Brussels, 15/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - Europa Nostra, the pan-European association for cultural heritage, organised on 7 December in cooperation with the Economic and Social Committee (ESC), a forum entitled “Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe”, attended by representatives of private and public organisations, the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of Europe. Debates tackled several aspects of cultural heritage, mainly in relation to questions of citizenship and sustainable economic and social development. Discussions resulted in the following conclusions: - the cultural heritage contributes to the building of Europe. “Cultural heritage is a bridge between past, present and future”, Harald Hartung, Head of the “Culture” Unit at the European Commission, stressed; - the lack of means available to cultural associations, often non-profit making, is evident and shows that this sector is not a priority for national authorities. “It is alarming that, for example, the car industry in Europe has 12 million employees, whereas institutions connected with duty to care for cultural heritage have 8 million employees”, said Terje Nypan, the chairman of the working group on the impact of European legislation on cultural heritage; - the protection of cultural heritage must be closely linked to the management of the environment in which the monuments to be protected are to be found. “We have to focus on cultural heritage in particular regions and support its regional development”, said Everardus Hartog of the Commission's Thematic Development Unit; - Member States must do more for culture, by carrying out their promises. “It is necessary to pay much more attention to culture. Make a system of financing - structural funds - more simple to use”, Culture Commissioner Jan Figel stressed. The president of the Economic and Social Committee, Anne-Marie Sigmund, stressed the importance that the Committee pays and will always pay to culture, the essential factor of social cohesion. She noted that culture creates a collective identity and social realities, and that culture characterises the state of a social community.