Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-04-09-Speech-3-280"
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"Madam President, I would like to thank Mr Graça Moura for his commitment, the Committee itself and all relevant contributors to this report. I believe that it confirms that culture deserves a more central place in our discussions, and in our days and years of cooperation. I think it is confirmation that we have moved from an original agenda dominated by hard material – coal and steel – to intangibles like culture, education, creativity and citizenship. We cannot measure it in kilos or tonnes but it is about the future of our unity, of our communities at local, regional and national, as well as European, level.
I think that is why we put forward the proposal. Since last year it has received a great deal of concrete attention and support in the public domain in the Member States as well as in the Council. I am happy to see it because this was the most important answer: we want to work more through culture, for culture and also for the world of cultures or culture in the world. I am happy to see your support for this agenda, which is also very important. It has always been very clear to me as Commissioner, and also to the Commission, that the Parliament seeks to do more in these areas.
Of course we need to adopt a common approach. This is the way to implement this agenda. The three basic areas are important, and were also mentioned in the previous report: creative industries; cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue; and, equally important, the external dimension – external cooperation in culture and culture in the Union’s external policy.
I agree with you that we should not give too much weight to the economic importance of culture, but we really need to get the right balance in our cultural policies. Your report rightly recognises the importance of giving culture a larger role in international relations. We consider that this is an opportunity to build a proactive and constructive agenda on cultural diversity in Community policies. I know I can count on your collaboration in this matter.
On the issue of mobility, we support the need for transnational mobility of cultural players as a major tool for building a European cultural area. Look, for example, at Erasmus in education. After a decade – now two decades – we have a European higher education area, the most popular programme and a lot of modernisation and openness at our universities. I think this quest for mobility, knowledge, respect and acceptance should also be developed in the area of arts and culture. I believe we can achieve a great deal now by starting the pilot project on mobility that you in the Parliament proposed last year.
Last, but not least, it is important, as I said, to adopt a common approach. I am happy that Member States endorsed open methods of coordination. In November last year two expert working groups with representatives of Member States were set up with the aim of enhancing mobility of artists and culture professionals, as well as maximising the potential of the cultural and creative industries. You will be duly informed of the results of the work within these groups. As you know, we set up the cultural forum and the first was organised under the Portuguese Presidency, for which I am grateful. We also suggest that the cultural and creative sector at large should set up a platform on the cultural and creative industries and one on the access to culture, along the lines of the existing platform on intercultural dialogue.
I think that there is a growing volume of potential contribution and I am happy to work with my colleagues in the Commission, as well as here with you in Parliament, to reinforce the mainstreaming of culture in many other EU policies. I am, of course, looking forward, not only to the debate, but especially to the implementation of this agenda."@en1
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