The opening article highlights the lack of cultural policy issues among the priorities of the British EU presidency. It also presents the European Commission's proposal for a new selection procedure for the European Capital of Culture which shall increase the programme's European dimension.

Of special interest is the brief report on a European Commission meeting held in July 2005 to discuss the UNESCO draft convention on cultural diversity; the DG for Education and Culture met with representatives from the cultural sector who enquired, in particular, on the effect this text, once adopted, might have on EU competition policy.