The panel responsible for selecting the European Capital of Culture for 2014 recommended yesterday in Stockholm that the title be awarded to Umeå. The other Swedish city in contention was Lund. The formal nomination of Umeå by the Council of Ministers of the EU will probably be in May 2010.

In accordance with the Decision establishing the European Capitals of Culture, Latvia and Sweden are the two Member States hosting a European Capital of Culture in 2014. The city chosen by Sweden's Umea, while the Latvian European Capital of Culture for 2014  will be proposed after the final meeting of the Selection Committee in Riga on September 15, 2009.

The European Capitals of Culture are chosen in two phases: a preselection phase, resulting in a shortlist of cities, followed by a final selection nine months later. The two cities chosen are then officially nominated by the Council of Ministers of the EU.

The applications are examined by an international panel comprising thirteen members – six appointed by the Member State concerned and the other seven by the European Institutions – to see whether they meet the criteria set out in the above-mentioned Decision.

The cities applying for the title have to prepare a cultural programme meeting fairly strict criteria relating to the European dimension of the event and the participation of its citizens. The European dimension is illustrated via the subjects chosen and the cooperation between artists and those operating in the cultural field in various countries, working together for the event. The programme must also have a lasting impact and contribute to the long-term cultural, economic and social development of the city.

The project of European Capital of Culture was launched in 1985 with the aim of contributing to the rapprochement between the peoples of Europe, and the first European city of culture was Athens. In 1999 the European City of Culture was renamed the European Capital of Culture and is funded by the EU Culture programme.

After Linz (Austria) and Vilnius (Lithuania) this year, future European Capitals of Culture will be: Essen (Germany), Pécs (Hungary) and Istanbul (Turkey) in 2010, Tallinn (Estonia) and Turku (Finland) 2011; Guimaeres (Portugal) and Maribor (Slovenia) in 2012, and Marseille (France) and Kosice (Slovakia) in 2013.