a more structured system of cooperation between the Member States and the EU institutions ('open method of coordination']), a reinforced mainstreaming of culture in all EU programmes and policies through enhanced synergies between the departments of the European Commission, as well as a structured dialogue with the cultural sector.
Building on the successful achievements of the first European Culture Forum that took place in Lisbon in September 2007, and following an information session organised in Brussels on 19 February, a call for expressions of interest (the form) was published, with the view to giving cultural organisations of European dimension the opportunity to express their interest in participating in two new thematic civil society platforms on:
- access to culture and
- creative and cultural industries.
Using the criteria set up in the call, the Commission invited the following organisations (access to culture and potential of culture and creative industries) to a first constitutive meeting in Brussels in June 2008.
The composition of these two platforms is wide ranging giving thus a unique opportunity for organisations from the sector to work together on thematic issues of common interest.
These two newly established platforms complement the existing Rainbow Platform on intercultural dialogue, which was created ahead of the 2008 European Year on Intercultural Dialogue.
Together, the platforms are expected to produce policy recommendations to be discussed with the broader culture sector during a large-scale Cultural Forum in September/October 2009.
They will act as the channel for cultural stakeholders to provide concrete input and recommendations and - in this way - actively contribute to the implementation and further development of the European Agenda for culture.
To find out more about the platforms, listen to the speech delivered by Ms Quintin, Director-General of DG Education and Culture during the constitutive meeting of the platform on access.
http://ec.europa.eu/culture/our-policy-development/doc1199_en.htm