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- Ελληνικά
The State Aid Control Commissioner Ms Stella Michaelidou announces that the European Commission provides Member States with a legal framework, on the basis of the General Block Exemption Regulation, which provides for approval at national level for the granting of compatible state aid to support culture and promote our cultural heritage. Ms Michaelidou lists two projects adopted by Greece, which could be a strong starting point and an excellent example for Cyprus to adopt similar projects to support and promote culture.
A) Greek ad hoc aid for the Delphi Cultural Centre - SA.107745
The Greek authorities have introduced, on the basis of Articles 14 and 53 of the General Exemption Regulation 651/2014, ad hoc aid for the modernisation and energy upgrading of the cultural building of the European Cultural Centre of Delphi.
Article 14 concerns regional aid and, in addition to the various terms and conditions applicable, the eligible costs concern the following expenditure:
a) investment expenditure on tangible and intangible fixed assets, or
b) the estimated wage costs of the jobs created as a result of the initial investment calculated over a period of two years, or
c) a combination of part of the expenditure referred to in points (a) and (b) but not exceeding the amount referred to in points (a) and (b), whichever is the greater.
Article 53 concerns aid for culture and heritage conservation. The aid shall be granted for the following cultural purposes and activities:
a) museums, archives, libraries, art and cultural centres or venues, theatres, cinemas, opera houses, concert halls, other organisations in the field of live entertainment,
b) material heritage, including all forms of cultural heritage, movable or immovable heritage, archaeological sites, monuments, historic sites and buildings, natural heritage associated with cultural heritage,
c) intangible heritage in whatever form, including customs and crafts of popular tradition,
c) intangible heritage in any form, including customs and crafts of popular tradition,
d) cultural and artistic events and performances, festivals, exhibitions and other similar cultural activities,
e) cultural and artistic educational activities, and promoting understanding of the importance of protecting and promoting the diversity of cultural expression through education and public awareness programmes, including through the use of new technologies;
f) compilation, composition, editing, processing, production, distribution, digitisation and publication of musical and literary works, including translations.
The aid may take the form of investment aid or operating aid.
For investment aid, the eligible costs shall consist of the investment costs in tangible and intangible assets.
For operating aid, it is summarised that the eligible costs are:
a) the costs of cultural institutions or heritage sites linked to permanent or periodic activities,
b) the costs of cultural and artistic training activities,
c) the costs of improving public access to cultural institutions or heritage sites and activities, including the costs of digitisation and the use of new technologies,
d) operating costs directly linked to the cultural project or activity, such as the simple or financial support of a cultural project or activity,
e) the costs of a cultural project or activity. The contractors for the relevant works will be selected through an open procedure, in accordance with Law No. 4412/2016. As part of the works, the space will also be rearranged in order to accommodate more visitors, have a special interpreters' booth, be accessible to people with disabilities and become less energy-intensive. Furthermore, the building's electricity and water supply will be extended and structural works will be carried out in order to enhance its stability and stability.
The aid takes the form of a direct grant with a total budget of €10,609,000, of which €8,555,645.16 will be provided by the European Fund for Recovery and Resilience. The aid will cover 100% of the necessary expenditure.
B) Greek adhoc aid for the Municipal Theatre of Lefkada - SA.108264
The Greek authorities have introduced, on the basis of Article 53 of General Exemption Regulation 651/2014 as explained above, ad hoc cultural aid for the completion of the Municipal Theatre of Lefkada.
The aid takes the form of a direct grant with a total budget of EUR 5,724,153, of which EUR 4,865,530 will be provided by the European Regional Development Fund. The aid will cover 100% of the completion costs.
(AF/SX)
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