Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

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| 23.12.2014 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 463/4 |

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Conclusions of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, on a Work Plan for Culture (2015-2018)

(2014/C 463/02)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE MEMBER STATES, MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL,

I.   INTRODUCTION

RECALLING the objectives assigned to the European Union in the field of culture by Article 167 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU);

RECALLING the Resolution of the Council of 16 November 2007 on a European Agenda for Culture[(1)](#ntr1-C_2014463EN.01000401-E0001) and its strategic objectives, namely the promotion of cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, the promotion of culture as a catalyst for creativity and the promotion of culture as a vital element in the Union’s international relations;

RECALLING the Regulation (EU) No 1295/2013 establishing the Creative Europe Programme (2014 to 2020)[(2)](#ntr2-C_2014463EN.01000401-E0002), and in particular its general objectives which aim at enhancing European cultural and linguistic diversity, promoting Europe’s cultural heritage, and strengthening the competitiveness of the European cultural and creative sectors with a view to promoting smart, sustainable and inclusive growth;

RECALLING the substantial contribution of the cultural and creative sectors to economic, social and regional development, the importance of these sectors to the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and the fact that the discussion of Culture Ministers at the Council meeting on 25 November 2014 will contribute to the Council’s response in the framework of the mid-term review of the strategy planned for 2015;

TAKING NOTE of the results of the work carried out in the framework of the Council Work Plan for Culture 2011-2014[(3)](#ntr3-C_2014463EN.01000401-E0003) as well as the results of the final evaluation carried out by Member States within the Council[(4)](#ntr4-C_2014463EN.01000401-E0004) which form the basis of the Commission’s final report on the implementation and relevance of the 2011-14 Work Plan for Culture[(5)](#ntr5-C_2014463EN.01000401-E0005);

HAVING REGARD to the Council conclusions of 26 November 2012 on Cultural Governance[(6)](#ntr6-C_2014463EN.01000401-E0006) and in particular its provision on regular and early-stage information delivery about EU policies and actions in other policy areas with direct or indirect impact on cultural issues and policies.

AGREE TO:

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| — | establish, with due regard to the principle of subsidiarity, a four year Work Plan for Culture for the period 2015-2018, allowing for a mid-term review; |

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| — | focus activities in the cultural field on the priority themes, key topics, outputs and working methods as listed in this Work Plan; |

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| — | adopt priorities for the Work Plan as set out in Annex I; |

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| — | establish working groups composed of experts appointed by the Member States on the basis of the priorities, principles and mandates defined in Annexes I and II and to follow their work. |

CONSIDER that a four-year Work Plan should be governed by the following guiding principles:

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| a) | to build on the achievements of the previous Work Plan for Culture (2011-2014) while adding to it a more strategic dimension in order to reinforce the link between the Work Plan and the work of the Council and its rotating Presidencies; |

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| b) | to concentrate on topics with a clear EU added value; |

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| c) | to take into account the intrinsic value of culture and the arts to enhance cultural diversity; |

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| d) | to ensure the excellence, innovation and competitiveness of the cultural and creative sectors by promoting the work of artists, creators and cultural professionals and recognising the sectors’ contribution to the goals of the Europe 2020 strategy for growth and jobs, paying particular attention to the digital shift challenges; |

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| e) | to mainstream culture in other policy areas, wherever relevant, in accordance with Article 167(4) TFEU; |

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| f) | to encourage cross-sectorial cooperation; |

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| g) | to ensure synergies with the Creative Europe Programme; |

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| h) | to work towards evidence-based policy. |

II.   PRIORITIES AND WORKING METHODS

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| — | AGREE to pursue the priorities as set in Annex I:   |  |  | | --- | --- | | A. | Accessible and inclusive culture; |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | B. | Cultural heritage; |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | C. | Cultural and creative sectors: creative economy and innovation; |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | D. | Promotion of cultural diversity, culture in EU external relations and mobility. | |

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| — | AGREE that reliable, comparable and up-to-date cultural statistics are the basis of the sound cultural policy-making and therefore statistics are a cross-sectorial priority in this Work Plan; and therefore LOOK FORWARD to the results of the work to be carried out under the auspices of Eurostat in order to ensure the regular production and dissemination of statistics on culture, while taking into account recommendations contained in the ESS-net culture report; |

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| — | AGREE to take stock of the work carried out in the field of culture in EU external relations and on the need to continue working in this area, in cooperation with the European External Action Service and the Commission; |

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| — | AGREE to use different working methods, depending on the purpose and the topic:   |  |  | | --- | --- | | i. | the Open Method of Coordination (OMC), which should remain as the main working method of cooperation among Member States; |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | ii. | informal meetings of officials from Ministries of Culture, including with officials from other Ministries; |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | iii. | ad-hoc expert groups or thematic seminars convened by the Commission to further examine issues related to the Work Plan’s topics and interact with other instruments of the Work Plan; |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | iv. | stock-taking meetings organised by the Commission in the policy areas which were dealt with extensively by the previous work plans for culture; |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | v. | conferences, studies and peer learning initiatives. | |

III.   ACTIONS

INVITE THE MEMBER STATES TO:

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| — | consider, whilst respecting the principle of subsidiarity, the results achieved by this Work Plan when developing policy at national level; |

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| — | disseminate information on the outputs of the Work Plan to interested stakeholders at all levels. |

INVITE THE PRESIDENCIES OF THE COUNCIL TO:

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| — | take into account, in the context of the Trio Presidency, the Work Plan priorities when developing their 18-month programme; |

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| — | inform the Council preparatory body in the field of culture on the work carried out by other Council preparatory bodies that has a direct or indirect impact on cultural issues and policy[(7)](#ntr7-C_2014463EN.01000401-E0007); |

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| — | convene, when appropriate, informal meetings (including those of a joint and cross-sectorial nature) to discuss and take up the outputs obtained through the Work Plan, and to disseminate them widely; |

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| — | consider, on the basis of a final report prepared by the Commission relying on the voluntary contributions from Member States, whether to propose a new Work Plan. |

INVITE THE COMMISSION TO:

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| — | support the Member States and other relevant stakeholders in cooperating within the framework set out in these Conclusions, in particular by:   |  |  | | --- | --- | | a) | supporting the widest possible participation of Member States, as well as experts and other stakeholders, in the working structures referred to in Annex I; |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | b) | supplementing the work of OMC groups with studies as well as peer learning exercises; | |

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| — | disseminate information on the outputs of the Work Plan in as many languages as deemed appropriate, including via digital means e.g. its website; |

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| — | report to the competent preparatory body of the Council in the field of culture at the earliest possible stage about its relevant initiatives, with particular regard to proposals, for which the impact assessment has highlighted a direct or indirect impact on cultural issues[(8)](#ntr8-C_2014463EN.01000401-E0008); |

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| — | ensure mutual exchange of information among OMC groups in the culture field and between them and relevant OMC groups working in related sectors; |

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| — | regularly inform the Council preparatory body in the field of culture on the progress of the work in the area of culture statistics; |

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| — | consult and inform regularly stakeholders at European level, including civil society, on the progress of the Work Plan in order to ensure the relevance and visibility of the activities, including via the European Culture Forum; |

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| — | adopt, before the end of the first half of 2018, and on the basis of voluntary contributions from Member States, a final report on the implementation and relevance of the Work Plan. |

INVITE THE MEMBER STATES AND THE COMMISSION, WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE SPHERES OF COMPETENCE AND WITH DUE REGARD TO THE PRINCIPLE OF SUBSIDIARITY, TO:

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| — | work together in a cooperative and concerted manner by using the working structures and methods specified in these Conclusions in order to deliver added value in the field of culture at EU level; |

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| — | take culture into account when formulating, implementing and evaluating policies and actions in other policy fields, with particular attention to ensuring early and effective inclusion in the policy development process; |

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| — | promote better contribution of culture to the overall goals of the Europe 2020 strategy, given the sector’s role in achieving smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and considering its positive effects on areas such as employment, social inclusion, education and training, tourism, research and innovation, and regional development; |

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| — | promote reading as a tool to spread knowledge, enhance creativity, support access to culture and cultural diversity and develop awareness of a European identity, taking into account the various conditions applied to e-books and physical books; |

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| — | share regularly and at an early stage information about the EU policies and actions with direct or indirect impact on cultural issues and policies and in this regard encourage them to exchange information via digital means, including virtual platforms; |

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| — | foster cooperation with third countries, in particular candidate countries, potential candidate countries and countries of the European neighbourhood policy and with the competent international organisations in the field of culture, including the Council of Europe, including via regular meetings with the third countries concerned; |

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| — | undertake a mid-term review of the implementation of the Work Plan with a view to possible adaptations or reorientation in the light of the results achieved and policy developments at EU level. |

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