Culture 2000 programme for the period 2000-2004

In adopting the recommendation for the second reading drafted by Mr. Vasco GRACE MOURA (EPP/ED, P) on the "Culture 2000" programme, the European Parliament broadly confirms its previous position by resubmitting a significant number of amendments approved in its first reading, in particular : - the title of the programme : "Culture 2000" should relate explicitly to European cultural policy rather than cultural cooperation; - the financial framework : EUR 250 million instead of Eur 167 million which was proposed by the Council (this amount may be revised, by not more than 20%, in the context of the annual budgetary conciliation procedure); - the report : the drawing up of the report no later than 31.12.2002 on the results of the programme emphasising the socio-economic consequences of the Community's financial support. In addition, the European Parliament emphasises that the programme allows the wider public to participate in culture and not only those active in the cultural sector. It also includes amendments on comitology. The Parliament made a certain number of amendments to the annexes of the proposal which aim to emphasise the following points : - the annual Community support of projects carried out in partnership or in the form of a network must involve operators from at least three Member States; - the support for bringing together and the common work of cultural organisations in view of implementing important quality projects with a European dimension should involve at least five Member States; - the cultural cooperation agreement for the co-production of of cultural events (exhibitions, festivals), promotion cultural sites, study and research projects will cover a maximum period of three years. The European Parliament introduces technical provisions to implement these cultural cooperation agreements. It specifies, in particular, that the financing of these multiannual cultural cooperation agreements receiving Community support for more than one year must submit to the Committee at the end of each year a summary of activities undertaken and of the expenditure on each activity, in order for the Community support to be carried over a period of the project. The annual financing may not be more than EUR 250 million a year. Other details are set out in the annexes, notably those concerning European prizes in the various cultural spheres, such as literature, translation, architecture etc., or support for projects safeguarding cultural heritage which can be described as 'European heritage laboratories'. Lastly, the European Parliament introduces amendments regarding the share-out in percentages of the funds allocated to different activities.�