F.A.Q.s for the platforms

Who can participate in the platforms? 

The platforms are open to organisations from the cultural sector (e.g. networks, foundations, professional organisations, etc.) with a trans-national or European-wide dimension. These non-governmental organisations must represent one sector or one sub-sector of the culture area. Consultancies and lawyers offices are not invited to join. Please note that public authorities, whether national, regional or local, are not invited to participate as they will be offered other channels to contribute to the European Agenda for culture. As far as Member States are concerned, expert groups with representatives from the Member States are presently being set up in order to undertake exchange of good practices and peer-learning activities on issues related to the European Agenda for culture. 


Promotion of culture as a vital element in EU external relations is one of the 3 objectives of the European Agenda for Culture.  Why isn't there any platform on this issue? How do you intend to associate organisations from these countries? 

The international dimension is included in the mandate of the two suggested platforms on access to culture and on the potential of the cultural and creative industries, and is also covered by the already existing civil society platform on intercultural dialogue. At this stage, the "structured dialogue" is intended to take place between the European cultural sector and the European Commission. Its aim is to permit the formulation of recommendations and to contribute to the development of a political Agenda for Culture in Europe. 


How will the organisations be selected to participate in the platforms? 

A call for expressions of interest was published on the website of the Commission at the beginning of March. In order to participate, organisations should fill this form before 15 April 2008. The replies to the questions will allow the Commission to verify if the profile of the organisation applying corresponds to the criteria presented in the call. If this is not the case, organisations will receive a reply explaining why their participation is not possible. If the profile matches the criteria of the call, organisations will be contacted by the Commission and invited to the constitutive meeting of the platform they would like to join.

My organisation has expressed its interest in participating in the structured dialogue with the Commission but was not invited to participate in the 1st meeting of the platforms. Why not?

After checking the expressions of interest received from all organisations against the criteria defined in the call, some unfortunately do not comply with one or both of these criteria, namely:
Cultural organisations (e.g. networks, foundations, professional organisations, etc.) with a trans-national or European-wide dimension. 
Non-governmental organisation. Public authorities, whether national, regional or local, are not invited to participate in this process as they will be offered other channels for contributing to the European Agenda.

My organisation was not invited to participate in the 1st meeting of the platform, how can we contribute to the European Agenda for culture?

Membership of a platform is not the only way to contribute to the European Agenda for culture. Indeed, a wider Cultural Forum will be organised in Brussels in autumn 2009. At this occasion, the opportunity will be given to all cultural operators of civil society to enrich the proposals of the platforms. These recommendations will then be presented to the Member States and the European Commission.

Moreover, the interest demonstrated by your organisation in the work of the Culture Platforms will be transmitted to the members of the platforms during their first meeting. It is therefore possible that you may be contacted by the Platform representatives as a "resource" organisation in order to present your experiences to the Platforms and thereby contribute to their deliberations.