European capitals of culture: the new selection procedure

Summary:

Viviane Reding, Member of the Commission responsible for education and culture, will today welcome a delegation from the city of Graz (Austria), which will be European capital of culture in 2003. Until 2004, the European cities of culture were chosen on the basis of an intergovernmental decision; as of 2005, a new Community-based selection procedure will apply to European cities of culture: after Bruges and Salamanca in 2002, Graz in 2003, and Lille and Genoa in 2004, Ireland will play host to the European capital of culture in 2005. The Irish city selected under the new procedure is Cork.