Can you pitch it?

An arts advocacy workshop about developing arguments for increased support to arts, culture and

heritage

Trans Europe Halles Meeting 74 Bottom Up! Gothenburg 27-30 September 2012

Workshop leader: Emma Ernsth, Campaign Co-ordinator Culture Action Europe, Brussels

…and proud Trans Europe Halles Ambassador! emma.ernsth@cultureactioneurope.org

Lost in translation

Advocacy = The act of publicly supporting a particular cause or policy Oxford English Dictionary

Lobbying = Activities aimed at influencing members of a legislative body on legislation Merriam-Webster Dictionary of Law

EU Basics

Article 128-151-167

}  The Maastricht Treaty (1992), art. 128, then art. 151: }  ‘encouraging’, ‘supporting’ and ‘supplementing’ the actions of the

Member States, ‘while respecting their national and regional diversity and at the same time bringing the common cultural heritage to the fore’, but only in a ‘complementary’ form

}  Culture became a recognised aim of EU action

}  The Lisbon Treaty (2009), now art. 167: }  No changes in the content }  But one important innovation: the Qualified Majority Voting (QMV)

replaced the unanimous vote at the Council. Weakening of the national veto.

EU structure today

}  There are 3 main institutions involved in EU legislation:

}  The European Commission

}  The Council of Ministers *

}  The European Parliament

* The Council of Ministers is also sometimes referred to as the Council of the European

Union or simply the Council. Not to be confused with the European Council (Heads of EU Member States that meet at EU-summits approx. 4 times per year) or the Council of Europe (an international org. with 47 members that works to promote human rights and democracy etc.).

European Commission

}  The European Commission, is the executive body of the

European Union and the only body that can propose EU laws.

}  The European Council proposes and votes about a nominee for the post of President of the European Commission after taking the latest elections to the European Parliament into account. The President (currently José Barroso) is then formally elected by the European Parliament for a five-year term which is renewable. The Council then appoints the other 26 members of the Commission in agreement with the President, and then the 27 members as a single body are subject to a vote of approval by the European Parliament.

Commissioner for Culture

}  Commissioner for Culture: Androulla Vassiliou }  Relevant members of her cabinet:

Head of cabinet: Philippe BRUNET

Deputy head of cabinet:

Yiannos ASIMAKIS

Member of Cabinet for “Culture and

Audiovisual”: Sophia

ERIKSSON WATERSCHOOT

Spokesperson: Dennis ABBOTT

DG Education and Culture } Director General: Jan Truszczynski } Directorate D: Culture and Media

Council of Ministers

}  The Council of Ministers meets in ten different configurations depending on the subjects under discussion. The Council of Culture Ministers meets twice per year, in May and November. The work of the Council is prepared by the Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER), made up of the permanent representatives of the Member States working in Brussels and their assistants. The work of this Committee is itself prepared by more than 150 committees and working groups consisting of delegates from the Member States.

}  The Presidency of the Council of Ministers is shared by the

Member States on a rotating basis (currently Cyprus). The Foreign Ministers’ Council has a permanent chairperson – the High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton. All other meetings are chaired by the relevant minister of the country holding the rotating EU presidency.

Presidencies of the EU

}  2012 – Denmark/Cyprus }  2013 – Ireland/Lithuania }  2014 – Greece/Italy }  2015 – Latvia/Luxembourg }  2016 – Netherlands/Slovakia }  2017 – Malta/UK }  2018 – Estonia/Bulgaria }  2019 – Austria/Romania }  2020 – Finland

Council of Ministers

}  The voting weights of the Member States depend of their population (total votes 345). For example:

}  Sweden: 10 }  Germany, France, Italy, UK: 29 votes each

}  The Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Council deals with cultural matters.

Chaired by the Rotating Presidency, currently the Cypriot Minister of Culture George Demosthenous.

}  The Cultural Affairs Committee (CAC) prepares the work on culture for the Council. Chaired by civil servants from the Rotating Presidency, currently from Cyprus.

European Parliament

}  The European Parliament represents the EU citizens and is directly elected by them. Elections every five years, next in 2014. The President of the EP is elected for a renewable term of two and a half years, i.e. half the lifetime of a Parliament. The current President, elected for his second term on the 17th of January 2012, is Martin Schulz (S&D, Germany).

}  In January 2012, the European Parliament welcomed 18 new MEPs who were agreed to under the Lisbon Treaty, bringing the total number from 736 to 751. Under the Treaty, Germany loses 3 seats, however, since it came into force after the EP elections in June 2009, Germany will retain those seats until the next elections in 2014. Until then, the number of MEPs will therefore temporarily remain at 754.

European Parliament

}  Political composition of the Parliament

EPP = European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) S&D = Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats ALDE = Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Greens – EFA = Group of the Greens / European Free Alliance ECR = European Conservatives and Reformists EUL-NGL = European United Left/Nordic Green Left EFD = European Freedom and Democracy

Parliamentary committees

}  EP composed of 22 thematic committees }  Relevant committees include:

}  Culture and Education - EP CULT }  Regional development – EP REGI }  Budgets – EP BUDG

}  Relevant MEPs from EP CULT: }  Doris Pack, EPP, Germany, Chair of the EP CULT }  Helga Trupel, Greens/EFA, Germany, Vice-Chair of EP CULT and

member of the EP Budget committee }  Mary Honeyball, S&D, UK }  Malika Benarab-Attou, Greens/EFA, France

}  From EP REGI: }  François Alfonsi, Greens/EFA, France

CAMPAIGN DEMANDS

1. EU Culture Programme The European Commission has proposed to merge the current Culture and MEDIA programmes of the EU with a new budget of 1.8 billion Euros for the period 2014-2020, which, according to the Commission, would represent a 37% increase compared to today. Challenge: Defend the proposed budget increase and improve the proposed content. Most Member States are against an increase of the global EU budget for the next period. 2. EU Regional Policy Funds (structural funds) In the current budget 2007-2013, it is estimated that 6 billion Euros will be spent on culture-based initiatives, making the EU Regional Policy Funds the biggest source of funding for culture at European level. The proposal for 2014-2020 does hardly include any references to culture. Challenge: To include references to culture and make the support more accessible. To make sure that national and regional authorities involve cultural operators in the preparation and implementation of the programmes.

CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES

In Brussels *Statements on both objectives *Amendments to reports *Meetings with MEPs and civil servants *Online template letters *Visibility around plenary votes Campaign supporters *Relay statements on national level *Lobby Ministers of Culture, Ministers of Finance, MEPs, civil servants. *Collect signatures *Recruit supporters *Visibility

Close-up on 2012-2013

Budget (MFF)

Policies: Cohesion Policy

Creative Europe

January-March 2012 April-May 2012 Oct/Nov

27 Nov: Adoption in EP CULT

Committee of the report

End 2012 2013

Denmark

Inter- Institutional Agreement:

MFF 2014-2020 adopted in a joint decision by the EP

and the Council

Final adoption by the EP and the

Council in a joint decision

Final adoption by the EP and the

Council in a joint decision

Cyprus Ireland / Lithuania Presidencies

June-July 2012 December End 2013

23 April: CoR’s position on Sructural Funds

adopted.

08 Oct: EP Cult report

presented 26 April:

Hearing in EP Cult

5 July: Adoption in EP EMPL

committee of the report on the European Social

Fund (ESF)

14 March: Common strategic

Framework published

18 Oct 2012: Vote in EP BUDG

on MFF

28-29 June : European Council meeting, discussions on MFF

26 June: Partial General Approach: Council position on Cohesion Policy

National Partnership Agreements prepared by the MS and Operational Programmes prepared by the regions are presented to the EC.

10 May: Partial General Approach: Council position on Creative Europe

22-23th Nov: 2nd round of negotiations: budget discussed (subject to state of play of MFF negotiations).

The GAC (General Affairs Council) works on the basis of the “negotiating box” with the aim of reaching a general agreement at the end of the Danish Presidency

European Commission

European Parliament

Council of the EU

13 Dec 2012: EU Summit to reach

an agreement on MFF

11 July: Adoption in EP REGI

Committee of the report on Common provisions for all Funds and on the

European Regional Development Fund

(ERDF)

Send a letter to an MEP from your country – an example 1.  Do research on the MEP before starting. What committees is he/she sitting on, what questions has

he/she raised in the Parliament and to the Commission? Private interests and previous work experience of the MEP can also be relevant!

2.  ‘Ask not what Europe can do for you – ask what you can do for Europe’ Inaugural address of John F. Kennedy 1961. Describe how your organisation is contributing to the development of the European project and the aims of European integration. Highlighting the principles (and/or the EU 2020 strategy) on which all European legislation and initiatives are based, will enhance your profile and chances of being heard.

3.  Never take without giving. Has your organisation done any studies, research or gathered any statistics that can help the politician support your case? There is a chronic lack of good data!

4.  Explain what your expectations are in terms of how the next EU policies and programmes will support international co-operation/co-production.

5.  Ev. briefly explain the obstacles in your country for artists and cultural operators to work internationally and how you think these should be addressed on national level (not in the mandate of the MEP but for his/her information since policies on different levels should ideally be compatible and work well together).

6.  Form alliances and send the letter together with other local organisations if possible and applicable. The more the stronger!

7.  Follow-up and send reminders!

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/parliamentary-committees.html

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/cult/members.html#menuzone