In its Communication on Removing cross-border tax obstacles facing EU citizens the European Commission announced its intention to launch a debate on ways to simplify tax compliance in cross-border situations. Citizens, organisations and public authorities are invited to contribute to the exercise of providing information on current problems and identifying good practices applied by some EU tax administrations that go some way towards addressing these problems. The consultation is open from 10.04.2014 to 03.07.2014 (English, German, French).

We need to attract more tourists, business people, researchers, students, artists and culture professionals to our shores. (Cecilia Malmström, Commissioner for Home Affairs, 1.4.2014)

“Teatro Valle Occupato and Teodor Celakoski are very inspiring for all who are struggling against the wave of austerity measures and privatisation that have been threatening the sustainability of cultural institutions crucial for artistic and community life to flourish." Rana Zincir Celal, Jury member.
The sixth ECF Princess Margriet Award will be presented at an official ceremony at BOZAR Centre for Fine Arts, in Brussels on 18 March 2014.

Theatre Info Finland (TINFO) will this year face a 16.2 per cent cut to its funding, amounting to EUR 85,000 in monetary terms. Due to cuts introduced by the Ministry of Education and Culture, partnership projects scheduled with both Finnish and international festivals, theatres and other bodies have been cancelled. In addition, TINFO is no longer able to provide grants to translators who convey Finnish plays into other languages. Last year, TINFO was able to support the translation of 22 Finnish plays into other languages.

The Institute of Theater Studies at the University of Leipzig, the last one in the east German states, is under threat of closure to save money for the state of Saxony. This is the department of the Vice President of the International Brecht Society, Guenther Heeg and a close partner to ITI Germany.  You can show your support by signing the petition (German and English text).
For further information (in German), see the Institute homepage

We publish a brief description by the Ukrainian writer Yuri Anrdukhovych, received at the ITI Executive Board meeting in Fujairah. If anyone has information about the situation of the theatre people in Ukraine, please, pass them to ACAR.
"I don’t know what will happen next, just as I don’t know what you could now do for us. However, you can disseminate, to the extent your contacts and possibilities allow, this appeal. Also, empathize with us. Think about us. We shall overcome all the same, no matter how hard they rage. The Ukrainian people, without exaggeration, now defend the European values of a free and just society with their own blood."