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European Capitals of Culture
 
Umea and Riga have been chosen to be European Capitals of Culture in 2014. The two cities will be formally designated by the Council of Ministers of the EU in March 2010. 
 
The pre-selection meeting for the European Capitals of Culture – ECoC – will meet in early December in Czech Republic, in order to choose the cities that will run for the ECoC title.    
Mons, Belgium was the only candidate and has already been pre-selected by the panel. Furthermore, we have followed closely the preparation of this excellent candidacy. The final selection meeting will be held in February 2010.
 
For further information:
Umea 2014
Mons 2015
 
The European Agenda for Culture : involving civil society - Brussels - 19/02/2008
The European Commission is organising an information session onTuesday 19th February 2008 in Brussels to present the OMC (Open Method of Coordination) and to debate about the way in which the European cultural sector can contribute to this new policy strategy for culture.
For more information:
The Assembly of European Regions
The report on the activities of the assembly of the european regions for the 4th trimester 2007 has just been published. You can download this document, particularly the Culture, Education and Youth Commission's report hereafter
Communication for a european agenda for culture in a globalizing world
“Culture and creativity are important drivers for personal development, social cohesion and economic growth. Today's strategy promoting intercultural understanding confirms culture's place at the heart of our policies,” said José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, on 10 May 2007.

On the same day, the Commission adopted an important strategy document on culture in the form of a Communication, which proposes a European agenda for culture in a globalizing world.

Objectives for a European agenda
The agenda has three sets of objectives:
- to promote cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue in Europe;
- to promote culture as a catalyst for creativity and innovation in the context of the Lisbon Strategy for jobs and growth. Indeed, the culture and creative sectors – television, cinema, music, performing arts, entertainment, etc. – in the EU generated €654 billion in 2003 (2.6% of the Union’s GDP);
- to ensure that culture becomes a key component in the EU’s external relations so as to build bridges with other parts of the world. In this context, the Commission is proposing the creation of an EU-ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries) Cultural Fund to support the distribution of ACP cultural goods.

A structured and flexible framework
The new strategy proposes a co-operative approach between the Commission and Member States which is both structured and flexible. This Open Method of Coordination, which has been used successfully in other policy areas, involves agreeing common objectives and regularly following up progress towards them.

The Commission has also suggested that a Cultural Forum should be created for consulting stakeholders.

les rencontres welcomes this document and underlines the importance it has for cultural operators in Europe.

This document was adopted by the European Council of Ministers in November 2007.

pdf Text of the Communication

The Committee of the Regions adopted its opinion also in November 2007.

pdf Opinion of CoR

You can also read EUROCITIES Response to the Communication “A European Agenda for Culture in a globalizing world

pdf text