Recommendation for a Council Decision on the European Capital of Culture event for the year 2009
Date: 2005-10-18
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Austria, European cultural event, Lithuania, accession to the European Union, capital city, town

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 18.10.2005 
COM(2005) 508 final 

Recommendation for a  

COUNCIL DECISION 

on the European Capital of Culture event for the year 2009 

(presented by the Commission) 

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

Decision  1419/1999/EC  of  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  of  25  May  1999 
establishing a Community action for the European Capital of Culture event for the years 2005 
to  20191,  lays  down  the  procedure  of  designation  of  the  European  Capital  of  Cultural  from 
2005  and  onwards.  Annex  1  of  this  Decision  sets  out  the  list  of  Member  States  entitled  to 
propose cities for the title. The ten new Member States, which joined the EU on 1 May 2004, 
were  not  included  in  this  list.  The  Commission,  therefore,  submitted  a  proposal  to  amend 
Decision  1419/1999/EC  to  enable  the  new  Member  States  to  propose  an  ECOC  from  2009. 
This  proposal  was  adopted  by  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  on  13  April  2005 
(Decision  649/2005/EC).  According  to  Article  2  of  Decision  1419/1999/EC  modified  by 
Decision 649/2005/EC, from 2009 onwards, two cities of two Member States (one from the 
EUR-15,  one  from  the  new  Member  States)  will  be  designated  as  European  Capitals  of 
Culture, in turn, according to the chronological order set out in Annex I to the Decision.  

The nominations are notified to the European Parliament, the Council, the Commission and 
the Committee of the Regions by the Member States concerned no later than four years before 
the event in question is due to begin.  

The Commission, each year, forms a selection panel which issues a report on the nominations 
judged  against  the  objectives  and  characteristics  of  this  action.  The  selection  panel  is 
composed of leading independent figures who are experts on the cultural sector. The selection 
panel submits its report to the Commission, the European Parliament and the Council.  

The European Parliament may forward an opinion to the Commission on the nominations no 
later  than  3  months  after  receipt  of  the  report.  For  2009,  the  European  Parliament  did  not 
forward any opinion2 

The Council, acting on a recommendation from the Commission drawn up in the light of the 
selection panel’s report, officially designates the cities in question for the year for which they 
have been nominated.  

In  accordance  with  article  2  and  Annex  I,  Austria  and  Lithuania  notified  the  nomination  of 
Linz and Vilnius respectively.  

The selection panel met on 14th April 2005 to examine both nominations. This examination 
included hearings of representatives from Linz and Vilnius. The panel submitted its report to 
the  Commission  on  the  29th  of  April  2005  ;  on  the  request  of  the  panel,  the  Commission 
forwarded it to the other Institutions.  

On the basis of an overall evaluation of, and the panel’s recommendations to the applications 
from both the nominated cities, the panel – while asking for some improvement in the areas 
commented upon in the report – agreed unanimously to recommend to the Institutions of the 
European Union that Linz and Vilnius host the European Capitals of Culture in 2009. 

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2 

OJ L 166 of 1.7.1999, p. 1. 
See « Report on the Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending 
Decision  1419/1999/EC »,  Rapporteur  Michel  Rocard,  PE  334.052,  Explanatory  Memorandum, 
page 10. 

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In  conclusion,  the  Commission,  in  accordance  with  Article  2,  paragraph  3  of  Decision 
1419/1999/EC  modified  by  Decision  649/2005/EC  submits  to  the  Council  the  appended 
recommendation for the official designation of Linz and Vilnius respectively for the European 
Capital of Culture event 2009. 

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Recommendation for a  

COUNCIL DECISION 

on the European Capital of Culture event for the year 2009 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, 

Having  regard  to  Decision  n°  1419/1999/EC  modified  by  Decision  n°  649/2005/EC  of  the 
European  Parliament  and  the  Council  establishing  a  Community  action  for  the  European 
Capital of Culture event for the years 2005 to 20193, and in particular its article 2.3, 

Having regard to the Selection Panel report of April 2005 submitted to the Commission, the 
European  Parliament,  the  Council  in  accordance  with  Article  2  paragraph  2  of  Decision 
1419/1999/EC modified by Decision 649/2005/EC, 

Considering that the criteria laid down in article 3 and annex II of the Decision 1419/1999/EC 
modified by Decision n° 649/2005/EC are entirely fulfilled, 

Having regard to the recommendation from the Commission of the ----------------- 2005,  

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 

Article 1 

Linz  and  Vilnius  are  designated  as  “European  Capital  of  Culture  2009”  in  accordance  with 
Article 2 paragraph 1 of Decision 1419/1999/EC modified by Decision 649/2005/EC. 

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OJ L 166 of 1.7.1999, p. 1 and OJ L 117 of 4.05.2005, p.20. 

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Article 2 

Both  cities  designated  shall  take  the  necessary  measures  in  order  to  ensure  the  effective 
implementation  of  Articles  1  and  5  of  Decision  1419/1999/EC  modified  by  Decision 
649/2005/EC. 

Done at Brussels,  

For the Council 
The President 

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