Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision 1419/1999/EC establishing a Community action for the European Capital of Culture event for the years 2005 to 2019
Date: 2004-04-21
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: European cultural event, accession to the European Union

30.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 121/15

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘Proposal for a Decision of the European
Parliament and of the Council amending Decision 1419/1999/EC establishing a Community action
for the “European Capital of Culture” event for the years 2005 to 2019’

(2004/C 121/04)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

Having regard to the ‘Proposal from the European Commission for a Decision of the European Parliament
and of the Council amending Decision 1419/1999/EC establishing a Community action for the “European
Capital of Culture” event for the years 2005 to 2019’ (COM(2003) 700 final — 2003/0274 (COD));

Having regard to the decision of the Council of 3 December 2003 to consult it on this subject under the
fifth paragraph of Article 151 of the Treaty establishing the European Community;

Having regard to the decision of its President of 6 November 2004 to instruct its Commission for Culture
and Education to draw up an opinion on this subject;

Having regard to the draft Report of the European Parliament's Committee on Culture, Youth, Education,
the Media and Sport on COM(2003) 700 final;

Having regard to Decision 1419/1999/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999
establishing a Community action for the European Capital of Culture event for the years 2005 to 2019;

Having regard to its opinion on the Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision establishing
a Community initiative for The European Capital of Culture event (CdR 448/97 fin) (1);

Having regard to its draft opinion (CdR 393/2003 rev. 1) adopted on 19 February 2004 by its Commission
for Culture and Education (Rapporteur: Mrs Annette McNamara, Member of Cork County Council and the
South West Regional Authority (IE/EA);

unanimously adopted the following Opinion at its 54th Plenary Session of 21-22 April 2004 (meeting of
21 April).

1. The Committee of the Regions' views

On the European Capital of Culture

The Committee of the Regions

1.1
considers that the European Capitals of Culture event is
an ideal platform to showcase, support, enrich and experience
the wider cultural perspective that will come with the enlarge-
ment of the Union;

1.2
highlights the huge benefits, not just cultural benefits,
and the legacy which cities experience on being designated the
Capital of Culture.

On the European Commission's amending proposal

The Committee of the Regions

also recognises that

1.4
is the result of a
process of consultation with the existing and new Member
States;

this proposal

however,

1.5
in welcoming the intention of the proposal,
the Committee strongly emphasises that all Member States,
regardless of the date of their accession to the Union, are
treated as equal and that the proposed changes to Decision
1419/1999 should not be seen as an attempt, or be used, to
distinguish between the Member States;

1.6
nonetheless, considers that the European Commission
should have also given greater consideration to the selection
process and its implementation in making amendments to
Decision 1419/1999/EC;

1.3
welcomes the intention of the European Commission's
amending proposal to allow the new Member States to partici-
pate in the European Capital of Culture event at the earliest
possible opportunity, to avoid having to wait until 2020 to up-
date a new chronological order for their involvement;

(1) OJ C 180, 11.6.1998, p. 70.

is aware that designating two Capitals of Culture per
1.7
year from 2009 may be seen as diminishing the status of the
European Capital of Culture but on reflection considers that
such a proposal is the most favourable solution for involving
cities from the new Member States at the earliest opportunity
list of nominating
and maintaining the agreed chronological
Member States (Annex I of Decision 1419/1999/EC), some of
whose cities may currently be making preparations with a view
to being a nominated city;

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Official Journal of the European Union

30.4.2004

further considers

1.8
that designating two Capitals of
Culture may better reflect the wealth and diversity of Europe's
cultures, especially following enlargement of the Union;

1.14
is however, concerned about the use of this selection
process and in particular the approach that a number of
Member States have taken in making nominations;

1.9
is concerned that the amended Annex of nominating
Member States makes no provision for further enlargements of
the Union and asks the European Commission to clarify the
situation for the current Candidate and Applicant States;

1.10
feels that placing an emphasis on creating synergies
between the cultural programmes and events of the two Capi-
tals of Culture will be a valuable means of quickening integra-
tion,
fostering understanding and developing the European
identity, as well as promoting a greater mutual acquaintance
between European citizens
(as per Article 1 Decision
1419/1999/EC). Furthermore, the Committee feels that having
two Capitals of Culture introduces an element of competition
which should provide some inspiration for raising the quality
and artistic production in the cities' cultural programmes. The
Committee therefore calls for the need to develop synergies
between the cities to be included as a criterion in the selection
process;

1.15
would like to underline the importance of the Euro-
pean dimension of the Capital of Culture event. This, it feels,
may not always be the strongest aspect of nominated cities, as
national considerations may come more into play when
Member States make their nominations. The Committee there-
fore feels it is important that selection better corresponds to
the objectives and characteristics of the European Capital of
Culture;

1.16
requests all Member States (both existing and new) in
making nominations for the European Capital of Culture event,
to submit, where possible, more than one nomination to allow
the selection process established under Decision 1419/1999/EC
to finalise the most suitable candidate based on the established
criteria. The Committee considers that failure to do so renders
this selection process, with its representative selection panel,
effectively redundant and potentially undermines the European
dimension of the event;

1.11
considers that designating two European Capitals of
Culture per year requires that the Capital of Culture event will
require additional budgetary resources to ensure that the stand-
ard and quality of the cultural programmes and events of the
two cities is not diminished because of a reduction in financial
support for the designated cities.

is pleased to be a member of the selection panel but is
1.17
disappointed with how this panel has been under-used hereto-
fore. The Committee would however,
like to emphasise the
appropriateness of its involvement and its desire to continue to
have meaningful involvement in the selection process in the
future.

On the selection procedure

2. The Committee of the Regions' recommendations

The Committee of the Regions

The Committee of the Regions

considers that with the proposed changes to Decision
1.12
1419/1999/EC it
to make a number of
comments on the selection process for the European Capital of
Culture;

is appropriate

1.13
continues to believe that the selection procedure and
structure established under Decision 1419/1999 is, in principle,
a good one, in that it allows for an independent selection panel
to assess nominations and make recommendations based on
transparent criteria,
interviews with representatives of, and
visits to, the nominated cities;

strongly requests that

2.1
it be actively involved in the
discussion exercise, which the European Commission intends
to launch, on the procedures and methods used to select the
European Capital of Culture and calls on the European
Commission to launch this exercise as a matter of urgency;

2.2
requests all Member States (both existing and new) in
making nominations for the European Capital of Culture event,
to submit, where possible, more than one nomination.

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Article 2 (1)

COM(2003) 700 final

Text proposed by the Commission
Article 2(1) COM(2003) 700 final

CoR amendment

Cities in Member States shall be designated as ‘European
Capital of Culture’, in turn, as set out in the list appearing
in Annex I. Up until 2008 inclusive the designation shall
apply to one city of the Member State appearing on the
list. From 2009 onwards, the designation shall apply to
one city of each of the Member States appearing on the
list. The chronological order set out in Annex I may be
altered by mutual agreement between the Member States
concerned. Each Member State involved shall submit, in
turn, its nomination of one or more cities to the European
parliament,
the Commission and the
Committee of
the Regions. This nomination shall be
submitted no later than four years before the event in
question is due to begin and may be accompanied by a
recommendation from the Member State concerned.

the Council,

Cities in Member States shall be designated as ‘European
Capital of Culture’, in turn, as set out in the list appearing
in Annex I. Up until 2008 inclusive the designation shall
apply to one city of the Member State appearing on the
list. From 2009 onwards, the designation shall apply to
one city of each of the Member States appearing on the
list. The chronological order set out in Annex I may be
altered by mutual agreement between the Member States
concerned. Each Member State involved shall submit, in
turn, at least two nominations of cities its nomination of
the
one or more cities
Council,
the
Regions. Theseis nominations shall be submitted no later
than four years before the event in question is due to
begin and may be accompanied by a recommendation
from the Member State concerned.

to the European parliament,
the Commission and the Committee of

calls for a criterion to be included in the selection process with the intention of creating synergies

2.3
between the cultural programmes and events of the two Capitals of Culture;

Article 2 (2)

(Decision 1419/1999/EC)

Text proposed by the Commission
Article 2 (2) (Decision 1419/1999/EC)

CoR amendment

The Commission shall each year form a selection panel
which shall issue a report on the nomination or nomina-
tions judged against the objectives and characteristics of
this action. The selection panel shall be composed of seven
leading independent
figures who are experts on the
cultural sector, of whom two shall be appointed by the
European Parliament, two by the Council, two by the
Commission and one by the Committee of the Regions.
The selection panel shall submit its report to the Commis-
sion, the European Parliament and the Council.

The Commission shall each year form a selection panel
which shall issue a report on the nomination or nomina-
tions judged against the objectives and characteristics of
this action, with recommendations on how the two desig-
nated cities may develop synergies between their respective
cultural programmes. The
shall be
composed of seven leading independent figures who are
experts on the cultural sector, of whom two shall be
appointed by the European Parliament,
two by the
two by the Commission and one by the
Council,
Committee of
the Regions. The selection panel shall
submit its report to the Commission, the European Parlia-
ment and the Council.

selection panel

Brussels, 21 April 2004

The President

of the Committee of the
Regions

Peter STRAUB