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Action in the field of culture: Culture 2007 programme (2007-2013)

2004/0150(COD)

PURPOSE: to establish the Culture Programme 2007-2013.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision 1855/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Culture Programme (2007-2013).

BACKGROUND: with the adoption of the new financial framework for the period 2007-2013, a series of new programmes in the field of youth, culture and European citizenship were adopted, consolidating, reforming and improving the access procedures and the implementation of these policies. This programme, which takes over from the Culture 2000 programme (see COD/1998/0169), itself extended until 2006 (COD/2003/0076 as well as the Community action programme to promote organisations active at European level in the field of culture (COD/2003/0115), is part of this new architecture and consolidates the existing actions in a single programme. Culture 2007 will also be complementary from a budgetary point of view to the new programmes in the field of citizenship and culture which are:

  • Europe for citizens
  • MEDIA 2007 and
  • Youth in action.

CONTENT: with a budget of EUR 400 million for the 2007-2013 period, the Culture programme will be open to all cultural sectors and all categories of cultural operators. As requested by the European Parliament, the programme will also enhance the cultural area shared by Europeans, based on a common cultural heritage by the development of cultural cooperation between creators, cultural actors and cultural institutions in the countries participating in the programme, with a view to promoting European citizenship. The specific objectives of the programme are: i) to promote cross-border cultural activities; ii) to encourage the cross-border circulation of works of art; and iii) to encourage inter-cultural dialogue.

Contribution to other Community objectives: the programme will also contribute to strengthening transversal objectives of the Community which are the defence of the basic right to freedom of expression, the promotion of awareness of sustainable development in Europe, mutual understanding and tolerance within the Union and the fight against all forms of discrimination. On the operational level, the objectives will be implemented via the following concrete actions:

  • support for cultural actions, in the form of a) multi-annual cooperation projects, b)cooperation measures, or c) special actions;
  • support for bodies active at European level in the field of culture;
  • support for analyses and the collection and dissemination of information and for activities maximising the impact of projects in the field of European cultural cooperation and European cultural policy development.

Fields of action:

- Strand 1: support for cultural actions. This strand covers three types of projects:

  • 1.a) support for multi-annual cooperation projects: these are sustainable and structured cultural cooperation projects in order to bring together the specific quality and expertise of cultural operators throughout the whole of Europe. This support is intended to assist the cooperation projects in their start-up and structuring phase or in their geographical extension phase. Each cooperation project shall involve at least six operators from six different countries participating in the Programme. The cooperation projects shall be selected following calls for proposals. Community support may not exceed 50 % of the project budget and shall be degressive in nature. It may not exceed EUR 500 000 per year for all activities of the cooperation projects. This support shall be granted for a period of three to five years. By way of illustration, approximately 32 % of the total budget allocated to the Programme shall be devoted to this type of support.
  • 1.b) cooperation measures: these are sectoral or cross-sectoral cultural cooperation actions between European operators. Priority shall be given to creativity and innovation. Each action shall be designed and carried out in partnership by at least three cultural operators in three different participating countries, whether or not these operators come from one or more sectors. Actions shall be selected following calls for proposals. Community support may not exceed 50 % of the project budget. It may not be less than EUR 50 000 nor more than EUR 200 000. This support shall be granted for a maximum of 2 years. Special conditions apply to take account of the specific conditions of literary translation. By way of illustration, approximately 29 % of the total budget allocated to the Programme shall be devoted to this type of support.
  • 1.c) special actions: these actions shall be special in that they should be substantial in scale and scope, strike a significant chord with the peoples of Europe and help to increase their sense of belonging to the same community, make them aware of the cultural diversity of Member States, and also contribute to intercultural and international dialogue. These special actions shall also help to raise the visibility of Community cultural action both within and beyond the European Union. They shall also contribute to raising global awareness of the wealth and diversity of European culture. Significant support will be given to the ‘European Capitals of Culture’ in order to help implement activities stressing European visibility and trans-European cultural cooperation. Special actions may also include the awarding of prizes, in so far as they highlight artists, works or cultural or artistic achievements, make them known beyond national borders and thus encourage mobility and exchanges. The selection procedures for special actions will depend on the action in question. Community support may not exceed 60 % of the project budget. By way of illustration, approximately 16 % of the total budget allocated to the Programme shall be devoted to this type of support.

- Strand 2: support for cultural bodies active at a European level. Support will take over from existing support under specific budget lines (in particular, as a follow-up to the support programme provided for under Decision 792/2004/EC). Support shall take the form of an operating grant to co-finance expenditure associated with the permanent work programme of a body which pursues an aim of general European interest in the field of culture or an objective forming part of the Union's policy in this area. These bodies must present a real European dimension. In this regard, they must carry out their activities at European level, alone or in the form of various coordinated associations, and their structure (registered members) and activities must have a potential influence at European Union level or cover at least seven European countries. Provision shall be made for these grants to be awarded on the basis of annual calls for proposals. By way of illustration, approximately 10 % of the total budget allocated to the Programme shall be devoted to this strand. The total operating grant awarded under this strand may not exceed 80 % of the body's admissible expenditure for the year in which the grant is awarded.

- Strand 3:support for analyses and for the collection and dissemination of information and for maximising the impact of projects in the field of cultural cooperation: Cultural contact points would promote the programme, facilitate access to it, as well as encourage participation in its activities by as many professionals and operators in the cultural field as possible, by means of an effective dissemination of information and by developing appropriate networking initiatives between themselves. They would also provide an efficient link with the various institutions providing aid to the cultural sector in Member States, thus contributing to complementarity between the measures taken under the Programme and national support measures. There would also be support for analyses in the field of cultural cooperation and European cultural policy development to increase the volume and quality of information and data to develop comparative data and analysis on cultural cooperation at European level, particularly with regard to the mobility of creators and cultural players, the circulation of works of art and artistic and cultural products and intercultural dialogue. Lastly, there would be support for the collection and dissemination of information and for maximising the impact of projects in the field of cultural cooperation. By way of illustration, approximately 5 % of the total budget allocated to the Programme shall be devoted to this strand.

Eligible bodies: The Programme shall be open to the participation of non-audiovisual cultural industries, in particular small cultural enterprises, where such industries are acting in a non-profitmaking cultural capacity. All types of participants are eligible: administrations, networks, cultural associations, companies in the culture sector, etc.

Implementation: the implementing measures have been simplified and rationalised. Application forms and submission procedures have been simplified making the funding process more transparent. Depending on the nature of the action, flat-rate financing and/or the application of unit cost rates may be authorised. 8% of the programme budget will be devoted to its management.

Cultural contact points: on Parliament’s insistence, the decision provides for the setting up of cultural contact points which shall act as implementing bodies for the dissemination of information on the Programme at national level. These contact points will be required to have an adequate number of staff, with professional and linguistic capacities appropriate for work in an environment of international cooperation, to have an appropriate infrastructure, in particular as regards information and communications technology and to operate in an administrative context which enables them to carry out their tasks satisfactorily.

Third countries: the programme will be open to the EFTA countries; candidate countries and countries of the Western Balkans. In addition, the programme will permit joint actions with international organisation, such as UNESCO and the Council of Europe.

Complementarity with other Community instruments: the Commission shall ensure a link between the Programme and other Community instruments (particularly those relating to the Structural Funds and those in the fields of education, vocational training, research, information society, citizenship, youth, sport, languages, social inclusion, EU external relations and combating all forms of discrimination).

Follow-up and evaluation: specific provisions deal with the follow-up and evaluation of the foreseen actions. Anti-fraud measures are also provided for, as well as regular evaluations of the programme:

  • an interim evaluation report on the results obtained and on the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the implementation of the Programme not later than 31 December 2010,
  • a communication on the continuation of the Programme not later than 31 December 2011, and
  • an ex post evaluation report not later than 31 December 2015.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 28 December 2006.