A3-0125/94

Resolution on the cultural and economic importance of design, and a European design offensive

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the motion for a resolution by Mrs Maibaum on a European design offensive (B3-1105/92),

-having regard to the Council Decision of 17 April 1989 (89/286/EEC) on the implementation at Community level of the main phase of the strategic programme for innovation and technology transfer (1989-1993),

-having regard to the proposal for a European Parliament and Council directive on the legal protection of designs (COM(93)0344),

-having regard to the proposal for a European Parliament and Council regulation on the Community Design (COM(93)0342),

-having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

-having delegated the power of decision to its Committee on Culture, Youth, Education and the Media pursuant to Rule 52 of its Rules of Procedure,

-having regard to the report of its Committee on Culture, Youth, Education and the Media (A3-0125/94),

A.whereas, as part of the European Year for Safety and Health at the Workplace (1992) the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions organized a European conference in Copenhagen on 'Designing the Future' on all aspects of design to improve living and working conditions,

B.whereas the Horizon programme is supporting the European symposium on obstacle-free design for all (December 1993, Bonn),

C.whereas the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions is planning new design activities for 1994: a conference on 'Design for Health' and a workshop on 'Design for Ecological Products',

D.whereas design is acquiring increasing importance in all areas and aspects of the activities of the European Union in the industrial, commercial, cultural, ecological and social fields,

E.whereas design creates a European cultural identity, while helping express cultural diversity through the European Union and is of fundamental importance to the global information society,

F.whereas design is a constant factor for innovation,

G.whereas design is a key influence on the culture of everyday life,

H.whereas design helps improve living and working conditions,

I.whereas design plays a crucial role in the use of the information and communications media by the public as a whole, especially as we look forward to a global information society in the next century,

J.whereas design is helping cement a Europe growing closer together,

K.whereas design furthers European integration and the achievement of the common market,

L.whereas design increases the competitiveness of European products, services and companies in world markets,

M.whereas ecological design strategies need to be developed, inter alia to put environmentally friendlier products on the market,

N.whereas design has an important role to play in the access to and use of educational and training media,

O.whereas design helps the social integration of the handicapped, of the substantial minority of the illiterate and the increasing percentage of older people in the population,

P.whereas there has to be a bridge between European designers and European industry, which thus may be given the support required for it to improve its product quality and increase its competitiveness on the world market,

Q.whereas the single market requires the introduction of Community legal protection for design,

R.whereas Community legal protection for design will help strengthen the position of design on the world market,

S.whereas the SPRINT Programme is already promoting design at Community level, but with its encouragement of product design by small and medium-sized undertakings covers only a fraction of the sector and that to a modest degree,

T.whereas the SPRINT Programme is financing various small-scale national design activities such as 'Design Ireland' in 1992,

U.whereas the European Union's main industrial competitors have comprehensively-organized design strategies, for example Japan with the aid of MITI and the USA with the 'American Design Council',

V.whereas the necessary initiatives in support of design can be presented by means of transnational networks in which governments, industry and training and research centres are involved,

1.Calls on the Commission to draw up a strategy for a broad-based Community design initiative aimed at supporting the entire design sector (product, communications and interior design, design management, design and services) at European Union level;

2.Recommends for this purpose the appointment of a professional designer with international experience as a design consultant at the Commission and the appointment of a steering committee including designers to draw up related strategies;

3.Welcomes the Commission's proposal to give legal protection for European design but regrets that in its Green Paper it took a technological rather than a cultural approach to the problems of design;

4.Calls on the Commission to draw up a report on the activities relating to design under the SPRINT programme;

5.Proposes the setting up of a design information clearing house with a coordinating role and the creation of European networks to encourage the exchange of information on design, both of which will contribute to the more effective use of and exchanges of information on national aid schemes;

6.Recommends European Union-wide design exhibition activities and symposia;

7.Proposes the establishment of research projects on subjects including the innovatory, information, environmental and cultural aspects of design;

8.Proposes that aid be given for pilot projects in new forms of design education at European design colleges including design for the handicapped and the older generation (obstacle-free design), design to deal with local public transport problems, design for environmentally-friendly products and design for new interactive media etc.);

9.Hopes that the necessary attention will be given to the development and application of design in the new generation of incentive programmes for education and vocational training and in activities under the structural programmes;

10.Recommends the development of a post-graduate course in European design projects perhaps in collaboration between various European universities;

11.Recommends the development of a job description recognised throughout Europe for design consultants who, rather than producing designs in their own studios, would provide services in industry, public authorities etc.;

12.Recommends that faculties of design at universities and specialized colleges be developed for this purpose and that support be given for the transfer of qualified design consultants to industry;

13.Points out that many design students are women and that their experience as women should be used to create a more women-friendly environment (e.g. ergonomics), and urges the observance of the principle of equal opportunities for men and women especially for promotion to positions of responsibility;

14.Recommends the introduction of a 'European Good Design' mark at European Union level, for new thinking in respect of ecology, re-use, recycling, waste reduction and culture;

15.Proposes information campaigns and the use of the media to promote design within the European Union;

16.Calls for the establishment of a 'European Design Council';

17.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council and the governments of the Member States.