The second day of the Ministerial Council on Education, Youth, Culture and Sport (EYCS) (Culture & Sport), chaired by Minister of Culture and Sports, Panos Panagiotopoulos, is taking place today (21.05.2014), in Brussels. 

Culture Ministers are expected to adopt for the first time Conclusions related to cultural heritage as a strategic resource towards a sustainable Europe. The Conclusions underline the crucial role of cultural heritage to economic development and social cohesion, especially in a period of economic crisis which affects all Europe.

Α two-day Ministerial Council on Education, Youth, Culture and Sport (EYCS) is taking place in Brussels on 20-21 May.

On the first day, the meeting, which will be chaired by the Greek Secretary-General for Education and Religious Affairs, Athanasios Kyriazis, will start at 10:00 (CET) with the Education session. During a working lunch, ministers will discuss the role of education and training in the forthcoming review of the Europe 2020 strategy.

The afternoon session is expected to start at 15:00 (CET) and will be devoted to youth-related issues.

The so-called cultural and creative industries make one of the most dynamic sectors in Europe in the last few years. This sector has indeed proved to be particularly resilient to the current debt crisis and the recession, since after 2010 it has registered an annual growth rate of 10% and is expected to enjoy similar high levels of growth in the coming years.

The Coreper I, at a meeting on 19.03.2014, approved a compromise proposal by the Greek Presidency on ''a proposal for a Council Decision on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, of the Treaty of Marrakesh which facilitates access to published works by persons who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled'' [a proposal submitted by the Commission on 20.12.13, COM (2013 926)].