Council Resolution of 26 May 2003 on the horizontal aspects of culture: increasing synergies with other sectors and Community actions and exchanging good practices in relation to the social and economic dimensions of culture
Date: 2003-05-26
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU action, culture, social role, socioeconomic conditions

11.6.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 136/1

I

(Information)

COUNCIL

COUNCIL RESOLUTION

of 26 May 2003

on the horizontal aspects of culture: increasing synergies with other sectors and Community
actions and exchanging good practices in relation to the social and economic dimensions of
culture

(2003/C 136/01)

THE COUNCIL OF EUROPEAN UNION,

the field of culture: European added value and mobility of
persons and circulation of works in the cultural sector (4);

1. NOTING that,

in accordance with the Treaty establishing
the European Community,
take
cultural aspects into account in its action under other
provisions of
to
respect and to promote the diversity of its cultures;

the Community shall

in particular

this Treaty,

in order

2. RECALLING the Resolution of the Council of 20 January
1997 (1) on horizontal aspects of culture that
includes
several proposals on how to integrate cultural aspects
into Community action;

3. RECALLING that

the Resolution of

the Council of 21
January 2002 (2) on the role of culture in the development
of the European Union stressed the need for synergies and
complementarity
various
Community actions;

between

culture

and

the

4. RECALLING that the Council on 25 June 2002 (3) adopted a
Resolution on a work plan for European cooperation in
the field of culture, and that this work plan includes as
priorities horizontal aspects of cultural action (synergies
with other Community areas and activities, economic
and social dimensions of culture, mobility of persons
and circulation of works, as well as development of the
cultural and creative industries);

the

5. RECALLING that

follow-up concerning horizontal
aspects of the work plan has already started and that on
19 December 2002 the Council adopted a Resolution
implementing the work plan on European cooperation in

(1) OJ C 36, 5.2.1997.
(2) OJ C 32, 5.2.2002.
(3) OJ C 162, 6.7.2002.

6. NOTING that culture interacts with other sectors both in

the Member States and at the European level;

7. RE-EMPHASISES the importance of an effective synergy with
all, both internal and external, other relevant areas and
actions of the Community;

8. STRESSES that culture is a powerful vector of integration

and of social inclusion;

9. RECOGNISES the work already initiated in the Member
States and by the European Commission and STRESSES
that an extra effort needs to be made to include culture
in other sectors with the aim of placing culture at the
heart of European integration;

10.

INVITES the Commission, subject
to timely information
from all Member States, to submit by the end of 2003 a
communication on the cultural dimension of EU Structural
Funds for the period 1994 to 1999, while awaiting with
interest the third Commission report on economic and
social cohesion as well as the mid-term evaluation of the
Structural Funds;

11. LOOKS FORWARD to a reflection, in 2004, to be led by the
Commission on the basis of the abovementioned elements,
which will consider how the contribution of culture to
economic and social cohesion could be reinforced;

(4) OJ C 13, 18.1.2003.

C 136/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

11.6.2003

12.

INVITES the Member States and the Commission within
their respective competencies and responsibilities,

— to enhance synergies with Community areas and
activities other than cultural ones from the earliest
possible stage of preparation of any action or policy
to its implementation, through an assessment of these
actions at all appropriate levels,

— to examine the methods through which the exchange
of good practices in relation to the economic and
could be developed,
social dimension of culture
including the contribution of cultural activities
to
inclusion and to the promotion of cultural
social
diversity;

13. AGREES that the Council, by the end of 2004, should take

stock of the follow-up to this Resolution.

DECLARATION OF THE COUNCIL

of 26 May 2003

on the tragic destruction of cultural goods, archaeological sites, monuments and libraries in Iraq

The Council of the European Union,

(2003/C 136/02)

— expresses its deepest concern at the tragic destruction of cultural goods, archaeological sites, and
monuments of irreplaceable historical value in Iraq and the vandalism and looting of the museums
and libraries of vital importance not only to Iraq but to the whole world,

— confirms that a basic principle ruling the EU as a community of cultural values and sensitivities is the

respect and protection of world cultural heritage,

— stresses the need to protect in an efficient way the cultural goods of Iraq and to return the objects
illegally removed from museums or archaeological sites, without allowing them to become objects of
trade ending up in foreign museums or private collections.

The Council declares the European Union's active support of UNESCO's related initiatives and actions as
well as its support of governmental and non-governmental organisations aiming at protecting Iraq's
cultural heritage as part of the world's cultural heritage.