Minister Saarela at the Culture and Education Committee

Mr Chair
Distinguished Members of the Committee

It is an honour and a privilege for me to present to you the agenda and priorities of the Finnish Presidency in my sector. My portfolio comprises cultural, youth, audiovisual and sport matters, all of them sectors which touch and interest people all over Europe and which I know are also close to the European Parliament's heart.

I would like to start with a set of issues of great importance for all of us, that is, legislative proposals. In these matters we have made significant progress, thanks to the efficient work carried out by the previous Presidencies, the United Kingdom and Austria, in collaboration with the European Parliament.

I believe we all agree that the multiannual cooperation programmes are the backbone of Community action in the cultural and youth sectors.

The foremost task for the Finnish Presidency will be to bring the co-decision procedure to a happy conclusion as regards the Culture 2007, Europe for Citizens, Media 2007 and Youth Action programmes. It is vital that we can launch these programmes right at the beginning of 2007.

The Council is nearly ready with its common positions on the programmes, which will be submitted to the Parliament in September.

Although the major political decisions have already been made, we still have our work cut out for us. Let me take this opportunity to thank the European Parliament for their effort to achieve decisions on the programmes; I am looking forward to continuing our cooperation in this good spirit.

We are convinced that close cooperation with the rapporteurs, Mr Vasco Graça Moura, Mr Hannu Takkula, Ms Ruth Hieronymi and Ms Lissy Gröner will make it possible to get an early second reading agreement and to launch the programmes from the beginning of 2007.

This is what European cultural life, the audiovisual sector and European youth expect from us.

We welcome the special theme year 2008 for strengthening intercultural dialogue. In the Council we are currently discussing the amendments proposed by the European Parliament to it. It is our aim to arrive at a common position on them soon, working in collaboration with the Parliament and the rapporteur, Ms Erna Hennicot-Schoepges.

The matter of intercultural dialogue is a burning question both internationally and nationally and calls for joint action. We want to reinforce the sustainable effects of the year by involving the Community organs and a wide range of European and national actors in the undertaking.

The May Council took the historic decision that the Community will join the UNESCO Convention on Cultural Diversity.

The Member States should now take prompt action to ratify the Convention in order to implement it together with the Community. We have put in place a mechanism for communication between the Member States and the Commission to this end. Further, we are preparing a code of conduct for action in the bodies which will deal with the Convention and set up by virtue of it.

I am happy to inform you that Finland has already taken all the steps needed to join the Convention. We hope that our example will encourage other Member states to take swift action.

In addition to these legislative proposals, we will carry on the implementation of the Council Work Plans for Culture for 2005 and 2006. The themes of these Work Plans form a rolling agenda which guides the work of the Council.

We have initiated the preparation of the Work Plan for 2007 together with the next Presidencies. This third plan will carry on the tradition.

Distinguished Members of the Committee,

We shall raise the input of the creative industries as a major discussion theme during our Presidency, including the November Council. The study on the economy of culture contracted by the Commission has prepared the soil for productive discussion.

Further, we are preparing a policy document together with the next Presidency, Germany, for the European Council to be held next spring.

As part of this entity, we shall back up the Commission's policy for strengthening online content with a view to developing European cultural information society. This policy concerns cultural, internal market and trade policies. The matter also has great importance in terms of competition policy.

The production of the creative sectors has high added value, which Europe needs. The economy of culture gains synergy from cooperation and will work more efficiently in the expanding market underpinned by technology.

In the matter of digitisation and the preservation of digital materials, we are waiting for the Commission proposal for a recommendation. We think this is an interesting matter, and Finland wants to be part of this process.

In the implementation of the digital library, there are still many unsolved questions, notably relating to the economic and legal aspects. We are prepared to work in close cooperation with different parties in order to deal with these issues and to advance this matter.

I would like to take up some issues of cultural relevance in the Commission proposal for a directive on audiovisual media services, which comes within the remit of my colleague Susanna Huovinen, the Minister of Transport and Communications.

I consider it important that the directive provides a sufficient framework for protecting minors against harmful contents in the media. Other matters of cultural policy relevance include measures to promote independent audiovisual production, advertising practices which ensure the integrity of films, the order in which films are viewed in the media, and citizens' access to information. The Directive may also have repercussions for broadcasting rights in sports.

The relations between the European Union and the Russian Federation are also among the priorities during the Finnish Presidency. We are organising an expert meeting in Kajaani in September. Its purpose is to step up the implementation of the Culture Road Map between the Union and Russia. This would strengthen our cultural contacts.

As to sport, I can tell you that the Commission, together with Finland, is arranging an informal meeting of sports ministers in Brussels. The meeting will discuss the White Paper currently being prepared by the Commission and our priorities in this field, which are health-enhancing sport and volunteering in sport.

Ladies and gentlemen

We all have a painful memory of the youth demonstrations that took place last winter and spring in different parts of Europe. They put young people's concern about the insecurity of the labour market, working life and short-term work relations in the headlines. We must take young people's agitation seriously and find new ways of tackling this problem. Finland has taken youth research as a special theme in youth policy during the Presidency.

I am confident that giving a stronger role for youth research in decision-making and in the analysis of problems will provide us with tools for solving future problems, whether relating to young people's alienation, growth and living conditions or employment. The changes in the age structure in Europe are also a challenge for youth policy.

Solving all these questions will require cooperation between the administration, research, youth organisations and young people themselves. We have good experiences of this in Finland.

Mr Chair
Distinguished Members of the Committee

Youth policy is both demographic and labour policy, but above all it is an investment in the future of Europe. We would like to see the European Youth Pact manifested as practical action, as part of the Lisbon strategy.

Culture is the underpinning of all social and economic development. It is also a vital part of our effort to strengthen European competitiveness.

And even more importantly, it is the strongest factor for cohesion in societies and in the European community, and we must invest in it.