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| NEWSLETTER No. 22 / October 2012 |
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Dear Compendium friends and users,As customary, our Newsletter presents new content, elements and features of the "Compendium" www.culturalpolicies.net. Edited by the Council of Europe Secretariat and the European Institute for Comparative Cultural Research (ERICarts), this information and monitoring system provides key facts about Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe. Many thanks especially to our long term supporters who continue
to encourage us with feedback and through using the Compendium as
their preferred information and research tool! |
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New Research & Development Series: En route to a Practice of European and National "Culture-Related Impact Assessment" (CRIA)?
Compendium now in French and German After a long development phase, the Compendium has made the additional steps towards a multilingual information system: Since September its interface is also accessible in French and German language! This will allow users from French and German speaking countries
to better understand and handle the Compendium system. Other
languages (e.g. Spanish) are to follow, if resources
permit. 2012 Assembly of Compendium Experts The Compendium community and the Council of Europe thanked the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture as a host and CUPORE for its wonderful organisation of the "Helsinki Trilogy" events, including the 11th Assembly of Compendium Experts. Thanks went also to all panellists and participants for their active and vitalising contributions and insights during the meetings held end of June. The "Helsinki Trilogy" highlighted the importance of cultural participation - and of existing barriers - in the context of democratic governance. As well, a "Helsinki Participation Research Process" has been proposed, which would, inter alia, involve the Compendium and its new expert group on this topic. The process foresees regular surveys based on comparable indicators, including on motives for non-participation or intercultural issues. In this context and as a next step, the ERICarts Institute will develop a new Themes! section on cultural participation in the Compendium in order to motivate experts, governments and users of the platform to be active in this respect. For more information the Helsinki Trilogy see the Compendium and our Facebook page! |
HOTopics – a new Internet debate forum launched in cooperation with the Compendium community! www.hotopics.net, a new interactive orientation and debate platform on "cultural democracy in the 21st century" has been launched by the Council of Europe in the context of its CultureWatchEurope (CWE) initiative. It is being developed in close cooperation with Compendium experts and the European Association of Cultural Researchers (ECURES). It addresses current or forthcoming key cultural policy issues and concerns from a European perspective or related to individual European states. HOTopics is to allow: (a) an exchange between cultural, professional and civil society experts and governmental representatives and to enhance a multi-stakeholder approach to current cultural policy making; (b) postings of opinions and alerts by users, including civil society organisations; (c) a continuation and enhancement of the previous Compendium "hot topics" space, with more feedback and background analyses added. We encourage all Compendium friends to
make use of this interesting new website! NEW Cultural Policy Actor
has been nominated as the current “Cultural Policy
Actor in Focus” on the Compendium homepage. Results of
the last Compendium Poll The Compendium wants to thank users for providing their views regarding the importance of religious issues and sports in a cultural policy context. Until August, the online poll drew over 160 answers. According to the results, the Compendium should reflect: - relevant religious issues in policy debates: 22% - relevant sports policies: 9% - both: 44% - Rather exclude these issues: 25% The authors and the editors will take these results
into account in future profile updates as well as in possible
amendments of the Compendium structure! Compendium Feedback
Your feedback is greatly appreciated by the editors! |
Introducing
his essay for the Compendium, legal expert Jörg Michael Schindler
(Munich) refers to the Council of Europe's "long history of
assessing impacts of political, legal and socio-economic
developments in the sphere of the arts, heritage and media" as well
as to the now widespread practice of "Regulatory Impact Analyses"
(OECD) and "Integrated Impact Assessments" (EU), which address
mainly environmental, economic and social concerns. In his view,
this type of evaluation could be relevant both on the national and
EU levels; in the latter case it may help to overcome "the current
ineffectiveness of the so-called Cultural Awareness Clause (Art.
167.4 TFEU)". The author presents his model of a 'Culture-Related
Impact Assessment' process (CRIA) that could easily be implemented
on the basis of existing administrative instruments. See more under
The
head of the Cultural Policy Directorate at the Ministry of Culture
of the Republic of Bulgaria,
The Cultural Policy Profiles of the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Romania and San Marino were recently updated. Selected highlights: | |
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Protests go unheeded over new uniform VAT rate of 17.5%, which will impact on the cultural sector from 2013. Labour Code changes improve situation for cultural workers. Consultation on updated Copyright Act which is due to come into effect in November 2013. A new agency for Castles and Cultural properties was established in January 2012. Criticism has been expressed over Denmark’s approval of ACTA. Cultural budget for 2012 not increased despite election promises. Culture played a central role in the Danish EU presidency from Jan-June 2012, including as regards CULTURE and MEDIA programmes after 2013. The two main art museums in Tartu and Tallinn have been merged in July 2012 despite protests. The Ministry of Culture announced an administrative union of local museums due to a 20% cut in funding and with the aim of improving management and services. VAT on books and periodicals was raised from 5% to 9% and on concert earnings to the full 20%. The Confederation of Italian Industry has undertaken, through its newspaper Il Sole 24ore, an important campaign in support of cultural development as an asset for socio economic development and for an enhanced role for culture in the government’s agenda. Several newspapers and periodicals may not be able to survive due to the significant decline in subsidies. A new Ministry for International Cooperation and Integration has been created by Mario Monti’s government. Social security rights of those working in the performing arts and film industry are under threat, after the incorporation of their social security agency (ENPALS) into the overall national social security agency. 2011 changes in VAT had a negative impact on the cultural sector. New Consultative Council for the Creative Industries formed at the Ministry of Culture. The number of cultural houses decreased by 58% in Riga and 39% outside Riga between 1990 and 2010. Comprehensive new National Cultural Policy launched. A new Cultural Diplomacy Fund will facilitate cultural export, collaboration and mobility. A tax incentive programme for businesses in the cultural and creative industries has been developed. A major cultural priority is the programme of the next round of the EU Structural Funds 2014-20. Government has put forward a draft legislation that will stop the transfer of the 2% of the Romanian Lottery revenues to the Administration of the National Cultural Fund. In June 2012, the Romanian Cultural Institute was restructured by an emergency ordinance. This measure has been contested by several artists and cultural organisations. In accordance to the Austerity Law, salaries of employees in the cultural sector have decreased by 25%. The Dept. of Foreign Affairs has rearranged its administration of cultural affairs. In January 2012 a draft law approved the "Protection and preservation of the Republic's documentary and archival heritage". In Feb 2012, the government accepted a petition from citizens for a census of artifacts or buildings having monumental importance.buildings. |
Answering Your Questions | |
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Contact the Compendium Editors for general editorial questions and comments: Kathrin Merkle,
Council of Europe Contact the Coordinators for specific content questions and
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