Museum collections and European citizenship
The European Commission proposes the development of European citizenship, and the fostering of European culture and diversity, as major priorities for EU action. Within the European cultural politics the movement and exchange of museum collections (that is, collection mobility) is thought as a powerful and persuasive means of giving meaning and content to the concept of European citizenship.
From collection mobility towards European citizenship, how does that work? What socio-cultural insights underlie this policy?
How is this attitude viewed in the museum world? What do museum professionals and cultural policy makers in the ten new member states of the EU think about this European cultural policy?

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The Collectie Nederland concept & the European Collection
About ten years ago the term Collectie Nederland (the Dutch Collection) was introduced into the Netherlands. The expression is used to mean: all the public museum collections for which the Dutch public at large is prepared to accept a measure of responsibility. By considering all the collections in Netherlands’ museums as if they were one huge collection it becomes, theoretically at least, easier to coordinate them. There has been a noticeable change in central government policy as a result, seen in such areas as acquisitions, loans, presentations, selections and disposal.
The question arises: is the Collectie Nederland concept a viable one in other European member states and/or could it serve a useful purpose in pan-European cultural politics?

The limitations of collection mobility
The conference Museum Collections on the Move addresses questions concerning collection mobility. But what exactly do we mean by this expression?
What are the implications of advocating collection mobility and expanding the possibilities of loaning and lending objects? Should museums open wide their doors or are there in fact limitations (financial, practical, moral) on the mobility of objects?