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

The committee unanimously adopted the report on the programme to support books and reading (Ariane), thereby setting in motion the codecision procedure which should allow the Union to take an important step towards establishing its cultural dimension and implementing Article 128 of the Maastricht Treaty. Adopting the draft report tabled by Mrs Nana MOUSKOURI (PPE, EL.) and the amendments to the Commission's proposal for a decision, MEPs focused on works written by young authors, the joint production and publishing of European works and vocational training. The European Parliament had already called on the Commission to present a specific programme to promote books and reading, with measures covering all stages of the production of a book: creation, publishing, translation and dissemination. The Commission only incorporated some of the suggestions (relating solely to literary translation) made by the European Parliament in proposing that the programme be adopted. The "Ariane" programme, with a budget of ECU 34 million over a period of five years (1996-2000) should therefore help to promote contemporary literary and theatrical works - giving priority to those written in less widely-used languages in the Union - and encourage cooperation between the Union and third countries.�