Committee members, Honourable Members of Parliament:
It is a very great pleasure for me to be here and to present to you the Austrian Presidency's plans in the cultural and audiovisual sectors.
I should like, if I may, to begin by making a few remarks on what I see as the main features of this Austrian Presidency.
Close cooperation between the European Parliament and the Council, shared aims and mutual support are the keynotes of a successful Presidency. And the intention is that these six months of the Austrian Council Presidency should be characterised by precisely these keynotes.
In both the cultural and the audiovisual sector, it is essential for us, from the outset, to seek dialogue and cooperation with the European Parliament. It is important that all those involved pursue the same aims and join forces!
I should like, from the start, to thank you all warmly for your positive collaboration to date, your efforts and all your hard work.
Mention must be made here of what was achieved by the UK Council Presidency, which left us a good basis on which to build. We will endeavour, at all events, to carry forward the progress already made, and hope that at the end of this period, as part of a rolling agenda, we will be able to pass on as many successes as possible to Finland.
When we, as those politically responsible, worry over the future of Europe, I become firmly convinced that culture unites and creates identity. Culture and creativity form the basis of European thought and action.
I see our role as supporting these creative processes by deploying the appropriate instruments and providing the right conditions.
The best instruments, however, can only achieve their purpose if adequate budgetary provision enables them to operate effectively. We are all aware that this objective has not been taken into account in the current budget proposal. Even though we have calculations which indicate less dramatic consequences, we all agree that we need to work on the figures. We must assess whether the allocation of resources within Heading 3 is justified or whether one or other of the budget items in the area of Security and Justice should be provided for. If we wish to prevent the Culture and Media sector suffering disproportionately deep cuts within the financial framework, all cultural policy makers must join forces. I should therefore like to ask you, Ladies and Gentlemen, for your support.
In the audiovisual sector with which I would like to start when discussing the legislative proposals all our attention is focused on the future MEDIA 2007 Programme.
Cinema is the ideal medium for telling each other stories stories through which we get to know one another better, stories in which we convey to each other where we come from, where we are and where we are going.
As an expression of and testimony to our modern culture, film is consequently, in my view, a cultural asset of the first order.
And you, Ladies and Gentlemen, are, so to speak, the architects of the European film of the future. With the new MEDIA 2007 Programme, you are creating the conditions for supporting, maintaining and promoting this unique cultural asset.
For MEDIA gives a central role to European cinema, reinforcing both it and Europe's independent film makers.
The Programme thus makes a vital contribution to preserving cultural diversity in Europe and establishes a basis for further development in the audiovisual industry, especially in an expanded Europe. Its significance cannot, therefore, be rated highly enough.
The key focuses training, development, distribution and marketing represent the right choice, since they address the European audiovisual sector's shortcomings. Supporting these phases, upstream and downstream of actual production, undoubtedly represents European added value, since national support programmes are mainly confined to the production sector.
The "partial political agreement" on MEDIA 2007 under the UK Presidency was an important step forward. The aim of the Austrian Presidency, as I have said, is now to achieve, as soon as possible, political agreement at the Culture Ministers Council in May 2006, to ensure an unbroken transition from MEDIA PLUS to MEDIA 2007.
Another key focus in the audiovisual sector will be the revision of the Television without Frontiers Directive presented by the European Commission in December. It is important to us that the negotiations are conducted as swiftly and concretely as possible. We intend to start with a detailed discussion, especially of the scope of the Directive. In the course of the discussions, a constant exchange of views with the EP will be conducted in parallel. This multilayered approach guarantees that we will make real progress in the process of revising the Directive.
With regard to content, it will be important to define more clearly the concepts of "linear" and "non linear" services. I should like to emphasise that the inclusion of non linear services in the Television Directive is essentially to be welcomed, since this implies an open approach to the points to be addressed in the context of a single European market.
The issue of product placement will, I believe, also present a challenge. In this respect, there is a considerable divergence between the interests of Member States. Product placement may not be regulated in many countries but is a fact of everyday life. For the sake of legal certainty, regulations governing the issue should in principle be laid down at European level. I consider it important to produce a precise definition which clearly distinguishes product placement from prohibited surreptitious advertising and sponsoring.
Another point on which individual Member States have very different views, and which will also be addressed during the Austrian Council Presidency, is the scope of the Directive. This calls for an in depth discussion.
A first major orientation debate is planned for the Culture Ministers Council on 18 and 19 May. At the same time, we should all endeavour to establish, as far as possible, the common ground with regard to the individual provisions of the Directive.
With regard to the Recommendation on the protection of minors, the Austrian Presidency will continue the current negotiations.
Parliament's first reading in September last year resulted in a number of amendments. The proposals concerning this Recommendation have certainly helped to clarify the issues. In its updated version, the European Commission has now clearly followed the European Parliament's proposed amendments in many respects. Thus, detailed examples of cooperation in the field of the protection of minors have been included in an Annex. Even with respect to the proposed right of reply, the gap between the various positions is gradually closing. I should like to thank you, Ladies and Gentlemen, at today's Committee meeting for the amendments that have been submitted.
In this connection we intend to maintain our close contacts with the rapporteur, Ms Marielle De Sarnez.
Our agenda includes a large number of important topics in the general area of culture. As in the case of MEDIA 2007, the "partial political agreement" on Culture 2007 under the UK Presidency was a decisive step forward. Culture 2007 is the key promotional programme. We whole heartedly support the programme's objectives of taking forward the development of a European identity by extending cultural cooperation in Europe.
The Austrian Presidency will in any event make every effort to achieve political agreement at the meeting of the Council of Ministers in May. It goes without saying that Parliament must be closely involved in these discussions, but I am convinced that if the excellent cooperation between our two institutions is maintained, this goal can certainly be achieved. I intend to resume talks with the rapporteur, Mr Graça Moura, as soon as possible, i.e. as soon as the financial aspects are resolved in the context of interinstitutional negotiations, so that we can take this dossier forward together towards its conclusion.
An important contribution will also be made by the "Citizens for Europe" programme. I should like to emphasise the town twinning project here. This European Parliament initiative is an excellent example of how citizens can take European integration forward at local level.
We are therefore concerned to build upon the achievements of the UK Presidency. Debates within the Council hitherto have shown that there are still some points that call for in depth discussion. In this connection, I would refer to the earmarking of individual institutions. Although the quality of those institutions is unquestionable, some Member States have reservations about their automatic promotion in view of the limited financial resources.
I therefore look forward with great interest to your assessment of this initiative. In close cooperation with the European Parliament, we shall prepare the way for agreement once we have received your opinion. In this connection, I would also recall the fruitful discussions with Mr Hanu Takkula which we, for our part, will pursue.
Cities are an important driving force for European integration, not only in the context of the "Citizens for Europe" programme. They also have a major part to play in implementing the "European Capital of Culture" programme.
Hardly any other European programme has been as successful in conveying the "idea of Europe" to such a wide public in such a stirring and positive way. Our aim is to arrive at an agreement first reading at the meeting of the Council of Ministers in May. We therefore attach very great significance to further close cooperation with the European Parliament and the rapporteur, Ms Prets.
We shall also endeavour to give shape to the discussions on the "European year of intercultural dialogue 2008". The debate in the Council hitherto has shown that considerable political significance is attributed to this dossier.
The programme provides an excellent opportunity for supporting and intensifying mutual understanding not only for common interests but also for the diversity of themes and living patterns.
Discussions within the Council have, however, also revealed that the objectives of this action still need to be given more concrete form. The Austrian Presidency will endeavour rapidly to resolve the points still outstanding. Here, too, I hope we shall be well in tune with the European Parliament and the rapporteur, Ms Hennicot Schoepges. To ensure that the project is implemented, the matter should be brought to a conclusion in 2006.
Lastly, I should like to refer to the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. The Austrian Presidency aims to ensure adoption of the Council Decision ratifying the Convention. We shall make a start on the relevant negotiations and make every effort to ensure that the Council Decision is adopted at the Council meeting in May.
To complement our work on legislative proposals, we shall be organising a series of expert conferences in Austria, and one of our focal points will be the "content and creativity industry".
The content industry is an essential element in the goal that the European Union has set itself in the context of the Lisbon Strategy of making "the Union the most competitive and dynamic knowledge based area". In my view, to concentrate on infrastructure and neglect cultural content would be to fall short of that goal.
On the one hand, the content and creativity industry represents a significant proportion of economic added value, and, on the other hand, we must have clear in our minds that European content forms the basis for the European model of society in the context of globalisation. To misquote Bill Clinton, "It's the creativity, stupid !".
In view of this, in close collaboration with the European Commission we shall be organising an EU experts' seminar in Vienna on 2 and 3 March around the theme of "Content for Competitiveness Strengthening the European Creative Industries in the Light of the i2010 Strategy". Our intention here is initially to highlight the specificity as well as the diversity of European content in the areas of cinema, television, the Internet, music and publishing, and thus, with the involvement of the relevant Commission Directorates General (Education and Culture, Information Society and Media, Competition, Internal Market, Employment), look at the various issues affecting content, such as:
to name but a few of the important points.
I should like today to extend a warm welcome to this event to all of you, and you will be receiving written invitations over the next few days.
Further events during this Presidency will be devoted to the topics of "Film Online", the quality of architecture in Europe, long term strategies for digitising the cultural heritage and involving the countries of the Western Balkans in the new cultural programme.
We have an extensive and exciting programme in front of us over the next 6 months, and I look forward to fruitful cooperation.
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