Brussels, 20/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has published an interim assessment report on the implementation of the “Culture” programme, to establish the extent to which the actions adopted so far have fed into the general objectives of European action in this area. These objectives are: to promote trans-national mobility of cultural actors, to encourage the trans-national movement of cultural and artistic works and products, and to promote intercultural dialogue. In conclusion, the report states that the programme has lived up to the EU's ambitions and met the stated objectives.
The “Culture” programme plays a crucial role in stimulating cross-border cooperation, the promotion of peer learning and the professionalisation of the sector, as well as improving the access of the European citizens to works from other countries, the report stresses. Furthermore, it plays a leading role in respecting Europe's cultural and linguistic diversity and protecting and developing the cultural heritage of the Union. In terms of efficiency, the results and effects anticipated from the programme have by and large come to pass, bringing with them much leverage. The actions supported have reached the general public and increased their access to European culture. The European capitals of culture, more specifically, regularly attract thousands of people, get thousands of volunteers involved and enjoy long-term effects (new infrastructure and cultural activities). Cost remains the main obstacle to international cooperation and, as a result, projects tend not to outlive the period during which subsidies are granted.
The main imbalance within the programme concerns literary translation: although the aid provided has made a considerable contribution to encouraging the circulation of literary works, English and French are the main source languages. This means that more must be done to promote cultural diversity in the field of literary works, by increasing the number of translations into certain major languages, which could then be used as a pivot for downstream translations into yet more languages. As regards the level of efficiency of the procedure for demand and management of the programme, these have improved considerably in comparison to the previous programme, “Culture 2000” . The demand procedure has been clarified and shortened and the administrative requirements simplified. Referring to the durability of the actions, several cooperation projects have given rise to subsequent activities, laying down solid foundations for future actions and bringing about partnerships which are robust enough to last. The cultural and linguistic fragmentation in Europe and the current economic outlook, which is somewhat pessimistic, are elements which compromise the sustainability of the project. As regards the future programme, the assessment report recommends a revision of the objectives to reflect the changes in the situation since its predecessor was designed.
In conclusion, the “Culture” programme has adequately brought about the ambitions of the Union in the cultural field. Slight improvements could be made in a small number of specific areas and, in general, the beneficiaries have been satisfied with the programme. In the future, demand could remain very high, or even increase over the next few years. The Commission intends to take account of the results of this assessment when designing its new programme, for post-2013. (I.L./transl.fl)