EU funding for the European Union Youth Orchestra  

Question for written answer
to the Commission
Rule 130
Alfred Sant (S&D)
E-004178-16

Subject: EU funding for the European Union Youth Orchestra  

The European Union Youth Orchestra (EUYO), set up in 1976, has been through the years successful in bringing together youths from all 28 EU member states to express European unity through musical expression and partnership. On 12th May 2016, the EUYO announced that it will cease operations as from September 2016, following the failure to obtain financial support through EU funding.

Following this unsuccessful bid for funding under the EU’s Creative Europe funding programme, are there any plans by the European Commission to provide an alternative source of funding in order to ensure the survival of this very important aspect of Pan-European culture?

Joint answer given by Mr Navracsics on behalf of the Commission

For the last 40 years, the European Union Youth Orchestra (EUYO) has been a symbol of Europe’s cultural diversity. The Commission wants to keep the spirit of the Orchestra alive, by allowing it to train the best European musicians in Europe for the benefit of all European territories. When it became aware that the Orchestra had financial problems, the Commission found a solution, which will allow the European Union Youth Orchestra to continue its activities. The Commission counts on the Orchestra in these challenging times to adapt their activities to better reflect the ‘European’ role they have and to spread the European spirit of freedom, creativity and openness in Europe and for Europe.

Maltese Version

E-004178-16
Suġġett: Fondi tal-UE għall-Orkestra taż-Żgħażagħ tal-Unjoni Ewropea

L-Orkestra taż-Żgħażagħ tal-Unjoni Ewropea (EUYO), stabbilita fl-1976, kienet ta’ suċċess matul is-snin billi ġabet flimkien żgħażagħ mit-28 Stat Membru tal-UE biex jesprimu l-unità Ewropea permezz tal-espressjoni mużikali u s-sħubija. Fit-12 ta’ Mejju 2016, l-EUYO ħabbret li se ttemm l-operat tagħha minn Settembru 2016 wara li ma rnexxilhiex tikseb appoġġ finanzjarju permezz tal-fondi tal-UE.
Fid-dawl tal-fatt li l-Orkestra falliet f’dan it-tentattiv li tikseb fondi fil-qafas tal-programm ta’ finanzjament tal-UE Ewropa Kreattiva, il-Kummissjoni għandha pjanijiet biex tipprovdi sors alternattiv ta’ finanzjament sabiex tiżgura s-sopravivenza ta’ dan l-aspett importanti ħafna tal-kultura pan-Ewropea?

Tweġiba mogħtija mis-Sur Navracsics
f’isem il-Kummissjoni
(16.8.2016)

Għal dawn l-aħħar 40 sena, l-Orkestra taż-Żgħażagħ tal-Unjoni Ewropea (EUYO) kienet simbolu tad-diversità kulturali tal-Ewropa. Il-Kummissjoni trid iżżomm ħaj l-ispirtu tal-Orkestra, billi tippermettilha tħarreġ l-aqwa mużiċisti Ewropej fl-Ewropa għall-benefiċċju tat-territorju Ewropew kollu. Malli saret taf bil-problemi finanzjarji li kienet għaddejja minnhom l-Orkestra, il-Kummissjoni sabet soluzzjoni li permezz tagħha l-Orkestra taż-Żgħażagħ tal-Unjoni Ewropea se tkun tista’ tissokta bl-attivitajiet tagħha. Il-Kummissjoni sserraħ fuq l-impenn tal-Orkestra f’dawn iż-żminijiet ta’ sfida biex tadatta l-attivitajiet tagħha sabiex jirriflettu aħjar ir-rwol “Ewropew” li hija għandha u biex ixxerred l-ispirtu Ewropew ta’ libertà, kreattività u ftuħ fl-Ewropa u għall-Ewropa.