Community action programme 1997-1998 in the fields of books and reading, ARIANE

The Council common position, which incorporates a great many European Parliament amendments, provides for a 2-year programme (1997-1998) with a budget of ECU 7 million. ARIANE is designed to improve knowledge and dissemination of the literature and history of the European nations, and the access of European people thereto. The following types of measure are envisaged: - aid for translation (high-quality 20th-century literary works, theatrical works, reference works and studies). Priority will be given to translations of works written in the less widespread EU languages and to translations into these languages. Aid will also go to the translation of works written in widely disseminated languages, but published in small countries. The resources to be used for this measure are to represent 50% of the programme's total budget; - support for cooperation projects carried out in partnership aimed at promoting and improving access to books and reading; - further training for those engaged in producing books, particularly literary translators; - accompanying measures to supplement the other actions (meetings, studies, research); - continuation of the Aristéion Prize (European Literature Prize and European Translation Prize); - participation by third countries (the programme will be open to the CEECs, Malta and Cyprus and, under certain conditions, to cooperation with other third countries). - cooperation with the Council of Europe and other international organizations involved in the field of culture, such as UNESCO. The Commission must endeavour to achieve complementarity between the ARIANE programme and the other cultural (KALEIDOSCOPE and RAPHAEL) and educational (SOCRATES, LEONARDO) programmes. In line with the committees set up for those programmes, the Council opted for a committee acting as a management committee on some matters and an advisory committee on others. The common position states that the implementing measures are to be carried out in accordance with the interinstitutional 'modus vivendi' of 20 December 1994. �