Representation in the Management Committee of the Programme

According to the European Parliament Decision 508/2000/EC, (.pdf file, needs Adobe Reader) the Management Committee of "Culture 2000" Programme is constituted of governmental representatives from all participating countries. The Committee is gathering twice a year and the representatives of candidate countries are considered observers, not having the right to vote. The Committee approves, before the Parliament, the list of projects proposed by the Commission to be financed through this Programme, and discusses issues related the general implementation of the programme. Also, it expresses its opinions on specific issues related to the future development of the Community actions in the field of culture.

Starting with January 2005, the Consultancy Centre for European Cultural Programmes was empowered by the Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs of Romania to represent the interests of Romania within this Committee. In the meantime, the Centre prepares the annual monitoring report related to the implementation of "Culture 2000" Programme in Romania for the EU-Romania Association Subcommittee no. 5 "Innovation".

The Prolongation of the Culture 2000 Programme (2005-2006)

On 6 May, 2003, the European Council approved the Proposal of the Commission referring to the Prolongation of the "Culture 2000" Programme under the same conditions for two more years, 2005 and 2006, with a supplementary budget of 69.5 million euros.

Romania was invited to participate at the programme in the following two years. On 12 April, 2005, it was signed the Memorandum of Understanding of EU - Romania Association Council concerning the adoption of the terms and conditions for the participation of Romania in the "Culture 2000" Programme for the period 2005-2006. (.pdf file, needs Adobe Reader) Following the adoption, the Government of Romania took the Decision nr. 649/2005 regarding the payment of the annual contribution to this programme for these aditional years.

the Cultural Contact Point of Romania

Decision 508/2000/EC (.pdf file, needs Adobe Reader) states that "t he Commission and the Member States will organise on a voluntary basis, and step up, the mutual exchange of information for use in the implementation of the Culture 2000 programme, by means of cultural contact points".

The Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs of Romania organised in 2001, based of the former PIU PHARE Programme, the Cultural Contact Point of Romania for EU "Culture 2000" Programme, an European office dedicated to the exchange of information for this Community programme.

The functions of the Cultural Contact Point of Romania are:

	To ensure the promotion of "Culture 2000" Programme
	To facilitate the participation of the widest number of cultural professionals in the programme
	To provide citizens with information about "Culture 2000" Programme
	To ensure consistent contact with the various institutions giving support to the cultural sector in the Member State, contributing to complementarity between the actions of the "Culture 2000" Programme and national support measures
	To ensure contact and interaction at national and regional level between those taking part in the "Culture 2000" Programme and those taking part in other Community programmes open to cultural projects
	To provide information to potential candidates for financial support under the Community cultural mechanisms by the following means:
	answering requests for information from the public providing information on paper as well as creating and up to date Internet site giving information on Community cultural activity organising meetings with potential candidates/cultural operators with a view to informing them on the applicable procedures as regards the presentation of applications and to give them technical assistance in this regard
	To ensure wide publicity (throughout the participating state in question) as regards the existence of Community support mechanisms in the field of culture
	To ensure a link with the other information offices in the Member States in order to be familiar with other Community programmes affecting culture - in order to be in a position to inform potential applicants on the Community programmes most adapted to their needs
	To set up and supply a data base of the cultural operators in order to help possible candidates to establish partnerships for co-operation projects
	To widely distribute the calls for applications, as well as any other document intended to the cultural sector emanating from the Directorate-General for Education and Culture of the Commission
	To give technical assistance to the candidates on the presentation of applications under the "Culture 2000" Programme if required and to direct them to any other more suitable mechanism to support their project

The Cultural Contact Point of Romania has its own web page dedicated to the programme: http://www.cultura2000.ro