1.	Accessible and inclusive culture — e.g. a good practice manual on the use of digital technologies for cultural institutions produced by EU countries.

2.	Cultural heritage — e.g. a Commission risk assessment and prevention study aimed at safeguarding cultural heritage from the effects of natural disasters and threats caused by human action.

3.	Cultural and creative sectors: creative economy and innovation e.g. — recommendations by EU countries to public authorities on access to finance

4.	Promotion of cultural diversity, culture in EU external relations and mobility — e.g. a good practice manual on improving the circulation of European films produced by EU countries.

Having quality and comparable statistics on culture is also established as a priority in all cultural policy areas.

Working methods

The Plan provides for different working methods depending on purpose and topic:

—	the Open Method of Coordination (OMC), which should remain as the main working method of cooperation among EU countries

—	informal meetings of officials from Ministries of Culture, including with officials from other Ministries

—	ad-hoc expert groups or seminars on specific policies hosted by the Commission to further examine issues related to the Work Plan’s topics (based on the 4 priorities) and interact with other instruments of the Work Plan such as studies and Council conclusions

—	stock-taking meetings organised by the European Commission in the policy areas which were dealt with extensively by the previous work plans such as cultural and creative industries and cultural heritage

—	conferences, studies and peer learning initiatives.

Concrete action

The Plan sets out 20 actions to be carried out by EU countries, the Presidencies of the Council and the Commission.

The EU countries are asked to:

—	consider, whilst respecting the principle of subsidiarity, the results achieved by the Work Plan when developing national policy

—	provide information on the Work Plan’s output to all interested parties.

The Presidencies of the Council are invited to take a number of measures including:

—	taking the Work Plan into account when planning their 18 month programme

—	holding informal meetings on one or more cultural topics to discuss, take up and share the results achieved through the Work Plan.

The Commission is asked to act in a number of ways including:

—	encouraging the widest possible participation of EU countries, experts and interested parties in the working structures set out in the Conclusions’ annexes

—	ensuring mutual exchange of information amongst OMC groups in the culture field and between those groups and other relevant OMC groups working in related sectors

—	publish, with the help of voluntary contributions from EU countries, a report on the implementation and relevance of the Work Plan before the end of the first half of 2018.

The Commission and the EU countries are also asked to take action within their own fields of competence, including:

—	promoting a better contribution of culture to the overall goals of the Europe 2020 strategy

—	taking culture into account when creating, implementing and evaluating policies and actions in other policy fields

—	fostering cooperation with non-EU countries, in particular candidate countries, potential candidate countries and countries of the European neighbourhood policy along with relevant international organisations such as the Council of Europe.

BACKGROUND

Strategic framework — European Agenda for Culture

ACT

Conclusions of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, on a Work Plan for Culture (2015-2018) (OJ C 463, 23.12.2014, pp. 4–14)

RELATED ACTS

Resolution of the Council of 16 November 2007 on a European Agenda for Culture (OJ C 287, 29.11.2007, pp. 1–4)

last update 15.10.2015

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