Cooperation with national authorities (OMC)

As part of the Agenda for Culture, national authorities may take part in the so-called Open Method of Coordination (OMC) in the field of culture. This means that they appoint representatives or individuals to be part of EU-wide expert groups, set up to:

discuss and validate national/regional best practice
make proposals for cooperation initiatives between EU countries or at EU level in priority areas identified in the EU Council’s 2011-14 work plan for culture

There are currently OMC working groups for the following priority areas:

cultural diversity and dialogue / accessible and inclusive culture
cultural and creative industries
skills and mobility
cultural heritage (including mobility of collections).

These OMC working groups have produced the following reports in 2012:

Policies and good practices in the public arts and in cultural institutions to promote better access to and wider participation in culture [6 MB]
Policy Handbook on the strategic use of Structural Funds to foster the potential of culture for local, regional and national development. (versions [4 MB] )
Report on Building a Strong Framework for Artists' Mobility [1007 KB] : Five Key Principles
Report and toolkit on practical ways to reduce the cost of lending and borrowing of cultural objects between Member States of the EU