Whereas, throughout its history, Europe has been the site of exceptionally prolific and varied artistic activity; whereas urban life has played a major role in the growth and influence of the European cultures;

Whereas Article 151 of the Treaty grants powers to the Community in the cultural field; whereas all Community activity designed to promote cultural activities should therefore be undertaken on this legal basis, in accordance with the objectives and means assigned to the Community by the Treaty;

Whereas, on 13 June 1985, the Ministers responsible for Cultural Affairs meeting within the Council, adopted a resolution concerning the annual event ‘European City of Culture’4, the main aim of which was to open up to the European public particular aspects of the culture of the city, region or country concerned, an event for which the Community has provided financial support;

Whereas a study which has been carried out into the results achieved by European Cities of Culture shows that the event has a positive impact in terms of media resonance, the development of culture and tourism and the recognition by inhabitants of the importance of their city having been chosen;

Whereas the positive impact has none the less not always produced results lasting beyond the duration of the project itself and whereas, while recognising their competence to decide about the content of their project, the attention of public decision-makers in the cities chosen should be drawn to the need to integrate the cultural project into a dynamic medium-term process;

Whereas this initiative is important both for strengthening local and regional identity and for fostering European integration;

Whereas, in the discussions leading up to its opinion of 7 April 19955 on the Kaleidoscope programme established by Decision No 719/96/EC6, the European Parliament asked the Commission to present a specific programme on the European City of Culture after the year 2000 on the basis of Article 151 of the Treaty;

Whereas the importance and impact of the City of Culture event calls for the creation of a rotational system of designation which will ensure that each Member State will have one of its cities chosen at regular intervals; whereas a predictable, consistent and transparent rotational system is best achieved through a single decision whereby the order in which Member States will hold the event is decided;

Whereas it is appropriate for the Council to designate the Capitals of Culture in view of the great symbolic importance in the Member States of such a designation;

Whereas any Community initiative to promote the European City of Culture must satisfy predefined objectives and use the resources provided for by the Treaty;

Whereas the Community has in the past made a contribution to the European City of Culture and the European Cultural Month events under the Kaleidoscope Programme, which is due to expire in 1999;

Whereas on 22 September 1997 the Council adopted a Decision regarding the future of European cultural action7 in which it called on the Commission, in accordance with Article 208 of the Treaty, to table proposals for a single programme for culture by May 1998, into which an action European Capital of Culture will be incorporated, including funding arrangements;

Whereas account should be taken of the financial consequences of this Decision in such a way as to ensure that there is adequate and appropriate Community funding for the designation of two European Capitals of Culture;

Whereas the Commission has submitted to the European Parliament and the Council a communication on the first European Community framework programme in support of culture, including a proposal for a decision establishing a single financing and programming instrument for cultural cooperation,