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  • 23.05.13 MEPs vote to protect the cultural exception in the EU-USA free trade agreement Read more...
  • 23.05.13 Join Culture Action Europe in the first European Citizens’ Summit ever Read more...
  • 16.05.13 The Chair of the EP CULT committee answers to our call in defense of the ‘Creative Europe’ budget Read more...
  • 02.05.13 President of the 'S&D' group in the EP Hannes Swoboda answers to the cultural and creative sectors' concerns about the future budget of Creative Europe Read more...
  • 23.04.13 CAE member VVC celebrates 40 years of cultural centres in Flanders! Read more...
  • 11.04.13 NEMO publishes letter of concern regarding PSI directive on re-use of public sector information Read more...
  • 08.04.13 Letter to President Barroso signed by more than 250 cultural organisations and artists Read more...
  • 05.04.13 URGENT - Funding for Creative Europe needs your action Read more...
  • 19.03.13 CAE reacts to the EC communication on Rethinking Education jointly with the Access to Culture Platform and EUCIS-LLL Read more...
  • 12.03.13 Internships at Platform for Intercultural Europe Read more...
  • 08.03.13 we are more campaign newsletter #12 Read more...
  • 01.03.13 COMIX4 Project Read more...
  • 12.02.13 Culture Action Europe reacts to Council agreement on future EU budget Read more...
  • 05.02.13 Second Letter to EU Heads of State or government Read more...
  • 25.01.13 The Creative Clash Final Conference will take place on 19 March 2013 at the Goethe Institut in Brussels Read more...
  • 20.12.12 we are more campaign #11 Read more...
  • 30.11.12 CAE joined forces with the CSCG in a letter to EU leaders Read more...
  • 21.11.12 Letter to EU Heads of State and Governments on the occasion of the extraordinary EU summit 22-23 November 2012 Read more...
  • 08.11.12 Culture Action Europe values Ms Silvia Costa’s report on Creative Europe and calls on the EU institutions to support the proposed budget increase and to reach a first-reading agreement Read more...
  • 12.10.12 we are more campagin newsletter #10 Read more...
  • 10.10.12 Launch of BOZAR and CAE collaboration Read more...
  • 03.10.12 Culture Action Europe’s Conference and General Assembly ‘Act for culture, act for Europe’ – Brussels 9-11 November 2012 Read more...
  • 03.10.12 New EC communication on "Promoting cultural and creative sectors for growth and jobs in the EU" Read more...
  • 04.09.12 CAE is looking for a new intern Read more...
  • 30.07.12 EFA and its partners of the Access to Culture Platform’s Working Group on Audience Participation call for contributions Read more...
  • 24.07.12 Tandem – Moldova-European Union-Ukraine video now available online! Read more...
  • 23.07.12 we are more campaign newsletter #9 Read more...
  • 18.06.12 Sostenuto – Culture as a factor of economic and social innovation: final press conference Read more...
  • 24.05.12 VIVA IL LIVE! 4.0 and 2nd ARCI ReAL meeting Read more...
  • 22.05.12 European Year of Citizens 2013 Alliance - Manifesto published Read more...
  • 22.05.12 Culture Action Europe values the position adopted by the EU Council of Culture Ministers on the Creative Europe programme Read more...
  • 21.05.12 Festival «art links/l’art crée du lien», on thursday 24th and Friday 25 th in Brussels Read more...
  • 10.05.12 Civil society voices reached the EU Council of Culture Ministers Read more...
  • 30.04.12 'we are more' campaign newsletter #8 Read more...
  • 11.04.12 Banlieues d'Europe organizes a debate on the we are more campaign Read more...
  • 03.04.12 Conference on the role of culture in the inclusion of Roma minorities Read more...
  • 22.03.12 Sign petition to save the only public institution for contemporary dance in Slovenia! Read more...
  • 01.03.12 Warm welcome to our new Secretary General Luca Bergamo! Read more...
  • 22.02.12 'we are more' newsletter #7 Read more...
  • 19.12.11 'we are more' newsletter #6 Read more...
  • 03.10.11 'we are more' newsletter #5 Read more...
  • 16.08.11 Job position at EBLIDA Read more...
  • 07.07.11 'we are more' campagin newsletter #4 2011 special edition on budget is now online Read more...
  • 14.06.11 Artists and social inclusion: A Greens/EFA conference Read more...
  • 26.05.11 'we are more' newsletter #3 Read more...
  • 31.03.11 Summary of the position paper on the Culture Programme Read more...
  • 22.03.11 Remix the docks! Read more...
  • 10.02.11 'we are more' newsletter #2 Read more...
  • 16.12.10 Call for organisations to participate in Cultural Cooperation with Moldova and Ukraine Read more...
  • 09.12.10 'we are more' campaign: demands on the Culture Programme Read more...
  • 09.12.10 'we are more' newsletter #1 Read more...
  • 18.10.10 Culture's contribution to social inclusion Read more...
  • 12.10.10 'we are more' campaign launched! Read more...
  • 22.09.10 Culture Action Europe Newsletter #4 2010 Read more...
  • 22.09.10 Reflections on the challenges facing society today and how culture may offer answers to them Read more...
  • 06.09.10 LabforCulture reports live from the 'Culture and Policies of Change' conference in Brussels Read more...
  • 04.08.10 Members General Assembly and Culture Action Europe Conference 7-9 October 2010 in Brussels Read more...
  • 14.07.10 OMC working group reports have been published Read more...
  • 17.06.10 Culture Action Europe Newsletter #3 2010 Read more...
  • 06.05.10 The Platform for Intercultural Europe is recruting Read more...
  • 14.04.10 Culture Action Europe Newsletter #2 2010 Read more...
  • 12.04.10 The EU 2020 strategy: analysis and perspectives Read more...
  • 31.03.10 Culture Action Europe is looking for a translation intern Read more...
  • 29.03.10 Members’ meetings and policy consultation Read more...
  • 17.03.10 Already 6 new members in 2010! Read more...
  • 10.02.10 Culture Action Europe Newsletter #1 2010 Read more...
  • 10.02.10 Renewed EU commitmment to combating poverty and social exclusion – what perspectives for the Year? Read more...
  • 08.02.10 EP Hearing – Androulla Vassiliou Commisioner-Desginate for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth Read more...
  • 14.01.10 Our contribution to the EC consultation on the future EU 2020 strategy Read more...
  • 11.01.10 Our contribution to the EC consultation on financial regulation Read more...
  • 07.12.09 Culture Action Europe Newsletter #8 Read more...
  • 18.08.09 Post elections analysis – to know more about the composition of the new European Parliament and of the new Culture Committee Read more...
Culture Action Europe values the position adopted by the EU Council of Culture Ministers on the Creative Europe programme Print

The EU Council of Culture Ministers met under the Danish Presidency on the 10th and 11th of May, in Brussels, and adopted a position on the legal basis proposal for a Creative Europe Programme. Through this "partial general approach" the Council of Culture Ministers not only expresses strong support for the proposal; it also clearly acknowledges the contribution that culture can play in helping Europe to recover from its crisis. The document results from both internal discussions within the European Council and with the European Commission which have led to several clarifications of the legal basis and which take into account many of the demands that, in the past months, Culture Action Europe (CAE) has given voice to.

 

The improvements adopted by the EU Council of Culture Ministers encompass a better balance between the recognition of the economic dimension and the intrinsic and social value of arts and culture (art. 5.a); the adoption of the access to culture and creative works as an objective for the whole Programme with a particular focus on children, young people and underrepresented groups (art. 5.b); the explicit inclusion of museums and literature as components of the cultural and creative sector (art. 2.1); the recognition of the specific role of European networks (art 10.1b); the replacement of the initial audience building notion with the one of audience development; the explicit inclusion of micro enterprises in the definition of SMEs (art. 2.4) and a balanced focus on non-for-profit projects for the cultural strand (art. 10.2).

 

Although conditioned to the approval of the EU multi-annual financial framework for the period 2014-2020, a clear budget share has been also proposed. This foresees the allocation of 30% of the total sum to the cultural strand (art. 19.1a) thus proposing a substantial increase of the European budget for culture compared to the one allocated for the previous 2007-2013 period.


Last but not least, some valuable changes leading to the introduction of additional qualitative indicators to measure the impact of the Programme, such as those included in articles 14.1 and 14.1a, have been adopted clearly echoing proposals put forward by CAE as well.

 

However, some debatable changes have also been introduced by the EU Council of Culture Ministers with regard to the implementation procedures that might impact negatively on the objective of procedural simplification strongly supported by beneficiaries and civil society organizations at large. The changes introduced to articles 18.2 and 18.3, geared to increase the Member States' jurisdiction regarding the Programme, imply complicated procedures for the adoption of implementing acts such as the "Annual Work Plan" and, more warningly, the "General guidelines for the implementation".

 

Therefore, CAE will now strengthen its activity targeted at the European Parliament in order to consolidate the achievements made in this "Partial general approach", promote additional changes to meet the remaining demands for adjustments and, where necessary, to put the controversial elements under analysis.


With reference to the demands yet to be met CAE action will, in particular, aim at ensuring the eligibility of projects including risk-taking and experimentation components, a more explicit recognition of the value of equal opportunity to access, produce and participate in cultural life also as a component of the broader human right to culture and a wider scope for a closer dialogue between the European Commission and civil society stakeholders in the process leading to the implementation of the Programme.

 

CAE will also urge all major institutional actors to engage for a quick approval of the innovative Financial Facility, duly clarified.

 

The early and overall positive outcome of this initial phase of the legislative process is an important step in which civil society is called to build on more action and engagement at grass roots-level as well.

 

The approval of the final proposal by the European Parliament and Council, resulting from a fast paced and constructive dialogue between the different actors involved, will be an asset when the discussions will later revolve around the budget.

 

Indeed, the European Commission's budget proposal for the Creative Europe Programme will be threatened from many directions but the step forward taken in daring to increase the EU cultural budget at this time of crisis must be acknowledged and cannot be undone: it is a sum too small to be an important part of any negotiated budget cuts and it is an idea too great to be dealt away with just a sigh.

 

Therefore, while reiterating its full commitment to this endeavour, Culture Action Europe calls on all those who care about culture and its contribution to fostering new and sustainable developmental models for our societies to engage and mobilize also by joining the 'we are more - act for culture in Europe' campaign (www.wearemore.eu).