European cultural policy: Should we talk about a real European policy or about a European cultural action?

Résumé du document

When the foundations for a European construction were laid, the cultural dimension was implied: it was a union of individuals which was originally hoped for. Is it possible to imagine that such a union will not imply a cultural dimension? Besides this, the culture appeared in the European Council's competences: the European Council was created in 1949 and wrote a European cultural convention in 1954. This convention aims at promoting a common policy in order to safeguard the European culture and to encourage its development. The members of the European Council undertake the initiative to promote the study of languages, history and civilization of the states (those which have signed the convention) and of their common civilization.

Extraits

[...] The Maastricht treaty: a juridical framework which gives to the cultural area its own legal basis Article 128 (then 151) The role of the European Parliament in the cultural field Within the Commission C. It allows the creation of cooperative programmes between the member states and the adoption of measures protecting “European cultural diversity” Cooperative programmes Measures to emphasize the “European cultural diversity” III. Beyond a strictly cooperative action: towards a European cultural policy? . A. “Culture 2000” . B. The limits C. [...]

[...] In this connection, it recommended that the Commission carry out a feasibility study prior to setting up a European Agency for Linguistic Diversity and Language Learning. Parliament wanted the Commission also to: implement its action plan for 2004-06 by means of concrete measures to promote linguistic diversity in the enlarged European Union, including regional and minority languages; establish a multiannual programme for linguistic diversity and language learning; and include the promotion of these languages among the objectives of all relevant EU programmes (global approach). [...]

[...] Indeed it is precisely the lack of distribution means which is maybe the main weakness of the European cultural action. “Culture 2007” (from 2007 to 2013) which replaces “Culture 2000” (which has ended up in 2006) has taken this necessity into account : “Following the example of previous cultural programmes, the general objective of the programme is to enhance the cultural area common to Europeans, with a view to encouraging the emergence of European citizenship.” The event “European capital of Culture” is reinforced. [...]

[...] In most cases, cultural policies were implemented at the national level. In this way is Europe able to do without a cultural policy? A. The Maastricht treaty : a juridical framework which gives to the cultural area its own legal basis Article 128 The article 128 of the Maastricht treaty (which becomes the article 151 after the Amsterdam treaty) can be considered as a founder article concerning a European cultural action. It gives to the Commission the mission to contribute to “l'épanouissement des cultures des Etats membres dans le respect de leur diversité nationale et régionale, tout en mettant en évidence l'héritage culturel commun”. [...]

[...] Nevertheless, it seems difficult to develop a real European cultural policy since it is paradoxical to conciliate two major aims: firstly, promoting a European, supranational culture; secondly, protecting the national, regional, local diversity. So are we actually able to talk about a “European cultural policy”? Despite a hesitant approach, the Maastricht treaty has given to the European Union a juridical framework to develop a cultural policy. However, we may ask if things which are done in that domain really respond to the actual necessities of a common cultural policy. [...]