The EU Commission has ruled that no UK city is eligible for the European Capital of Culture award in 2023, a “direct consequence” of Brexit.
The announcement is a huge blow for five cities – Dundee, Nottingham, Leeds, Milton Keynes and Belfast/Derry – that have already submitted bids involving millions of pounds and significant amounts of time.
Gutted to learn @EU_Commission has pulled plug on UK hosting Capital of Culture 2023. Very sad for the 5 bidding cities. I am on the judging panel & have seen all their hard work. #Brexitfallout
November 23, 2017
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has said the government is in “urgent discussions” with the Commission about the decision.
A statement added: “We disagree with the European Commission’s stance and are deeply disappointed that it has waited until after UK cities have submitted their final bids before communicating this new position to us,” a statement said.
“The Prime Minister has been clear that while we are leaving the EU, we are not leaving Europe and this has been welcomed by EU leaders.”
No UK cities can win Capital of Culture 2023, EU Commission says. Guess Brexit really does mean Brexit.
But the rules are quite clear – some of the outrage was directed at the fact two countries not in the EU have been bestowed the honour in the past – Istanbul, Turkey in 2010 and Bergen, Norway in 2000.
But non EU countries of Stavanger. Bergen and Istanbul appear to have all held the title so how can the EU Commission justify Brexit as the reason?
The reason these two cities were allowed to enter is because the competition is open to “cities in EFTA/EEA countries, candidate countries and potential candidates for EU membership”.
Norway is a EFTA/EEA member country and Turkey has long been a potential candidate for EU membership, negotiations began in 2005 and are ongoing.
After Brexit the UK will be neither.
This appears to have been lost on a number of outraged Brexiteers and top of the list was Nigel Farage and the Leave.EU campaign.
The EU – ‘UK cities can no longer be considered for European Capital of Culture.’ (Previous winners from Turkey, Norway, Iceland.) A pathetically childish act we’ve all come to expect from the sad old men in Brussels.https://t.co/rI5Cv9sEoY
November 23, 2017
Hopefully we will get kicked out of the European song contest too ! https://t.co/B7kiBe44lT
Although that wasn’t reflected on the pro-Brexit website he co-founded.
PATHETIC: Stroppy EU chiefs ban Britain from taking part in European Capital of Culture because of Brexit vote. https://t.co/ZKp4TCWrkL
And they weren’t the only apparent Brexiteers outraged at the decision…
Typical case of EU bullying. Another reason why we’re best rid of them!#brexit
Don’t think you quite understand how this #Brexit thing works do ya?
What next? Total extermination from the atlas and globes? This petulant behaviour only serves to confirm that the Referendum result was correct ??
Of course, some people just didn’t seem that bothered at all.
European Commission says #Brexit vote means a British city can’t be awarded the title of European Capital of Culture from 2023. pic.twitter.com/QnjSjpzG8n
November 23, 2017
The call for entries was made in December 2016, after the EU referendum but the DCMS did warn on its website that “bidding cities should be aware that the ECOC [European Capital of Culture] title may be subject to the outcome of exit negotiations which have a bearing on the UK’s participation”.