Cultural activities of the European Union: a programmatic approach

Abstract

The European Union was created primarily on an economic basis, not on the principles of cultural cooperation. Cultural policy has been developed in the EU gradually, for quite a long time. As the emphasis in the activities of the European Union shifted from purely economic interests to political and socio-cultural spheres, the need for the formation of a European identity began to increase. In this regard, there is a need for the formation of a single cultural space, and hence a cultural policy that contributes to the achievement of pan-European goals. Culture should have become one of the factors contributing to the unification of people not only at the political and economic level, but also at the level of consciousness: citizens of different EU member states should, in theory, perceive themselves as a whole, as representatives of one territory with common cultural values. The first Cultural Activity Plan was adopted by the European Commission in early 1977. By the mid-1980s, when satellite radio broadcasting became widespread, conditions were created for a «common market for television broadcasting», and after a series of political and public debates, the directive «Television without Borders» was adopted in 1989.

The European Commission was also engaged in the protection of cultural and historical heritage, the provision of creative scholarships, support for literary translation, and individual cultural events. All this was financed by the European Social Fund, the European Regional Development Fund, etc.