§ Ms QuinTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EC Cultural Affairs Council on 5 November.
§ Mr. BrookeEC Ministers of Culture met on 5 November 1993 in Brussels. They designated Stockholm as European City of Culture for 1998 and Weimar for 1999. Ljubljana and Nicosia were chosen to host the European cultural month in 1995.
Ministers held an exchange of views on the economic and job-creating aspects of culture. The Belgian Presidency made an oral report of the informal meeting of Culture Ministers in Antwerp on 19-20 September, and noted that the Commission would be looking again at the issue of fixed book pricing with the aim of finding pragmatic solutions for cross-border transactions within the same linguistic zone. It also noted that the Commission intended to set up an ad hoc group of representatives of the member states to assist it in inventorying the situation of the artist. Ministers also received information from the Commission about the campaign "Reading for Pleasure".
The Council adopted a resolution concerning the first century of European cinema. It adopted conclusions noting the Commission's communication of 23 July on the subject of the evaluation report on the MEDIA programme. It also 58W held an exchange of views on GATT as it affected the audiovisual sector, after hearing information from the Commission about the most recent state of negotiations.
Ministers agreed a communiqué expressing their concern that artists in Sarajevo continue to express themselves and take part in European cultural exchanges. They invited the Commission to make a financial contribution to the 10th Sarajevo winter festival, as well as noting with approval the intention of some member states to engage in cultural and artistic initiatives as an expression of solidarity with Sarajevo.