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

The European Parliament adopted the recommendation for second reading by Mr Corrado AUGIAS (PSE, I) with a view to adopting the decision establishing the Kaleidoscope programme. In his recommendation, Mr AUGIAS again tabled a series of amendments, including, in particular, those aimed at: - giving greater consideration to the least-favoured sections of the population and peripheral or remote regions; - removing the "European city of culture" project from the programme, since the European Parliament felt that this project should be dealt with by a specific Community programme; - setting the duration of the programme at five years (as opposed to the three years proposed by the Council) and reducing the Kaleidoscope budget to its initial level of ECU 68 million; - providing for specific actions to promote training for artists; - ensuring that the cultural events organised jointly by the Member States to celebrate Europe Day on 9 May were considered to have a European dimension and were eligible under the programme; - as regards Action 2 (large-scale cooperation actions), doing away with the provision stipulating that these projects should be jointly organised by at least five Member States and involve the participation of creative artists from at least five Member States: the EP felt that the participation of three Member States (as was the case for projects under Action 1) was sufficient; - as regards comitology, to reintroduce an advisory committee and thus do away with the highly intergovernmental aspects of the programme incorporated in the Council's common position. �