Council of the European Union
New partial general approach on the 2014-2020 Cohesion policy
On 16 October, the General Affairs Council (GAC) met to discuss
the new Cohesion Policy and to prepare the European Council meetings
on 18-19 October and on 22-23 November. The Council agreed on a third
so called 'partial general approach' on the Cohesion Policy 2014-2020,
which includes compromises on: additionality (i.e. co-financing by
national investments) and transferability of resources, elements
related to fund management and monitoring, the role of
country-specific recommendations in cohesion policy, rules on
information, communication and technical assistance, and the
definition of indicators to be used to assess the impact of supported
measures. According to an article in Europolitics, the Regional Policy
Commissioner Mr. Hahn is unhappy with some items agreed by the
Council, such as the rules on technical assistance that would allow
substantial investments in administrative aid rather than in projects.
In his opinion, these rules, as well as the Council's choice to raise
the percentage of funds that can be transferred from one category of
regions to another, are not in line with the principles of 'better
spending'.
Click here to read the new partial general approach:
http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/12/st14/st14287-re02.en12.pdf
Read the press-release of the GAC here:
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/press/press-releases/general-affairs?BID=72
Read the article on Europolitics here:
http://www.europolitics.info/cohesion-policy-council-s-compromises-do-not-suit-hahn-art344136.html
General Affairs Council meeting on 24 September
On
24 September, the General Affairs Council (GAC) met in Brussels. The
European Affairs Ministers discussed the new "negotiating box"
prepared by the Cyprus Presidency and updated after the informal GAC
meeting of last August. In the revised version of the negotiating box,
the Presidency indicated the need to adjust the Commission's proposal
downwards and that a reduction should be achieved by targeted cuts in
all headings. During the last GAC meeting, the Ministers expressed
their willingness to reach a consensual agreement for the MFF by the
European Council meeting on 22-23 November. The next General Affairs
Council will be held on 16 October.
Find the press-release of the GAC here:
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/press/press-releases/general-affairs?BID=72
"Friends of the Cohesion" met to discuss the EU budget
On
5 October, the "Friends of the Cohesion Policy" group met in
Bratisalva (Slovakia), where they prepared a declaration conveying the
message that the EU's Cohesion Policy should achieve a balance
between economic growth and fiscal stability and not be downsized in
the new MFF. The group gathers 15 EU countries (mainly Eastern and
Southern countries, including the acceding Croatia) that share stance
on a bold Cohesion Policy 2014-2020, and on the flexible use of its
funds, to meet the individual needs of EU countries and regions.
During the meeting, the President of the EC Mr. Barroso underlined his
committment to an effective cohesion policy capable to foster growth,
but added that some of the conditions suggested by another group
called "Friend of better spending" could help the implementation of
investments under the cohesion policy.
Read an article on EurActiv here:
http://www.euractiv.com/euro-finance/barroso-preaches-better-spending-news-515234
Read an article on the EUobserver here:
http://euobserver.com/regions/117601
Read President Barroso's remarks to the "Friends of the Cohesion" meeting here:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-12-691_en.htm?locale=en
European Commission
EC reveals its strategy for creative and cultural sectors
On 26 September, the EC published a communication entitled
"Promoting cultural and creative sectors for growth and jobs in the
EU" in which it reveals its strategy aiming at putting in place the
right environment to turn challenges faced by the sectors into growth
and jobs opportunities. The communication recalls the potential of the
cultural and creative sectors as being a catalyst for innovation and a
key element in global competition. It also presents the main
challenged faced by the sectors - already presented in the impact
assessment of the Culture programme and in the communication on
Creative Europe - and presents a list of actions that the EC will put
in place in order to tackle them.
Read the Communication here:
http://ec.europa.eu/culture/our-policy-development/documents/communication-sept2012.pdf
New publications by the EENC on structural funds and culture in Member States
The EC recently published new reports on the use of structural
funds for culture in different Member States. The studies aiming at
producing analysis of how the unused potential of the cultural and
creative sector might strengthen regional development in some Member
States, were commissioned to the European Expert Network on Culture
(EENC). The reports, which make detailed references to existing data
and studies, provide mappings of Creative and Cultural Industries,
information on national and regional investments in the field, as well
as best practices and examples of failure.
To see the full list of reports click here:
http://ec.europa.eu/culture/news/20120924-reports-structural-funds_en.htm
2012 European Union Prize for Literature: winners announced
On 9 October, the 12 winners of the European Union Prize for
Literature were announced in Frankfurt. The Prize is open to the 37
countries involved in the EU Culture Programme. It is the only
literature prize focusing on new or emerging authors that rewards
authors from such a large and diversified geographical and linguistic
area. The European Union Prize for Literature is organised by the
European Commission and a Consortium consisting of the European
Booksellers' Federation, European Writers' Council and the Federation
of European Publishers. The award ceremony will take place in Brussels
on 22 November 2012.
See the press release in the European Union Prize for Literature website here:
http://www.euprizeliterature.eu/news/20121004/winners-2012-european-union-prize-literature-announced-frankfurt-book-fair
Read more about the winners in the EU press release here:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-12-1082_en.htm?locale=en
European Parliament
Silvia Costa presented report on Creative Europe in the EP CULT Committee
On 8-9 October, the EP Committee on Culture and Education met to
discuss the Creative Europe Programme. The rapporteur for the
Programme, Silvia Costa (S&D, Italy), presented her draft
report and exchanged opinions with the shadow rapporteurs from other
political groups. In line with the position adopted by the Council in
May, the report advocates for a less business-driven programme with a
stronger focus on the objectives of social inclusion, audience
development and education. Nevertheless, many elements still need to
be discussed among the committee members. As a consequence, the
Committee decided to postpone the date for the vote, which will now be
held on 13 December. During the meeting, the MEPs also discussed the
future Europe for Citizens programme.
See the draft agenda of the meeting here:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-%2f%2fEP%2f%2fTEXT%2bCOMPARL%2bCULT-OJ-20121008-1%2b01%2bDOC%2bXML%2bV0%2f%2fEN&language=EN
Read Mrs Costa's draft report on Creative Europe here:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&reference=PE-494.523&secondRef=01&language=EN
EP BUDG report on the future MFF published
On
26 September, the draft interim report on the MFF 2014-2020 drafted
by Reimer Böge (PPE/Germany) and Kalfin Ivailo (S&D/Bulgaria)
was published. The draft report, contrary to the Council position,
strongly rejects any attempt to reduce the level of EU expenditure
proposed by the Commission. It also advocates for a focus on policies
affecting youth and tackling the challenges of youth employment. The
report also mentions the added value of the Education, Youth, Media
and Culture programmes! The report will be voted on 18 October in the
EP Budget Committee.
Read the Budget Committee draft report on the future MFF here:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-%2f%2fEP%2f%2fNONSGML%2bCOMPARL%2bPE-496.558%2b01%2bDOC%2bWORD%2bV0%2f%2fEN
EP published a report on the Culture strand of the future Creative Europe
On 25 September, the EP published an analytical policy commentary
on the proposed Culture Strand of the Creative Europe Programme
commissioned by the EP Committee on Culture and Education to
IMO-Institute for International Relations. The report takes into
account all available commentaries on this Programme from official
sources and a wide range of stakeholders, and examines both the
cogency and the points of concern of the overall policy architecture.
By focusing on the implications of the Programme for the Culture
Strand, it analyses, among other things, the implication of putting in
place a Cross-sectoral Strand for the cultural and creative sectors.
In the conclusion, it provides final reflections and recommendations
to the EP.
Find the link to the report in the EP CULT Committee web page here:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/cult/home.html
Debate
Culture and economic growth
A
recent EUobserver article takes note of the increasing awareness of
the role of culture in economic growth. This happens especially in the
European Regional Policy, where culture is often seen as a tool to
promote creativity and innovation. The article provides examples of
cities (such as Nantes in France and Tartu in Estonia) where good
investments in culture in recent years have helped to boost
entrepreneurship and development. However, according to the article, the
new Regional Policy proposal lacks the recognition of the strategic
role of culture and a profound 'cultural' change has still to take
place.
Read the article on EUobserver here:
http://euobserver.com/regions/117632
The economist Mark Anielski explores new ways of measuring national wealth and productivity based on wellbeing
In a recent interview first published in the Lithuanian Journal
Kulturos braai, the economist Mark Anielski discusses the prospects of
building a new economic paradigm based on wellbeing and happiness
rather than unlimited growth. The economist argues that GDP and
national income accounting systems have never been intended to provide
measures of welfare or wellbeing. Anielski hopes that his research of
what he calls " Genuine Wealth and wellbeing indicators" will become
more known and used, and that economics will ultimately return to its
original objective, namely to evaluate the conditions of wellbeing of
households in relation to natural systems.
Read the article on Eurozine here:
http://www.eurozine.com/articles/2012-10-08-anielski-en.html
Culture Action Europe is supported by the European Commission's Culture Programme and the European Cultural Foundation:
Culture
Action Europe is funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication reflects the views of Culture Action Europe and the
Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of
the information contained therein.
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