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Cyprus EU Presidency: Citizens at the heart of EU policies

16 July 2012

We must put citizens at the heart of EU policies was the message of the Cypriot Minister of Education and Culture Mr. George Demosthenous in today's presentation of the priorities of the Cyprus Presidency, before the Committee of Culture and Education (CULT) of the European Parliament in Brussels. The Cyprus Presidency will pay particular emphasis to the social dimension of policies in the fields of Education, Youth, Culture, Audiovisual and Sports. At the same time, the Cyprus Presidency will focus on the important role of education and training in the "Europe 2020" Strategy towards achieving inclusive growth, social cohesion, and the welfare of European citizens. Mr. Demosthenous said that education is now recognised as the most effective means of investment towards ending Europe's period of crisis. Referring to the Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020, the Cypriot Minister said that "the great convergence of views that we see between the positions of the Council and the known, until now, positions of the European Parliament, allows us to be optimistic that soon European citizens will have a new programme for education, youth and sports". "It is important to put citizens at the heart of EU policies and to convey a strong message of hope and solidarity," he added, emphasising that "the credibility of the European Union not only to the labour market, but mainly to its citizens must be restored". The main Education issues that the Cyprus Presidency will promote during its term are the following: • Literacy • The progress of the Strategy "Europe 2020" • The validation of non-formal and informal learning In the field of youth, Mr. Demosthenous said that the Presidency will highlight the importance of youth participation and youth organisations in the decision-making for the promotion of prosperous societies. Promoting the social dimension of culture In the field of culture the Cyprus Presidency, will seek to work constructively with Parliament on the programme "Europe for Citizens" and on the issue of the institution of the European Capital of Culture. Cultural governance is also a priority issue for the Presidency, through which it wishes to further promote the social dimension of culture and the strengthening of cultural research and evidence-based policy for culture. On audiovisual matters, the Cyprus Presidency will promote the ‘Creative Europe’ programme and the Better Internet for Children policy, while in the area of sports, the Presidency will address both the social and economic dimension of sport, focusing on the four themes of sport and health, evidence-based sport policy, match fixing and finally anti-doping. During his presentation, Mr. Demosthenous assured the Committee that the Cyprus Presidency will seek to have a constructive dialogue with members of the European Parliament on all the issues falling within his competencies, as well as expressing his gratitude to the other two member states of the Presidency Trio, Poland and Denmark, for their close and continuous cooperation. (Source: [http://www.cy2012.eu/index.php/en/news-categories/areas/education-youth-culture-sport/press-release---citizens-at-the-heart-of-eu-policies]www.cy2012.eu)

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