REPORT on the European Capital of Culture 2005
(2001/2221(INI))

27 November 2001

Committee on Culture, Youth, Education, the Media and Sport
Rapporteur: Giuseppe Gargani

PROCEDURAL PAGE

By letter of 25 October 2001, the President of the European Parliament forwarded to the Committee on Culture, Youth, Education, the Media and Sport the report drawn up by the selection panel for the 'European Capital of Culture 2005', indicating that, pursuant to Article 2(3) of Decision 1419/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999, the European Parliament could forward an opinion on that subject.

At the sitting of 10 December 2001 the President of Parliament will announce that the Committee on Culture, Youth, Education, the Media and Sport had been authorised to draw up an own-initiative report, pursuant to Rule 163 of the Rules of Procedure, on the ‘European Capital of Culture 2005’.

The Committee on Culture, Youth, Education, the Media and Sport appointed Giuseppe Gargani rapporteur at its meeting of 21 November 2001.

The committee considered the draft report at its meetings of 21 and 27 November 2001.

At the latter meeting it adopted the motion for a resolution unanimously.

The following were present for the vote: Vasco Graça Moura, chairman; Per-Arne Arvidsson (for Marielle de Sarnez), Pedro Aparicio Sánchez, Robert J.E. Evans (for Phillip Whitehead), Christopher Heaton-Harris, Ruth Hieronymi, Elizabeth Lynne (for Ole Andreasen), Lucio Manisco, Pietro-Paolo Mennea, Barbara O'Toole, Doris Pack, Christa Prets, Marieke Sanders-ten Holte, Eurig Wyn and Sabine Zissener.

The report was tabled on 27 November 2001.

The deadline for tabling amendments will be indicated in the draft agenda for the relevant part-session.

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

Resolution of the European Parliament on the 'European Capital of Culture 2005' (2001/2221 (INI))

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 151 thereof,

–   having regard to Decision 1419/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999 establishing a Community action for the European Capital of Culture event for the years 2005 to 2019[1],

–   having regard to the report of the selection panel of 28 September 2001 on the Irish nomination for the 'European Capital of Culture' for the year 2005,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Culture, Youth, Education, the Media and Sport (A5-0428/2001),

A.   whereas the European Capital of Culture is an important event for the development of the cultural dimension within the Union, particularly within the context of enlargement,

B.   whereas, pursuant to Article 2(3) of Decision 1419/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999, the European Parliament may, within a period of three months, give its opinion on the nomination put forward by the selection panel,

C.   whereas, pursuant to Article 4 of Decision 1419/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999, 'the desirability of preparation time' should be borne in mind to ensure that the events run smoothly,

1.   Calls on the Commission and the Council to support the nomination of the city of Cork as the 'European Capital of Culture' for the year 2005;

2.   Notes the selection panel’s report, particularly its remarks on the need for the city selected to take appropriate steps to enhance its European dimension in preparation for the event; proposes that a dialogue be initiated with the officials in charge of the event to ensure that real added European value is achieved;

3.   Calls on the Commission to draw up a report evaluating the results of that event pursuant to Article 6 of Decision 1419/1999/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999, and in particular the aspects connected with the procedure laid down in Article 2 thereof, in order to make any adjustments necessary, particularly with a view to the forthcoming accessions of the applicant countries;

4.   Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission.

• [1] OJ L 166, 1.7.1999.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The procedure for the designation of the 'European Capital of Culture' is the product of a lengthy co-decision procedure carried out between the Council and Parliament during the last legislative period and culminating in Decision 1419/1999 of 25 May 1999.

The list annexed to that Decision indicates the chronological order of the Member States which will designate the 'European Capital of Culture' for the years 2005 to 2019. For the year 2005, the Member State entitled to do so is the Republic of Ireland.

Article 2(2) of that Decision provides that the Commission shall form a selection panel which shall issue a report on the nominations of the Member State. That report is to be forwarded directly to the Commission, Council and Parliament.

Pursuant to Article 2(3), Parliament may forward an opinion to the Commission on the nomination or nominations not later than three months after receipt of the report of the selection panel

Ultimately, the Council, deciding unanimously on the basis of a special recommendation from the Commission drawn up in the light of the opinion of the European Parliament, has the right to make the final choice.

The Commission will nevertheless have to draw up a recommendation for the Council and it would have been appropriate to express an opinion on that document. However, as has already been said, the Decision in force does not entitle Parliament to do so.

Having said that, the experts' report is sufficiently clear and certainly does not require any special comment on the part of Parliament. Of course, Parliament is concerned that the objectives laid down for this European cultural event shall be fully achieved by virtue of the joint efforts of the organisers and of the Commission, which is also involved in the undertaking.

In addition to matters relating specifically to the nomination of the town of Cork, it is important to emphasise certain general points.

As can be seen, this procedure is not only complicated but also anomalous. Parliament is involved in the procedure, but in an indirect manner and, above all, does not give its opinion, as is usual, on a Commission proposal, but on a report from a selection panel.

We are therefore excluded from a normal Community procedure. It would perhaps be appropriate to revise the current procedure to enable the Commission to exercise its power of initiative vis-à-vis both the Council and Parliament. This amendment, in line with the co‑decision procedure laid down in Article 151 of the EC Treaty, should put Parliament on an equal footing with the Council in the final choice of the 'European Capital of Culture'.

In any case, Parliament has various instruments with which to exercise democratic control.

The decision currently in force stipulates in fact that the Commission must present each year to the Council, Parliament and the Committee of the Regions, a detailed report on the results of the previous year's event, including an analysis by the organisers of the latter.

In addition, the 'European Capital of Culture' is no longer an isolated event but is funded by the Culture 2000 Programme (see Annex I, point 3 of Decision 508/2000/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 February 2000 establishing the Culture 2000 Programme, 'Special cultural events with a European or international dimension'). This means that Parliament has the right to receive all the implementing measures relating to the 'European Capital of Culture' by virtue of what is known as 'comitology'.

On the basis of these considerations, Parliament can, at this stage, back the nomination of Cork in the hope that it will receive the support of the Commission and the Council.