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

The European Parliament approved this proposal for a decision with the following amendments: - emphasis was placed on the importance of culture for the promotion of a European identity and an awareness of Europe as well as the idea of European citizenship; - the EP also stressed that consideration should be given to the most disadvantaged social groups in implementing this programme together with the intercultural aspects; - the EP referred to several other resolutions it had adopted in this field which had not been mentioned in the proposal: resolutions on the teaching and promotion of music and the theatre in the Community, on the European Cities of Culture, and on the cultural relations of the European Communities and other third countries; - in this respect, the EP extended cooperation with third countries: Kaleidoscope should be accessible not only to those countries with which the Community had signed association and cooperation agreements but also the countries of the EEA and the countries that wished to become members of the Union (Cyprus and Malta); - synergies should be created with other international organisations, including the Council of Europe and UNESCO; there should be complementarity between this programme and other similar Community actions (such as Ariane or Raphael); - with regard to the budget, the EP asked to receive a financial statement comprising the planned schedule of annual requirements for the programme in question in accordance with the decisions of the budgetary authority and in line with the state of execution of the authorised appropriations; - as regards support for the actions more specifically, the EP mentioned the possibility of support for the training of skilled craftsmen (working with paper, glass, iron, etc.), although the operating costs of organisations would not be met (except for specific European networks); the actions themselves no longer necessarily needed to be large-scale projects, as proposed by the Commission, and the EP excluded the European City of Culture from projects with an emblematic character; - there should be adequate publicity for the programme in order to ensure that cultural operators were informed of the programme; - finally, with regard to comitology, the EP pointed out that the choice of experts and the measures taken within the committee established by the programme should comply with the interinstitutional "modus vivendi" of 20 January 1995 and the associated procedures. �