Brussels, 20/06/2001 (Agence Europe) - The Culture Council held on Thursday in Luxembourg under the chairmanship of Marita Ulvskog will be devoted to audiovisual issues, mainly from the angle of State aid to public television and to cinema. The European Commission, which was represented during the morning by Commissioner Viviane Reding, will report on the public service media issues, the implementation of the Media Plus programme and its future communication on the legal aspects of the cinema sector. The Council will adopt conclusions on the protection of minors and on human dignity. In the field of culture, it will adopt a resolution on the situation of artists in the context of enlargement. It will be a question of a certain number of information points covering application of the legal texts on the return of cultural goods, the nomination of a jury on the European Culture Capital and the Culture 2000 programme. Points on the agenda are:
- Protection of minors and human dignity. Adoption of conclusions on a report by the Commission (of 27 February), which calls for effort to be renewed in order to ensure a coherent approach to the protection of minors and human dignity on the Internet, in programmes or video games. The conclusions should encourage the Member States to diffuse the results of the 1998 Recommendation on the protection of minors among users, consumers, industry and the authorities.
- Exchange of information/experience with candidate countries. Adoption of a resolution for strengthening the exchange of information between the EU and candidate countries in the audiovisual field, in order to facilitate negotiations underway.
- Important legal aspects relating to the cinema and audiovisual industry. Oral report by Commissioner Viviane Reding, followed by an exchange of views between the ministers, on a communication expected for the second half of this year. The communications deals with legal issues such as the circulation of audiovisual works and the impact of new technologies on the sector, some taxation issues, financial incentives and State aid schemes. The essential part of the debate should be on the question of State aid granted to cinematographic works.
- Public service television. Private television channels have been filing complaints for several years now with the European Commission. They reproach Member States for not respecting the competition rules on criteria applicable to State aid to public television channels. The ministers will hold a debate on the principles and the timetable for adopting a communication that the Commission is preparing on this subject. One Swedish diplomat specified on Wednesday that the "Presidency does not intend to fuel the debate".
- Situation of artists. Adoption of a resolution on the professional situation of artists, in the context of enlargement.
- Return of "pillaged" cultural works to a Member State. An exchange of views, after one year, on the application of Regulation 3911/92 concerning exports of cultural goods and Directive 93/7EEC relating to the return of cultural goods that have been unlawfully taken from a Member State. These goods are divided into fourteen categories by the directive, which fixes the age of the work and the minimum value as criteria for being qualified as a cultural object. Ministers will discuss on the basis of a Commission report dated 25 May 2000, which recommends certain technical amendments, the updating of the list of objects and strengthened cooperation between administrations.
- Culture 2000 Programme. Ms Reding will inform ministers of the requests for subsidies received in 2001 and on her proposal to better target the programme in 2002. Ministers will hold an exchange of views on this point during lunch.
- Implementation of Media Plus. Information by the Commission on the guidelines for calls for tenders, the financial framework and the selection of the technical assistance bureau.