Internationale Kulturwissenschaften International Cultural Studies Etudes culturelles internationales

Hilde Hawlicek

German

French

Vice-president of the committee on Culture, Youth, Education and the Media in the European Parliament

Austria took over the presidency of the European Union just as its cultural program was being renegotiated. The treaties of Amsterdam and Maastricht had granted the European Union the opportunity to undertake activities in the cultural field complementary to those of the actual member states. This is based on the much quoted Article 128 EGV.

The article refers to improving awareness and dissemination of the culture of Europe’s peoples. That which is significant to Europe’s cultural heritage should be protected. Non-commercial cultural exchange as well as artistic and literary activity, including that in the audio-visual sector, should be promoted. Cooperation with international organisations - particularly the Council of Europe and UNESCO - is called for.

Based on experience gained with the KALEIDOSKOP, RAPHAEL and ARIANE programmes to date, the European Union decided to suggest a joint cultural framework programme for the years 2000 to 2004. The negotiating process was speedily advanced during the Austrian presidency.

This proposal for a joint cultural framework programme is now to be presented to the European parliament and the Council of Ministers for approval. As is also the case in the area of education, the European parliament has a particularly strong role through a joint decision-making process in framing resolutions on cultural affairs. However this framework programme has implications beyond the strictly cultural area. For instance culture is now expressly included in legal documents and the Commission’s joint policy guidelines.

I welcome this new cultural framework programme. The broad definition of culture is particularly positive, embracing as it does not just aspects of culture such as theatre, music, opera, dance, painting and sculpture, but also popular culture, mass-produced culture and everyday culture. It is also important that culture, cultural assets and cultural services are seen as having intrinsic worth and not just as part of economic and competitive policy. This is an observation of great significance for the current discussion on maintaining the cross-border book price agreement between Austria and Germany.

However, as welcome as the cultural framework programme is, I do have one critical observation to make. The programme is far too meagrely financed. The new cultural framework programme is supposed to reach the whole of Europe and last five years on just 2.3 billion ATS. That is 460 million ATS a year - less than a quarter of Vienna’s cultural budget. And not even that much is assured at the moment. It is absolutely vital that the importance of cultural activities be recognised and that they be funded more generously.

In a democratic society, the state must ensure the viability of art and culture. And part of that must mean supporting them, in the sense of financing art and culture. Culture needs an outlet. Culture recognises no borders. Cultural policy belongs then to the most European of all possible fields of policy. Or as the former French Minister of Culture, Jack Lang, recently expressed it: "Politicians bear direct responsibility that the idea of Europe and its cultural diversity again exerts its fascination particularly on young people who are so susceptible to Utopian ideas."

With this in mind, I also welcome the INST project "Cultural Studies and Europe" which was favourably received by the Cultural Affairs Committee of the European parliament on November 24, 1998, and the follow-up project "International Cultural Studies." The fact that the project is seen as a contribution to the creation of a "Culture of Peace" in Europe and around the world entitles it to special attention when one considers current events.

		Internationale Kulturwissenschaften International Cultural Studies Etudes culturelles internationales