WRITTEN QUESTION No. 307/98 by Luis CAMPOY ZUECO to the Commission. Aid for music
C 304/74 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 2. 10. 98 The European Council said that strengthening Turkeyís links with the European Union also depended on that countryís pursuit of the political and economic reforms on which it had embarked, including the alignment of human rights standards and practices on those in force in the European Union; respect for and protection of minorities; the establishment of satisfactory and stable relations between Greece and Turkey; on the settlement of disputes, in particular by legal process, including the International Court of Justice; and support for negotiations under the aegis of the UN on a political settlement in Cyprus on the basis of the relevant Security Council Resolutions. The European Council took the view that it was important for a strategy to be drawn up to prepare Turkey for accession by bringing it closer to the European Union in every field. This strategy should consist in the development of the possibilities afforded by the Ankara Agreement, intensification of the Customs Union, implementation of financial cooperation, approximation of laws and adoption of the Union áacquisí, and participation, to be decided case by case, in certain programmes and in certain agencies by analogy with the arrangements for the other applicant countries. The strategy was to be reviewed by the Association Council - in particular on the basis of Article 28 of the Association Agreement - in the light of the Copenhagen criteria and the Councilís position of 29 April 1997. On the subject of financial cooperation, the Presidency is making every effort to unblock the Financial Regulation for Turkey and to facilitate full implementation of the bilateral indicative programme for Turkey in the framework of MEDA. (98/C 304/107) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0307/98 by Luis Campoy Zueco (PPE) to the Commission (5 February 1998) Subject: Aid for music DG X has recently launched a support programme for culture which includes a section devoted to music. This initiative is to be welcomed. Can the Commission say whether there is any other cultural aid programme which might serve as a framework for grants for musical projects? Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission (17 March 1998) The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that promoting musical creation and bringing it to the people are and must remain indispensable features of Community cultural action. The cultural framework programme 2000-2005 will pay special attention to music as specified in the conclusions of the Council of 18 December 1997 on music in Europe (1). Moreover, the Commission would recall that among recent work by the European institutions relating to music, Parliament held a hearing on 18 June 1997. On that occasion the Commission handed out, by way of information, a list showing how the Community had supported music and in addition to current Community programmes, a large number of Community programmes which in one way or another had supported music. It should be emphasised that these other programmes do not give priority to culture. This list showed that most Community funds for music came from the Structural Funds. By way of guidance, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) granted roughly ECU 38. 33 million between 1989 and 1997. The Community allocated ECU 13. 22 million to cultural events between 1991 and 1996. Under the Kaleidoscope programme (Decision No 719/96/EC); (2) funds have been given each year to cooperation projects in music. In addition, in 1998, the call for proposals entitled Community support for cultural development projectsí (3) provides in Action1 that music will be given special emphasis. This information on the entire cultural sector can also be found in the First report on the consideration of cultural aspects in European Community actioní (4). (1) OJ C 1, 3. 1. 1998. (2) OJ L 99, 20. 4. 1996. (3) OJ C 6, 10. 1. 1998. (4) COM(96) 160 final