Is Europe s integration a cultural project?
The EU member states agreed to introduce a cultural component into the binding European treaty of Maastricht in 1991; they consequently allowed a small- far too small- European budget for culture and education; they have decided not to let culture and the arts fall prey to international market forces in the WTO negotiations (which means that there is still a fixed book price, or a reduced VAT on cultural goods – measures that are unfortunately not yet introduced in Central and Eastern Europe); they are beginning to realise that the creative cultural and artistic potential of Europe is not only vital for social cohesion but is also a crucial element for Europe `s competitiveness in our globalised world; it dawns on them that the official European Neighbourhood Policy and the emerging European foreign policy need a stronger cultural component.
