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Belfast-Derry capital of culture bid blocked by Brexit cost £350,000

The launch of Belfast and Derry's joint European Capital of Culture 2023 bid in July, and how The Irish News last month reported concerns over the impact of Brexit
The launch of Belfast and Derry's joint European Capital of Culture 2023 bid in July, and how The Irish News last month reported concerns over the impact of Brexit The launch of Belfast and Derry's joint European Capital of Culture 2023 bid in July, and how The Irish News last month reported concerns over the impact of Brexit

BELFAST and Derry have spent £350,000 on their joint bid to be 2023 European Capital of Culture which has been blocked by Brexit.

Brussels has cancelled the UK's turn to host the European Capital of Culture in six years' time because it is leaving the EU in 2019.

A joint pitch from Belfast and Derry-Strabane councils was among five bids for the title including Nottingham and Leeds.

Last month The Irish News revealed warnings within Brussels that Capital of Culture plans could be derailed by Brexit.

And yesterday the European Commission confirmed the UK will no longer be eligible, saying it was "one of the many concrete consequences" of leaving the EU.

Politicians have reacted with fury over the decision and have called for the north to be "treated as a special case".

The European Capital of Culture title is rotated around European countries, and it was set to be the UK's turn in 2023.

Cork was the last Irish city to be a European Capital of Culture in 2005, while Galway will take on the mantle in 2020.

In 2013, Derry became the first ever UK City of Culture – an initiative created by the British government because of the "economic benefits" experienced by Liverpool when it was European Capital of Culture in 2008.

In a statement, Belfast City Council and Derry City and Strabane District Council confirmed they have so far spent £350,000 on their bid out of a total budget of £800,000.

A spokeswoman said: "We are aware that the Department for Culture is still in discussions with the European Commission on behalf of all five cities involved and are seeking urgent clarification on the matter.

"We are, however, deeply disappointed with this recent development, but are committed to ensuring that the time, energy, enthusiasm, ideas and resources put into our bid are carried forward regardless."

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood described it as a "bitter blow" for Belfast and Derry.

"The SDLP has today written directly to the EU Commission to ask that we are treated as a special case," he said.

"I've also made contact with the Irish government to ask for their immediate intervention with the EU Commission to ask that the bid for the two cities on the island of Ireland can proceed."

DUP MEP Diane Dodds accused the commission of "needless and spiteful posturing", while Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson said the decision "defies belief".

Sinn Féin Belfast councillor Jim McVeigh said "every effort must be made to overturn this decision".

Alliance Belfast councillor Emmet McDonough-Brown said there was still time to reverse the decision and the commission "should not shut the door completely on Northern Ireland's eligibility".

The British government's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said they "disagree" with the commission's stance.

"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 spokesman said.

"We remain committed to working with the five UK cities that have submitted bids to help them realise their cultural ambitions and we are in urgent discussions with the commission on the matter."

A European Commission spokesman said: "The decision to nominate Hungary and the UK as hosts of the European Capitals of Culture for 2023 was taken by the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers in 2014, two years before the UK decided to leave the EU.

"As one of the many concrete consequences of that UK decision, UK participation is no longer possible. It therefore makes sense to discontinue the selection process."

The commission said the only countries eligible to host the culture capital were EU member states, candidates to join the EU or countries in EFTA/EEA that participate in the Creative Europe programme.