Brussels, 05/11/2001 (Agence Europe) - European Culture Ministers, chaired by Rudy Demotte, had an informal debate over lunch on Monday on the "world intercultural dialogue" following the events of 11 September, and on the contribution culture can make in conflict-prevention. These talks, very consensual and positive, as the French Minister of State for Cultural Heritage and Decentralisation, Michel Duffour said, enabled each Member State to provide details on how they controlled the problem at home.
Ministers adopted two resolutions presented by the Belgian Presidency on: - Culture and the Knowledge-based Society: the aim is to help the setting up of cultural information networks, by studying the development of a European electronic portal (so as to link it up with the digital cultural contents that exist in Member States) and participation of all the public in cultural life and their social insertion through the interactive possibilities offered by the Internet; - the export of cultural goods and the return of cultural goods having been illegally removed from the territory of a Member State: emphasis is placed to enhanced co-operation at all levels (national, Community, international) and in several fields (customs, police, culture).
Finally, ministers debated culture's place in European construction, and adopted a resolution on the subject. To respond to the challenges of globalisation and play in favour of the qualitative development of its society, the EU must provide itself with a cultural project, says the Belgian Presidency The resolution adopted on Monday also places emphasis on the promotion of cultural diversity and on culture's place in the debate on the future of the EU. EUROPE will return to the work of the Council.