Kaleidoscope: programme to support artistic and cultural activities until 31 December 1999

OBJECTIVE: to extend the Kaleidoscope programme by one year to 31 December 1999. CONTENT: pending adoption of the European Community framework programme for culture for the period 2000-2004 (COD98169), which is to include all existing measures in the field of culture (including the Kaleidoscope programme to support artistic and cultural activities with a European dimension), the current Kaleidoscope programme needs to be extended by one year (from 31 December 1998 to 31 December 1999) under the same conditions as those laid down in Decision 719/96/EC establishing the programme (COD94188) in order to ensure continuity of Community support for cultural programmes. From a budgetary point of view, extending the Kaleidoscope programme will imply an increase in the financial package initially provided for the programme: it is proposed to increase the financial package to EUR 34.4 million for the entire duration of the programme (by allocating the sum of EUR 7.9 million to Kaleidoscope for 1999). This amount will need to be adjusted on the basis of the final amount allocated to the programme in the 1999 budget.�