Why we need European cultural policies: the impact of EU ...

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of the background presented earlier about how culture is defined and people’s understanding ofthe scope of European Union policy towards culture. How is it possible to be adequately informedabout something that cannot be defined? It raises a further question: what should have beenincluded in the information about the cultural context of the enlargement?The question which asked whether there had been debates about the impact of accession onculture, also itemized five specific topics; the respondents were asked to indicate if these hadbeen debated during the period of negotiations. The aim of the list was to find out what was reallyperceived as being relevant to cultural policy during and after enlargement:■ harmonization with the acquis communautaire■ new opportunities for financing■ preservation of cultural identity■ mobility of artists■ cultural cooperation.Preservation of cultural identity and the issue of financing came top: all the respondents saidthat these issues had been discussed among cultural workers and artists in their countries.Harmonization with the acquis communautaire, mobility of artists and new opportunities forcultural cooperation were also discussed in most of the countries, but not in all. Other topicswhich have been debated in the process of negotiations, included: language and minority policies(Estonia) and preservation of cultural heritage (Lithuania).One of the respondents stressed that, `the discussions were only led on a very general level andin an atmosphere of enthusiasm rather than fear’.Harmonization with the acquis communautaireThe second part of the questionnaire focussed on the impact of the harmonization with the acquiscommunautaire and the impact of changes in other policy fields on culture. Progress reports bythe European Commission about the process of negotiations gave exhaustive information aboutharmonization of legislation in the field of audio-visual policy and intellectual property rights, thesebeing usually perceived as the only areas relevant for culture. My research aimed to discoverhow researchers and officials of the ministries of culture assessed the process of harmonization,particularly in those fields that might have more indirect effect on cultural policies. I also wanted toexplore whether they saw a link between the accession process and other reforms taking place intheir countries.7148Part 2 The impact of EU enlargement: results of the survey of researchers and policy-makers
Audio-visual policyThe first question requested information about, `problems or obstacles in harmonizing legislationwith Chapter 20 (culture and audio-visual) of the Acquis?’.72 The main focus of Chapter 20was on bringing legislation into line with the Directive on Television without frontiers. Because itfigured rather prominently on the EU agenda and because audio-visual policy was articulated as acommon European policy, all accession countries agreed to make the necessary adjustments andto align their media legislation with this Directive before joining the Union.Although all countries had needed considerable reforms to adjust their audio-visual policies tothe requirements, by a small majority, most respondents reported that their countries had notexperienced major problems in harmonizing their legislation with Chapter 20. Several respondentsstated that, as a consequence of this process, audio-visual and media policy had become fullyintegrated within cultural policy, which was not the case before: `The main unusual thing wasthe work with the audio-visual policy that has never been the responsibility of the Ministry ofCulture before’.The Commission, in its regular progress reports for all accession countries, monitors the abilityof the candidate countries to implement and strengthen administrative capacities in culture andthe audio-visual sector. It was interesting to note that even the final reports before accessionemphasized the need for legislative changes to be consolidated and for continuing workon improving the transparency and efficiency of newly established structures, including regulatorybodies.73With audio-visual policies in particular, countries not only had to harmonize their legislation tomeet EU conditions, but also had to comply with some instruments – regulations, declarations,recommendations, and so on – adopted by the Council of Europe.74 Mucica pointed to thedifficulty of distinguishing between changes brought about by enlargement of the EU and thosedue to other influences, such as having to comply with other internationally binding laws andregulations. Other influences towards change might include the transition to democracy and amarket economy.75Obstacles quoted by some respondents included challenges to introducing and implementingquota systems in favour of European audio-visual works as well as some aspects of enforcingmedia regulation, in particular on advertising in Hungary. This was regarded more as a technicalissue which had little to do with cultural policy per se.The Romanian example shows that some commitments undertaken under the GATS 76 prior tothe beginning of Romanian negotiations with the EU prevented Romania from participating in theMEDIA II and Media Plus Programmes.Audio-visual policy49
Page 1 and 2: Why we need European cultural polic
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Page 6 and 7: Prologue When I decided to research
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Page 12 and 13: obstacles encountered during the pe
Page 14 and 15: Part 1Theconceptualframe ofthe stud
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Page 18 and 19: Gray called for comparative researc
Page 20 and 21: The Council of Europe and comparati
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Page 24 and 25: The first one is a `macro’ dimens
Page 26 and 27: Part 2European Union,culture andcul
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Page 66 and 67: Part 3What willthe futurebring?68 P
Page 68 and 69: Manuel Barroso, President of the Eu
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Page 73 and 74: Instead of a conclusionThe aim of t
Page 75 and 76: 1 The French term acquis communauta
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Page 79 and 80: 30 OJ C 336, 19/12/1992.31 1st Repo
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Page 83 and 84: 65 See Annex 1 for a copy of theque
Page 85 and 86: 81 32001G0731(01) Council Resolutio
Page 87 and 88: culture, which needs to be exempt f
Page 89 and 90: Aubry P, (2000)The `Television with
Page 91 and 92: Draus F, (2001)Èst-Ouest, le dit e
Page 93 and 94: Futo P, Cuculić J, et al (2002)Met
Page 95 and 96: Laher L, (2001)Trapped in the notio
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Puchala D J, (1971)Òf blind men, e
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Weidenfeld W, Wessels W, (1997)Euro
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2. In your opinion, have the cultur
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13. Have there been any changes in
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Annex 3List of CPRA jury membersMil
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Political Economy Cultural Economic
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Annex 4GlossaryAcquis communautaire
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Cultural marketsA term used to desc
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Third countriesEU documents sometim
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Author: Nina ObuljenEditor: Janet H
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