Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-09-07-Speech-4-033"
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"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, this is an important day for me personally and, at the same time, for my colleagues and for the Committee on Culture and Education because, following an entire project lasting about one year, I have the pleasure today of presenting to plenary my report on the protection of the European natural, architectural and cultural heritage in rural and island regions.
However, there are other actions which could be financed under the new 'Culture 2007' programme.
In particular, within the framework of multiannual cooperation projects under the programme, a network could be created of important architectural communities in various Member States with a population of up to 1 000 inhabitants.
These communities will carry out activities of a cultural nature depending on the traditions of each area, in order to strengthen cooperation between important architectural and cultural communities in Europe and give them the facility to develop their local characteristics, habits, customs and traditions.
Over and above that, however, the European Commission is also called upon to create a new European institution for important small traditional communities, along the lines of that instituting the cultural capitals, whereby one or two interesting communities would be selected each year, in which restoration and renovation interventions would be carried out and cultural events would be held throughout the year.
Taking the development of architecturally important communities in Europe as our criterion, we also propose that a new category of award be created within the framework of the 'European Union Cultural Heritage Prize' for the best overall restoration of a traditional community.
Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the man-made environment of Europe, which consists of sub-sets of various architectural forms and eras, is changing considerably due to unbridled overdevelopment and the existence of incompatible structures which are out of tune with the particular historical and architectural characteristics of their locality.
Consequently, the Member States must provide incentives for the whole or partial demolition of such buildings; at the same time, projects which demonstrably destroy and alter important elements of the cultural heritage must not be supported from Community funds.
Finally, the report also proposes the introduction in the European Union of a 'European Cultural Heritage Year', the purpose of which will be to raise the awareness of European citizens about the importance of the cultural heritage, irrespective of its European, national or local dimension.
To close, I should like in particular to thank the secretariat of the Committee on Culture, the experts who worked with me and, of course, my colleagues in the Committee on Culture.
For centuries, with simple materials and means, people living in the countryside and islands of Europe, obeying the basic rules of the human scale and the mildness of the natural environment, have managed to create a man-made heritage of huge aesthetic value.
This humble heritage, the protection and promotion of which is not only a cultural obligation but also a development need, has in many countries of Europe, at the responsibility of the governments, been altered considerably as a result of social and technological developments, unbridled economic exploitation and overdevelopment, which has, on the one hand, altered the place and destroyed – especially on the small scale of the islands – the wonderful balance between the natural and man-made environment and, on the other hand, destroyed highly-productive farmland.
The purpose of my report is to formulate specific proposals for the protection, promotion and long-term management of this rich heritage in rural and island regions in Europe, for the benefit of the quality of life of all European citizens.
My proposals contained in the report are directed at the European Union, the Member States, local and regional authorities and European citizens, who are called upon to take specific measures to maintain and promote it. Due to limited time, I shall comment on just a few of them:
First of all, the Union needs to acquire a comprehensive cultural heritage strategy. This will be achieved provided that the European Commission, when preparing its legislative proposals, examines in detail the repercussions of the proposals on culture, on the cultural heritage and, most importantly, on the popular architectural heritage which artisans have created by hand over the centuries. In this way, action beneficial to the heritage will be integrated into every Union policy.
Given that Community programmes in the culture sector do not offer adequate funding, additional funds to maintain the heritage must be found, together with other Community resources: within the framework of the common agricultural policy, in the Structural Funds and in the LEADER, URBAN and INTERREG Community initiatives, which are to be incorporated in the next financial period into the new political cohesion and CAP financing instruments.
Similarly, in using the Community funds, the Member States should encourage sustainable, alternative tourism, which can help to protect and promote the architectural heritage of communities, most of which have retained their physiognomy.
The 'Culture' programme, with its limited budget, has also given considerable support to cultural heritage projects, but has, nonetheless, excluded restoration projects."@en1
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