Brussels, 07/12/2001 (Agence Europe) - The culture ministers of the EU, candidate countries and EEA states met in Bruges on 4 December under the chairmanship of Bert Anciaux (see EUROPE of 3 - 4 December, p.14) where they discussed the functioning and future of the European Culture 2000 framework programme after a speech by Commissioner Viviane Reding and two questions from the Presidency, viz. 1) What value-added can be expected at EU level from the Culture 2000 programme? And 2) How should the next European cultural co-operation programme be designed to mesh regional, national and Community cultural policies?
Since Culture 2000 (based on Article 151 of the Treaty) runs from 2000 to 2004, ministers felt that the new programme should be presented before 2004 which will be the year of the European elections to avoid the risk of the next programme not being able to start on 1 January 2005. The ministers proposed making an assessment of the first two years in 2002 and either extend it until the end of 2004 or put forward a new programme. Ministers tended to favour the second option but asked whether the new programme should take the same form as the current one (ad hoc activities, creation of networks, big "European Capital" type activities, Verdi and Bach Years, etc) or concentrate on key areas. Ms Reding noted that a higher number of applicants had been disappointed with the Culture 2000 programme than in the past with only 20 to 30% of requests being met and much criticism had been made about Culture 2000 (positive criticism according to the Belgian Presidency) such as it being too general. Ms Reding said the priority was medium and long-term activities and big projects which was not opposed by the ministers, but representatives of small Member States expressed fears that their cultural activities would no longer be eligible for the programme and called for a proposal to be presented next year stringing together small projects to give them greater visibility.
Ministers also discussed cultural involvement in the digital world. According to the Belgian Presidency's conclusions, Member States acknowledge that the development of the knowledge-based society is a radical social change with a vital cultural dimension; call for a horizontal strategic approach in all EU Councils to the challenges posed by the information and knowledge-based society; and stress the importance of access for all, particularly for specific target groups (the socially disadvantaged and elderly, etc). The Presidency stressed the need to look into the setting up of a cultural monitoring centre and paying more attention to internet quality and content.