Scherpere nadruk nodig Europees cultureel erfgoed (en)

The cultural sector in Europe plays an important role in attaining the objectives of the renewed Lisbon strategy, but more should be done to ensure that EU programmes reflect Europe's common cultural heritage, says the Culture Committee in a report adopted on Wednesday.

If Europe is placed in the vanguard of all the continents it is because of its cultural heritage, says the report, drafted by Vasco Graça-Moura (EPP-ED, PT). Europe's cultural richness adds genuine value and has an identity-giving role that is vital for Europe and the EU, the MEPs point out, welcoming the Commission communication on a European agenda for culture in a globalising world from 2007.

"European Heritage" label

Although EU programmes in the cultural sector will contribute to cohesion, real convergence, economic growth, sustainable development, innovation employment and competitiveness, MEPs believe that the existing programmes do not fully reflect the implications of the European's common cultural heritage. The committee therefore calls on the Commission to propose specific programmes to preserve Europe's cultural heritage, as well as a "European Heritage" label, to emphasise the European dimension of cultural goods, monuments, memorial sites and places of remembrance.

Identify threatened sectors

MEPs also want the Commission to identify threatened sectors such as the publishing sector, where they say high-quality writing is threatened by best-sellers, and the music sector which they say is threatened by digitisation and piracy. Members therefore call on the Commission to do what is necessary to enforce and protect literary and artistic property rights, especially in the digital environment. 

Finally, the committee recommends that to promote European cultural values, the Commission and Member States should start organising a European Year to commemorate significant European personalities and suggests that 2010 should be made a European Year to celebrate the composer Chopin, and that 2011 should be made a European Year of Greek and Latin Classics.