Kaleidoscope: Community action programme 1996-1998 to support artistic and cultural activities with a European dimension

In its amended proposal, the Commission took over in full or in part 33 of the European Parliament's amendments. Only four amendments were not accepted and they related mainly to comitology (Amendments Nos 21 and 23) and the scope of the programme (Amendment No 17 concerning craftsmen in the cultural sector; the Commission felt that this amendment extended the scope of the programme to include movable heritage). Amendment No 13 was not accepted as it was considered to be redundant (restatement of the terms of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 March 1995). Most of the amendments accepted by the Commission were taken over as they were adopted by the EP or were qualified slightly: - reminder of several EP resolutions; - greater cooperation with third countries and certain international organisations such as the Council of Europe and UNESCO; - complementarity with other similar Community actions; - giving consideration to the promotion of a European identity and to less privileged groups in society in implementing the programme together with inter-cultural aspects; - publicity and dissemination of information concerning the programme; - as regards budgetary transparency, a report outlining the Community's financial support; - as regards support for actions, these should no longer be "large-scale", but of a certain scale and "significant" (rather than "emblematic" as proposed by the Commission); - agreement on the future presentation of a specific programme for the European city of culture after 2000 but provision in the budget for the promotion of these cities pending the adoption of this programme; - as regards comitology, the Commission merely indicated in the recitals that the implementing measures were to be applied in accordance with the interinstitutional "modus vivendi" of 20 December 1994 and the relevant procedures. �