Abstract

The definition of cultural policies - especially since 1987 - that would bolster the presence of the European Community in sectors with a high symbolic value and growing importance has been a laborious and difficult process. Initially, the attempt was made to define them on the basis of syntheses and provisions, measures, or programmes envisaged in the Founding Treaty of the EEC. A more significant result was subsequently achieved with the Maastricht Treaty, by inserting the «culture clause» that has since been reelaborated as Article III-280 in the draft Constitution for the EU. The fact remains that the constitution submitted for public debate and review by national parliaments makes no appreciable progress in this matter, if not in procedural terms. Only by going beyond a sectoral consideration of the culture theme and overcoming the reductive method of cooperation can the European Union be given a role that meets the standards of its challenges: for example, through use of structural funds dedicated to this purpose, with market regulation that is more aware of the needs to protect pluralistic information, with a constant commitment in the international bodies responsible for defining agreements in protection of diversity against the standardising logic of globalisation. There is no dearth of useful references in this regard in the Constitution signed at Rome on 29th October 2004.