The Committee on Culture and Education adopted the report by Santiago FISAS AYXELÀ (EPP, ES) on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision No 445/2014/EU establishing a Union action for the European Capitals of Culture for the years 2020 to 2033.

The committee recommended that the European Parliament’s position adopted at first reading, following the ordinary legislative procedure, should amend the Commission proposal as follows:

Aim: Members stressed that promoting culture shall be a priority for the Union since it is fundamental for human development, stronger political integration and growth in aggregate income.

Union action shall:

• encourage mutual understanding and intercultural dialogue and bring common cultural heritage to the forefront;
• foster the contribution of culture to the smart, sustainable and inclusive development of cities and their surrounding areas in accordance with their respective long-term strategies and priorities;
• highlight the richness and diversity of European cultures and the features those cultures share, while promoting better mutual understanding and a sense of belonging among European citizens;
• have a positive impact in cultural terms, while boosting tourism and fostering the development of cities across Europe.

Members stressed the important role played by the European Capitals of Culture in promoting Union values.

Participating in the action: the Commission’s proposal provides that cities in EFTA/EEA countries, candidate countries and potential candidates shall only be allowed to participate in one competition during the period from 2020 to 2033. It stated that each EFTA/EEA country, candidate country or potential candidate shall only be allowed to host the title once during the period from 2020 to 2033.

Members proposed that Novi Sad (Serbia), Timișoara (Romania) and Elefsina (Greece) shall be European Capitals of Culture in 2021.

Network of European Capitals of Culture: Members suggested that recognition shall be granted to the Network of European Capitals of Culture (NECC), comprising cities that have held the title at least once, in order to enhance the experience gained from the cultural capital scheme.

The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts concerning the regulation of the NECC. The power to adopt such acts shall be conferred on the Commission for an indeterminate period of time from the date of entry into force of the Decision.

PURPOSE: to amend Decision No 445/2014/EU establishing a Union action for the European Capitals of Culture for the years 2020 to 2033.

PROPOSED ACT: Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council.

BACKGROUND: in comparison with previous Decision No 1622/2006/EC, Decision No 445/2014/EU extends the action to candidate countries and potential candidates to EU membership, providing that they participate in the Creative Europe Programme or in the subsequent Union programmes supporting culture at the date of publication of the call for applications.

As a result, every third year starting from 2021 (i.e. in 2021, 2024, 2027, 2030 and 2033), cities from candidate countries or potential candidates may hold the title.

However, Decision No 445/2014/EU does not include European Free Trade Association countries which are parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area ("EFTA/EEA countries") (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein).

In order to reinforce the cultural links between the European Union and EFTA/EEA countries, it is proposed to modify Decision No 445/2014/EU so as to make it possible for cities from EFTA/EEA countries which participate in the Creative Europe Programme or in the subsequent Union programmes supporting culture, to apply for the ECOC title.

Furthermore, the inclusion of EFTA/EEA countries would also be in line with Article 81 of the EEA Agreement and Article 13 of its Protocol 31 on the cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms.

CONTENT: in its proposal, the Commission proposes:

• to open the ECOC action to the participation of cities from EFTA/EEA countries providing that these countries participate in the Creative Europe Programme or in the subsequent Union programmes supporting culture at the date of publication of the call for submission of applications;
• in this perspective, to extend the open competition for cities from candidate countries/potential candidates to cities from EFTA/EEA countries;
• to have an ECOC title in a city from a candidate country/potential candidate or an EFTA/EEA country in 2028 instead of 2027 so as to make it possible for these countries to negotiate their participation in the Union programme supporting culture that will follow Creative Europe for the period 2021 to 2027 before the Commission publishes the relevant call for submission of applications at the latest six years before the year of the title; 
• to modify the calendar in the Annex of Decision No 445/2014/EU accordingly.

BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS: the Commission's proposal has no direct budgetary implication, as the Melina Mercouri Prize and the costs of the members of the expert panel designated by Union institutions and bodies are covered by the existing resources of the Creative Europe programme for the 2014-2020 financial framework, or will be covered by the subsequent Union programmes supporting culture for the years after 2020.

Furthermore, the proposal will not result in a higher number of European Capitals of Culture over the period from 2020 to 2033 because the cities from EFTA/EEA countries will compete with cities from candidate countries/potential candidates which were already part of the competition.