against racism and xenophobia, and the
promotion of cooperation.

2.5.
The COR suggests opening the initiative to the
countries of the European Economic Area and to the
accession countries and Switzerland.

2. General remarks

2.1.
Each city which has been designated ‘European
city of culture’ was given the opportunity to show in its
own way and to the best of its ability what it understands
by promotion of cultural activity and diversity in a
united Europe.

(1) COM(97) 549 final; OJ C 362, 28.11.1997, p. 12.

3. Specific remarks

3.1. The selection procedure

3.1.1.
The commission proposes, that an advisory
Selection Panel be set up composed of seven independent
members of whom two would be appointed by Parlia-
ment, two by the Council, two by the Commission and
one by the Committee of the Regions. This panel would
examine the applications and report to the Commission,

11.6.98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 180/71

which would make the official proposal of the desig-
nation. The COR welcomes this composition of the
Selection Panel, which would give an active role for a
local/regional level representation.

3.2. Criteria for the selection

3.2.1.
The need to maintain the status of the European
cities of culture, together with the actual capacity they
can demonstrate, as well as the essential requirements
imposed on each application, must be given serious
consideration when establishing the criteria that will
ensure the uniqueness, substance and credibility of the
event.

3.2.2.
The year 2000 — for which the title has been
given to all nine applicants — can be considered a
one-off exception in celebration of the turn of the
century. Normally the community programmes in the
area of culture should provide the unsuccessful candi-
dates opportunities to organize thematic cultural activi-
ties in a European context.

3.2.3.
Emphasis must also be placed on the ability
for cities that are not national capitals to take on
the task of flying the flag of European culture, as
Thessaloniki has successfully done, making it a bench-
mark for future events.

3.2.4.
Given the importance of this event in promoting
the concept of European cooperation in the intellectual
sphere — where Europe can exhibit an enormous
heritage, an enviable present and a promising future —
culture provided by the European cities of culture is the
means to achieve peaceful and creative communication,
not just between the countries of Europe but also with
the rest of the world.

Therefore the COR welcomes warmly the proposal of
the Commission, that the applications of the candidates
should present a European cultural project focusing on

Brussels, 13 March 1998.

a specific European theme and based on cultural
cooperation.

The Commission proposes that the application
3.2.5.
should specify in which manner the applicant city
intends:
— to highlight artistic movements and styles shared by
Europeans which the candidate city has inspired or
to which it has made a significant contribution;
— to involve people active in the field of culture from

other cities in the EU;

— to receive citizens and reach as wide an audience as
possible by employing a multimedia and multilingual
approach;

— to promote a dialogue between European cultures

and cultures from other parts of the world.

The COR agrees with these principles but would suggest
that the direct involvement of the citizens and the role
and importance of minority cultures will be explicitly
included in the criteria.

3.2.6.
The Committee of the Regions would ask that,
regardless of any decision to continue the Kaleidoscope
programme in 1999 or to carry out pilot projects to
prepare for the framework cultural programme, the city
of Weimar should, as European city of culture in 1999,
be awarded the usual EU support.

The COR would propose that, for future cities of
culture, the aim should be to provide timely and punctual
support.

4. Conclusions

4.1.
The COR basically supports the initiative of the
Commission to establish a Community initiative to
provide support for an annual event ‘The European City
of Culture’.

4.2.
The COR would emphasize the regional and
local diversity of European culture and encourage the
Commission in its intention to present in a near future
a proposal for a single culture programme, into which
also this initiative would be incorporated.

The Chairman

of the Committee of the Regions

Manfred DAMMEYER