The European Parliament,

- having regard to the motion for a resolution by Mrs Maibaum and others on cultural relations between the EC and the Eastern European countries (B3- 0653/90),

- having regard to the communication from the Commission on the development of the Community's relations with the countries of Central and Eastern EuropeSEC(90) 0717,

- having regard to the communication from the Commission on a general outline for association agreements with the countries of Central and Eastern EuropeCOM(90) 0398 and its resolution thereon of 18 April 1991OJ No. C 129, 20.5.1991, p. 142,

- having regard to Council Decision 90/233/EEC establishing a trans-European mobility scheme for university studies (TEMPUS)OJ No. L 131, 23.5.1990, p. 21,

- having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) 1360/90 establishing a European Training FoundationOJ No. L 131, 23.5.1990, p. 1,

- having regard to its opinion of 23 November 1990 on the proposal for a Council decision concerning the implementation of an action programme to promote the development of the European audiovisual industry (1991- 1995)OJ No. C 324, 24.12.1990, p. 411,

- having regard to the communication from the Commission concerning a fresh boost for Community action in the cultural sectorCOM(87) 0603 and its resolution thereon of 17 February 1989OJ No. C 69, 20.3.1989, p. 168,

- having regard to its resolutions of 6 October 1986 and 17 June 1988 on the establishment of a European Foundation for East European StudiesOJ No. C 283, 10.11.1986, p. 13 and OJ No. C 187, 18.7.1988, p. 213,

- having regard to its resolution of 22 November 1990 on the Intergovernmental Conference in the context of Parliament's strategy for European UnionOJ No. C 324, 24.12.1990, p. 219, particularly its proposed text for Article 117 of the EEC Treaty (Culture),

- having regard to its resolution of 10 July 1990 on scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and other European countries: aspects of cooperation with the countries of Central and Eastern EuropeOJ No. C 231, 17.9.1990, p. 37,

- having regard to the European Cultural Convention of the Council of Europe, which the European Community has not yet signed,

- having regard to the Paris Charter of the CSCE Conference of November 1990, which stresses the need for cooperation between the Member States of the CSCE in the fields of cultural affairs and education,

- having regard to the declaration by the European Council in Rome in December 1990 on the cultural dimension,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Youth, Culture, Education, the Media and Sport and the opinion of the Committee on Budgets (A3-0201/91),

A. having regard to the economic and financial support which the Community, particularly in the context of the PHARE Programme, but also the Group of the 24 western industrialized nations and these nations individually, under bilateral arrangements, give to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe,

B. whereas this new cooperation must not be restricted to the political and economic dimension, but must also extend to the cultural sector,

C. whereas in the cultural field the introduction of democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, respect for human rights and the reform to embrace the socially and environmentally acceptable market economy, must form the basis for cooperation between the Community and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe,

D. whereas at the same time culture may act as a significant integrating factor in the process of democratizing social and political life,

E. whereas the whole of Europe can look back on a common cultural heritage that is rooted in both East and West,

F. whereas both Western and Eastern Europe can mutually enrich each other in cultural terms,

G. whereas some coordination of bilateral and multilateral promotion measures is desirable,

H. whereas the emphasis of the Community's cultural relations with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe must initially lie in the exchange of persons and information,

1. Welcomes the fact that the cultural dimension has been incorporated into the association negotiations with Central and Eastern European countries which are currently under way;

Information

2. Takes the view that the plans drawn up at its initiative for a European Foundation for Eastern European Studies should be revived and further developed, revised in the light of the radical changes which have taken place in Central and Eastern Europe, with the active cooperation of the Commission; believes that such a research centre should have the following principal tasks:

- to establish a data bank of research findings and research projects in Europe and elsewhere;

- to coordinate Central and Eastern European research, including the Soviet Union;

- to conduct research in areas where it is most lacking;

- to draw up studies for the Council, Commission and European Parliament;

3. Calls for the establishment of a research and coordination centre, which is not to be limited to countries associated with the EC but is to include countries represented in the Council of Europe and the CSCE, to support the creation of cultural networks and to carry out the following additional tasks;

- to establish a data bank of existing and proposed cultural activities for the whole of Europe;

- to assist and encourage self-help in the organization of cultural events (theatre, dance, music and art);

- to transmit information on opportunities for performances, especially in the unofficial cultural scene;

4. Notes that in Central and Eastern Europe there is a great lack of information about the EC (see Eurobarometer of February 1991) and therefore proposes:

- that Europe departments be established in the western European cultural institutes in Central and Eastern Europe, with EC information offices, library, lecture facilities and language learning courses;

- that Europe Houses be created in the framework of FIME in Central and Eastern European countries;

5. Calls for the activities of the research and coordination centre to be extended to an exchange of information on available courses of study, the content thereof and the availability of grants;

Language/Translation

6. Welcomes the expansion of the TEMPUS Programme to include language studies and hopes that it can also be extended to cover cooperation between philological faculties in universities and art and music academies;

7. Calls in addition for the creation of a targeted translator and interpreter programme in order to overcome the deficit both for western European languages and literature in the East and for central and eastern European languages in the West;

Training

8. Calls for the issue of the seat of the Eastern European Vocational Training Foundation to be resolved without further delay so that it can finally start work;

9. Approves the Commission's proposal for the appropriate measures in the field of vocational and university training to be coordinated with the European Training Foundation and the TEMPUS Programme so that they converge with already existing projects;

10. Takes the view that the exchange and further training of opinion leaders in the cultural field (journalists, heads of further education centres, administrators in the cultural sphere, representatives of cultural associations) must be promoted;

11. Proposes therefore that training in cultural professions, such as cultural management and funding and the preservation of historical monuments, be made available on an open university basis. Study courses (videos) need to be translated into Eastern European languages;

Audiovisual sector

12. Points out that radio and television have the greatest multiplier effect and can thus play an especially valuable role in disseminating information and culture;

13. Calls for a regular exchange of television programmes, to be shown where possible in the original languages with the use of subtitles, so as to preserve the link with the language of origin;

14. Welcomes the fact that the MEDIA programme is to include the countries of Central and Eastern Europe;

15. Stresses the significance of the EURONEWS project, which should be made as relevant as possible to the Central and Eastern European countries;

Arts

16. Welcomes the fact that cooperation on customs issues is provided for in the association agreements and calls for the temporary exchange of cultural goods on a reciprocal basis for the purpose of exhibitions to be simplified hereby;

17. Calls on the Central and Eastern European countries to keep records of their archaeological and artistic heritage in order to prevent illegal exports thereof;

18. Calls for framework conditions to be established with the support of Western art associations and exhibition organizers for developing an art market in Central and Eastern Europe and for promoting exhibition opportunities for Eastern European artists in the West and vice versa;19.Suggests that touring exhibitions on specific topics be established to show common cultural history and also to document the developments of the last 45 years;

Publishing

20. Welcomes the fact that the laws of the countries to be associated with the Community are to be progressively approximated to those of the Community and that publishers and authors will thus be protected by copyright laws to be harmonized at Community level;

Libraries

21. Takes the view that exchanges of books between libraries in all European countries should be encouraged and improved to facilitate linguistic, cultural, political and social studies for all users at a reasonable cost;

Architectural and cultural heritage

22. Notes that the preservation of the architectural heritage of Central and Eastern Europe is vital to the cultural identity of Europe as a whole;

23. Calls not only for specific financial aid for projects that will set standards for the preservation of historical monuments but also for exchanges and training in the conservation and restoration professions;

24. Calls for the creation of intercultural history workshops under the aegis of the universities and through private initiatives, in order to promote a common sense of history;

25. Calls for archives and museums in Central and Eastern Europe to be made available and for funds to be given to their opening up and conservation, which will thus make joint historical research possible;

Town twinning schemes

26. Calls on the Commission to give greater encouragement to twinning schemes between municipalities and regions in West and East, since they offer the best framework for developing cultural and human relations;

27. Calls for suitable appropriations to be made available for joint cultural activities by the Community and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe;

28. Calls, in the context of the revision of the Treaties of Rome with a view to creating a political union, for the necessary legal bases for cultural action by the Community to be established by the addition of a cultural affairs section to the revised Treaties;

29. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States, Poland, Czech and Slovak Federative Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia, Albania and the Soviet Union.