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20 September 1993
Doc. 6921
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS
Supplementary Reply to Recommendation 1172 (1992)
on the situation of the cultural heritage
in central and eastern Europe
(adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 10 September 1993
at the 497th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies)
Further to the interim reply given to Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1172 (1992) in April 1992, the Committee of Ministers, conscious of the increasing urgency of the situation, wishes to inform the Parliamentary Assembly of the following information:
The Council of Europe is committed to sharing with central and eastern European States the experience acquired in the implementation of the principles of integrated conservation of the cultural heritage, and in particular of the architectural and archaeological heritage, as embodied in the Convention for the Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe (Granada, October 1985), and in the European Convention for the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage (Malta, January 1992).
Central and eastern European States parties to the European Cultural Convention are already actively participating in Council of Europe actions to foster heritage policies within the framework of a pan-European project of cultural and social development. States that have applied for accession are also participating as special guests.
Specific actions have already been undertaken in the following areas:
Technical Cooperation and Consultations
Technical assessment of conservation projects have been carried out or are under way in Poland (city of Cracow), Slovakia (city of Banska Stiavnica), Czech Republic (city of Telç), Russia (island of Kronstadt, near St. Petersbourg), and Latvia (city of Jelgava). Further interventions are being considered in Croatia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Albania and the Czech Republic. These actions are funded by the Cultural Fund, and/or by Vote IX of the General Budget.
Technical Workshops
Workshops to exchange experiences on integrated legislation for conservation have been held in Hungary (Budapest and Györ), Romania (Bucharest), Bulgaria (Sofia) and in Slovakia (Levoca). Workshops on legislation, funding and management of heritage conservation are planned for 1993 in Zagreb (Croatia), Vilnius (Lithuania) and Ljubljana (Slovenia). A workshop on the conservation of historic city centres will be held in Cracow (Poland). These actions are funded by the Cultural Fund, by Vote IX of the General Budget, and by voluntary contributions from member States of the Cultural Fund.
Training Programmes
Trainees from central and eastern Europe regularly attend courses at the European Centre for Training Craftsmen (San Servolo, Venice); conservation professionals regularly participate in the various colloquies and workshops organised by the Cultural Heritage Committee, with financial support from Vote IX of the General Budget.
Professional Exchange Programmes
Information and training seminars are held within national administrations or agencies active in the field of conservation of the built heritage, as follow up to the Technical Workshops. Participants are financed through a bursary scheme funded by the Cultural Fund.
Protection of the Movable Heritage
Specific actions undertaken to protect the movable heritage in central and eastern Europe include:
i. the commissioning of a study to analyze the situation of art objects and to propose urgent measures to ensure their protection;
ii. the organisation of an ad hoc meeting on 9-11 November 1993 in Prague, to discuss the measures proposed in the above-mentioned study;
iii. the study of a programme of information exchanges, in consultation with other international bodies, concerning moveable heritage policies, and in particular on preventing the illicit traffic in cultural objects.
The suitability and timing of a pan-European campaign for the protection of the cultural heritage is under consideration, bearing in mind that, in accord with Resolution No. 1 of the Third European Conference of Ministers Responsible for the Cultural Heritage (Malta, January 1992), the Cultural Heritage Committee is presently organising a "European Plan for Archaeology".
Following the instructions given by the Ministers' Deputies to the Secretariat at their 476th meeting (May 1992), the latter has examined the possibilities for emergency action in the former territory of Yugoslavia. Preliminary technical cooperation visits have been made to Croatia and Slovenia. As a result, a project team has been set up to elaborate a specific Plan of Action for these countries.
The Cultural Heritage Committee will be examining at its meeting in October 1993 the main lines of a plan of action comprising:
- the drawing-up of country-specific action programmes based on a synergy between technical co-operation and consultation missions, training activities and professional exchanges;
- the creation of a Cultural Heritage Fund the aim of which would be to finance feasibility studies (a necessary first step for future funding) on projects arising from technical co-operation and consultation missions.
The Ministers' Deputies will take decisions on these proposals as soon as possible and inform the Assembly of developments.