Recommendation for a Council Decision on the European Capital of Culture event for the year 2012
Date: 2009-04-08
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Portugal, Slovenia, capital city, cultural event, cultural policy, town

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 8.4.2009 
COM(2009) 167 final 

Recommendation for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

On the European Capital of Culture event for the year 2012 

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

Decision  1622/2006/EC  of  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  of  24  October  2006 
establishing a Community action for the European Capital of Culture event for the years 2007 
to  2019,1  lays  down  the  procedure  of  designation  of  the  European  Capitals  of  Culture. 
According to Article 2 of this Decision, from 2009 onwards, two cities of two Member States 
will  be  designated  as  European  Capitals  of  Culture,  in  turn,  according  to  the  chronological 
order set out in the Annex to the Decision. 

In  accordance  with  Article  14,  the  nomination  for  European  Capitals  of  Culture  concerning 
the year 2012 is submitted to transitional provisions, as follows. 

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  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.  

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  the  Annex,  Portugal  notified  the  nomination  of  Guimarães 
and Slovenia nominated Maribor for the 2012 title before the end of 2007.  

The  selection  panel  met  on  23  April  2008  to  examine  the  nominations.  This  examination 
included  hearings  of  representatives  from  the  candidate  cities.  The  panel  assessed  the 
proposals against the criteria laid down for the event and then invited the cities concerned to 
develop their plans further, to focus more strongly on the main objectives and characteristics 
of the action as defined in Decision 1622/2006/EC, including cultural programmes that have a 
long  term  impact  for  the  city  and  the  region,  and  to  complete  their  application  accordingly. 
The  panel  expected  a  more  detailed  programme,  especially  for  artistic  events  with  a  major 
European dimension2. 

The completed applications were received by the Commission by 30 September 2008 and a 
new selection meeting took place on 5 November 2008. The panel submitted its report to the 
Commission in late November 2008; at the request of the panel, the Commission forwarded 
the report to the other Institutions.  

On the  basis of an  overall evaluation of the applications the panel – while suggesting some 
improvements, notably concerning Maribor's application - reached a consensus to recommend 

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OJ L 304 of 3.11.2006, p1 
See the document called "Information about the selection meeting for the European Capital of Culture 
2012" sent to the cities concerned following the meeting. 

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to  the  Institutions  of  the  European  Union  that  Guimarães  and  Maribor  host  the  European 
Capital of Culture in 2012. 

The  Committee  on  Culture  and  Education  of  the  European  Parliament  forwarded  a  letter  to 
DG EAC on 28 January 2009, as a follow up to the panel’s report, to highlight the relevant 
aspects of the designation of the 2012 European Capitals of culture. 

Consequently,  the  Commission,  in  accordance  with  Article  14  of  Decision  1622/2006/EC 
submits  to  the  Council  the  appended  recommendation  for  the  official  designation  of 
Guimarães and Maribor respectively for the 2012 European Capital of Culture event. 

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Recommendation for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

On the European Capital of Culture event for the year 2012 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, 

Having  regard  to  Decision  n°  1622/2006/EC  of  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council 
establishing a Community action for the European Capital of Culture event for the years 2007 
to 20193, and in particular its Article14, 

Having regard to the Selection Panel report of November 2008 submitted to the Commission, 
the European Parliament, the Council in accordance with Article 14 paragraph 2 of Decision 
n° 1622/2006/EC, 

Considering that the criteria referred to in Article 14 paragraph 3 of Decision 1622/2006/EC 
are entirely fulfilled, 

Having regard to the recommendation from the Commission of the ----------------- 2009, 

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:  

Article 1  

Guimarães and Maribor are designated as “European Capital of Culture 2012” in accordance 
with Article 14 of Decision 1622/2006/EC. 

Done at Brussels,  

For the Council 
The President 

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OJ L 304 of 3.11.2006, p1. 

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