Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-10-21-Speech-1-122"
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"en.20021021.9.1-122"2
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".
Mr President, Mrs Fraisse, ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the Commission, I would like to congratulate Mrs Fraisse and the Committee on Culture, Youth, Education, the Media and Sport, for this own-initiative report which, in my view, has become a tool for our action in the area of culture. I would like to respond to a number of points expounded in the report.
You mention in particular the question of free movement of stage equipment. We are not aware that barriers exist to the freedom of movement of this equipment, but we attach great importance to eliminating, at national level, administrative or bureaucratic complications in this area. We must, therefore, be informed of any barriers. Furthermore, so that the free provision of services is safeguarded, we are ensuring that the States do not make unjustified or excessive demands.
Another aspect is training. Regarding your request for a nomenclature of job roles, I would like to say to you that we are already working on this matter. Eurostat is working in conjunction with the Member States, within a working group, on the types of profession section of international classification which covers cultural roles, with the aim of improving and clarifying this nomenclature.
With regard to the recognition of qualifications, professions relating to the performing arts are, in most cases, professions that are referred to as non-regulated. This means that the recognition of qualifications for professional purposes depends on criteria drawn up by the professions themselves. Nevertheless, it is possible to improve this recognition, as well as the recognition for academic purposes, in other words, to help students continue with their studies.
The Commission has therefore decided to create and promote instruments which make the content of studies undertaken in other countries transparent. I am thinking of additional studies and of academic credit systems. It also supports the reliability of mutual recognition by establishing networks between all European art schools.
As for financial support from Europe for artistic training, there is no specific programme, but our education programmes support such training and we are seeing some encouraging signs. One example of many is that the number of Erasmus students studying arts subjects has increased from 3 250 in 1998 to 4 700 in 2001, and each school that is recognised as a higher education establishment in its country can apply to take part in Erasmus activities.
Lastly, you stress the need for broader and greater cultural cooperation, and in this respect as well, Mrs Fraisse, we share your concern. There is, moreover, continuity in Parliament’s requests in this area, and I refer you the Ruffolo Report.
Cultural cooperation is an element of enlargement. What better example can I give than to tell you that the number of key cultural players in the candidate countries taking part in the Culture 2000 programme has rocketed to 120 in just one year?
We are also pleased to note that we are making progress in the area of dialogue between cultures. Thus, the project to establish a Euro-Mediterranean foundation for cultural dialogue is underway and, in the area of education and youth, we are moving with increasing resolve towards this theme. I would like to thank you, Mrs Fraisse, the members of the Committee on Culture, for this report which will be very useful in current deliberations on the future of the Culture 2000 programme.
First of all, the need for support for the performing arts. Under the cooperation agreements, I refer to Action II of the Culture 2000 programme, we are currently supporting, and will do so for three years, six networks in the area of the theatre, three in that of dance, seven in that of music, a network in the area of the circus and two interdisciplinary networks, and this is for performing arts networks alone. In addition, in order to promote the creation of platforms, we mentioned these as part of our deliberations on the future of cultural action at the forum on cultural cooperation in Europe. Creating these platforms is also part of the current deliberations on the future of the Culture 2000 programme.
Next, the lack of statistics. The Commission is aware of the need to increase the production of European cultural statistics and the Eurostat ‘Cultural Statistics’ group is already working on several themes: cultural jobs, financing culture, cultural events. The quantification of data as far as the world of culture is concerned is not an easy task. It takes a great deal of time. Furthermore, a Eurobarometer survey on the participation of EU citizens in cultural activities was carried out this year at the Commission’s request.
Thirdly then, the need for measures to encourage the mobility of artists. This is certainly one of our great concerns. Your report accurately highlights the importance of information on aid structures for mobility, fiscal and social laws and administrative formalities to encourage mobility. We share these concerns, as does the Council, which is also examining a draft resolution on the mobility of artists. In this respect, I also believe it is very positive that the Member States are themselves considering these issues of mobility, which are primarily their responsibility.
Since a common area free from all barriers to movement has been very well established, the Commission is now trying to encourage mobility of all types. We have also recently published a study that specifically looks at the barriers to mobility in the cultural sector, the conclusions of which are combined with those of Mrs Fraisse’s Report. This study has been very well received by cultural circles.
I would also like to point out that, as part of the action plan on mobility presented by the Commission at the European Summit in Barcelona, a comprehensive Internet site on the mobility of Europeans is to be set up in 2003 and the development of a ‘culture’ portal will enable the Commission to provide an increasing amount of information regarding mobility in the cultural sector. To achieve this, we have asked for the cooperation of the States, so that artists can make use of an information repository for all countries.
I would like to speak briefly about fiscal issues. The problems of double taxation are relatively rare, as our study showed. In the current situation, Member States are best placed to resolve amongst themselves the division of tax law, taking into account each specific situation. The application of fiscal conventions agreed between the States should eliminate the risk of double taxation. Nevertheless, the Member States must apply the conventions with respect for Community law and avoid any discrimination. I can assure you that the Commission is showing no hesitation and will show no hesitation in taking the appropriate measures in the event of such discrimination.
As you can see, the Commission is already doing a great deal to encourage mobility in this sector. It has taken two types of measures; ensuring the application of Community legislation and encouraging mobility in our financial instruments. Your resolution and that of the Council will support our efforts. In our view, because of the work that has been done, it is not necessary to draft a White Paper.
As far as the circulation of works of art and shows is concerned, this is often related to mobility, of course. In this respect, there are particular objectives, such as those that you mention, including the creation of a database which makes it possible to exchange information on works of art. Work has already been done in this area, as part of the 2000 programme. For example, Culture Base Net is a project launched by the Haus der Kulturwelt
in Berlin, in conjunction with key players from Sweden, the United Kingdom and Denmark, in order to set up a database on the Internet which introduces artists from all over the world, beginning with Europe."@en1
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