Good news for ‘bodies active at European level in the field of culture’
by Davyth Hicks
Finnish MEP Ulpu Iivari (PSE-Socialist Party) has been successful in the European Parliament today and won through on the proposal to establish a ‘Community action programme to promote bodies active at European level in the field of culture’.
It means that organisations such as the European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages and the Mercator Centres will be able to have a four yearly budget instead of the current annual one.
Roy Perry MEP had also added an amendment earlier which said that ‘the principle of gradual reduction [of budgets] shall not apply to grants to EBLUL, to the Mercator network centres, and to cultural organisations advancing the idea of Europe, since they are bodies pursuing an objective of general European interest.
Talking to Eurolang this morning before the vote Ms Iivari said that: ‘The administrative expenditure of cultural organisations was previously funded from the former A-part of the budget but a new legal base is now needed in order to continue funding’.
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