Marseille-Provence 2013 Capital of Culture in March 2004 and later expanded their bid to include neighboring cities in Provence. A French jury selected Marseille as its choice in September 2008. In May 2009, the European Council officially announced that Marseille would be the European Capital of Culture in 2013 in parallel with the city of Košice in Slovakia. In 2006, the official Marseille-Provence 2013 association was created under French laws for non-profit organizations. It brought together members of both the public and private sectors and was first directed by Bernard Latarjet and then Jean-François Chougnet. The association administrative council was led by
2013 European Rally Championship 2013 European Rally Championship The 2013 European Rally Championship season was the 61st season of the FIA European Rally Championship, the European continental championship series in rallying. The season was also the first following the merger between the European Rally Championship and the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. French broadcaster Eurosport, which previously organised the IRC, assumed the duties of organising the ERC. The season started in Austria on 3 January, with the running of the Internationale Jänner Rallye, and finished on 9 November at the International Rallye du Valais. Jan Kopecký won the Championship after scoring a total of six victories