CONCLUSIONS OF THE MINISTERS OF CULTURE MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL of 12 November 1992 on guidelines for Community cultural action (92/C 336/01)

1. The Council and the Ministers of Culture have noted with interest the Commission communication on 'New Prospects for Community Cultural Action', which builds on solid work already accomplished in this area and respects the principles underlying articles concerned with culture in the Treaty on European Union signed at Maastricht on 7 February 1992. The communication has enhanced dialogue between the Council, the Parliament and the Commission on guidelines for Community cultural action, taking into account the continuing predominant role of the Member States in this area and the subsidiarity of Community action.

2. It is essential to establish some ground rules to provide the Commission with a clear working basis for the proposals it will develop in the perspective of the entry into force of the Treaty on European Union. These conclusions focus attention on a number of key issues and approaches to Community cultural action, without defining the precise scope of individual activities.

3. As envisaged in the Treaty on European Union, Community cultural action should respect national and regional diversity and at the same time bring the common cultural heritage to the fore. This implies a coherent approach which focuses on a Community-wide range of actions in order to promote cultural activities with a European dimension in all the Member States and encourage cooperation between them.

Scope of Community cultural action

4. In this respect the Community should develop existing activities as suggested in the Commission communication, including action in different cultural sectors: audiovisual; books and reading; cultural heritage both movable and fixed; and other forms of cultural expression. Future programmes may specifically include: encouraging the activities of European cultural networks (1) of arts practitioners and cultural institutions such as museums, archives, libraries and monuments; encouraging business sponsorship of the arts; exchanges and training of personnel in the cultural field in support of the activities of Member States; increasing awareness of different cultures and safeguarding the Community's linguistic diversity, as well as promoting respect for shared values.

5. It is necessary to maximize the impact of cultural action at the European level within realistic future funding prospects. Community action in this as in other sectors must respect budgetary constraints, and be subject to regular and rigorous evaluation. Actions should not supplant or compete with activities organized at national or regional level, but provide added value and promote interchange between them. Importance is attached to transparency of Community programmes and their accessibility for all European citizens, particularly those who are economically or otherwise deprived, and cultural organizations.

6. Community cultural action should also be coordinated with that of other international fora. The Council and Ministers meeting within the Council have already agreed, in the Resolution of 27 May 1988 (2) on the future organization of their work, that they may invite European countries that are not members of the Community and organizations concerned with European cultural cooperation, especially the Council of Europe, to participate in specific activities of mutual interest. Consequently, the Commission is invited to report regularly on progress concerning concrete projects to the Culture Council of the Community.

Cultural aspects of action under different Treaty provisions

7. Greater account has been taken in recent years of the impact on cultural matters of action under provisions of the Treaty other than cultural ones. This should become a standard practice, and on a case-by-case basis, cultural aspects should be taken into account at the earliest possible stage of preparation of any new action or policy.

8. Ministers of Culture should regularly consider those issues affecting culture which are under examination in other Councils. This should improve effectiveness, coordination, transparency and access in the cultural area, and ensure that the cultural sector plays a full part in and benefits from Community actions in other fields (e.g. structural funds, research, advanced technology, education, tourism.)

Cultural cooperation with third countries

9. While the Member States maintain important bilateral and multilateral cultural programmes, there is also an interest, within the principles of the Treaty on European Union, in Community cultural action with third countries in and outside Europe. Reference is now habitually made to cultural cooperation in general agreements with these countries (including, outside Europe, the Lomé Convention and agreements with various Latin American, Mediterranean and Asian countries). Cultural cooperation with EFTA countries should develop after ratification of the European Economic Area Agreement which includes a declaration on strengthening cultural links. Special efforts should be made in regard to the countries of central and eastern Europe in this time of instability and difficult economic transition for all these countries. The City of Culture programme has a particular role to play. Such Community cultural action will intensify the need for cooperation with international fora as referred to above.

Preparing planned and structured programmes

10. In the interests of clarity and coherence, the Commission is invited to present an annual outline of its proposals for initiatives to be pursued and decisions to be taken in the coming year, for discussion by the Committee on Cultural Affairs.

11. The Council and the Ministers take note of work in progress including:

- the MEDIA programme, which is part of Community audiovisual policy,

- the European campaign for awareness on books and reading to be launched shortly and work in hand on acid paper and the use of permanent paper,

- further development of business sponsorship of the arts,

- the development of networks in the culture field,

- examination of whether greater coordination of archives policy and practice is desirable,

- the development and adaptation of Community support for translation, with priority to translations from lesser-used European languages.

12. They further look forward, amongst actions to be developed, to receiving Commission communications or discussion papers on:

- the cultural heritage (both fixed and movable),

- survey of Community policies with a cultural impact,

- cultural cooperation with third countries and international fora,

- strengthening the dialogue on cultural matters with public authorities and professional interests,

- development and exchange in the area of artistic and literary creation.

13. The Commission should make proposals for planned and structured programmes, allowing for the development of cultural action which promotes the goals of the European Community, supplements Member State action and encourages in particular greater understanding of and respect for each others's culture and values.

(1) Resolution of 14 November 1991 (OJ No C 314, 5. 12. 1991).

(2) OJ No C 197, 27. 7. 1988.