COMMISSION WORKING DOCUMENT The European Agenda for Culture – progress towards shared goals   Accompanying document to the  COMMISSION REPORT TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EUROPEAN AGENDA FOR CULTURE   COM(2010)390
Date: 2010-07-19
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, artistic creation, cultural policy, cultural transmission, culture industry, promotion of the European idea

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EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 19.7.2010 
SEC(2010) 904 

COMMISSION WORKING DOCUMENT 

The European Agenda for Culture – progress towards shared goals  

Accompanying document to the 

COMMISSION REPORT 
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN 
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE 
REGIONS ON 
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EUROPEAN AGENDA FOR CULTURE 

COM(2010)390 

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   EN 

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. 

2. 

2.1. 

2.2. 

2.3. 

2.4. 

2.5. 

2.6. 

2.7. 

2.8. 

2.9. 

Introduction.............................................................................................................................................3 

CULTURE IN INTERNAL POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES ...........................................................3 

CULTURE ..............................................................................................................................................3 

THE AUDIOVISUAL SECTOR ............................................................................................................8 

EDUCATION AND TRAINING..........................................................................................................13 

MULTILINGUALISM .........................................................................................................................15 

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP .......................................................................................................................16 

YOUTH.................................................................................................................................................16 

COMMUNICATION ............................................................................................................................17 

COHESION POLICY ...........................................................................................................................18 

INFORMATION SOCIETY .................................................................................................................19 

2.10. 

RESEARCH..........................................................................................................................................21 

2.11. 

ENTERPRISE AND INDUSTRY ........................................................................................................24 

2.12. 

EMPLOYMENT, SOCIAL AFFAIRS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES..........................................26 

2.13. 

FREEDOM, SECURITY AND JUSTICE ............................................................................................29 

2.14. 

COMPETITION POLICY ....................................................................................................................32 

2.15. 

TAXATION AND CUSTOMS.............................................................................................................35 

2.16. 

INTERNAL MARKET .........................................................................................................................37 

2.17. 

AGRICULTURE AND SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT ................................................39 

2.18. 

MARITIME POLICY ...........................................................................................................................39 

2.19. 

ENVIRONMENT POLICY ..................................................................................................................40 

2.20. 

CONSUMER POLICY .........................................................................................................................40 

3. 

3.1. 

3.2. 

3.3. 

3.4. 

3.5. 

3.6. 

3.7. 

3.8. 

CULTURE IN EXTERNAL RELATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT POLICIES AND 
PROGRAMMES...................................................................................................................................41 

CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION .......................................................................42 

CULTURE AND TRADE POLICY .....................................................................................................44 

CANDIDATE AND POTENTIAL CANDIDATE COUNTRIES........................................................45 

EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD......................................................................................................49 

AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC (ACP) COUNTRIES........................................................53 

LATIN AMERICA ...............................................................................................................................56 

ASIAN COUNTRIES ...........................................................................................................................57 

INDUSTRIALISED COUNTRIES.......................................................................................................59 

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COMMISSION WORKING DOCUMENT 

The European Agenda for Culture – progress towards shared goals  

Accompanying document to the 

COMMISSION REPORT 
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN 
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE 
REGIONS ON 
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EUROPEAN AGENDA FOR CULTURE 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

Culture is not only a fundamental element of society and the lives of individuals, but is also a 
catalyst for European integration. Wherever it is able to do so, the European Union is playing 
an  increasing  role  in  cultural  policy  and  European  cultural  cooperation.  The  European 
Agenda for Culture in a globalising world, marking the beginning of a new era in this area, 
was proposed by the European Commission in May 2007 and endorsed by the Council of the 
European Union and by the European Council in November and December 2007 respectively. 

Three years on, the European Commission has published a Report on the progress made with 
the Agenda and the path that lies ahead. This working document supplements the Report and 
aims to give  an  overview of the developments in EU policies in which culture is present in 
one  way  or  another,  focusing  on  the  period  from  2007  to  the  present.  For  reference,  the 
Communication on the European Agenda for Culture was accompanied in 2007 by the staff 
working  paper  ‘Inventory  of  Community  actions  in  the  field  of  culture’,  available  at 
http://ec.europa.eu/culture/our-policy-development/doc399_en.htm. 

The Treaty of Lisbon dedicates an article to Union action in the field of culture (Article 167), 
which  should  ‘contribute  to  the  flowering  of  the  cultures  of  the  Member  States,  while 
respecting  their  national  and  regional  diversity  and  at  the  same  time  bringing  the  common 
cultural heritage to the fore.’  

This article stipulates also that ‘the Union shall take cultural aspects into account in its action 
under  other  provisions  of  the  Treaties,  in  particular  in  order  to  respect  and  to  promote  the 
diversity of its cultures.’  In other words, culture should  be ‘mainstreamed’ into the Union’s 
policies in the fields of external relations, cohesion policy, employment and many others.  

2. 

CULTURE IN INTERNAL POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES 

2.1. 

CULTURE 

Most EU actions which deal specifically with culture are part of the Culture Programme, but 
some other initiatives are being implemented. 

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2.1.1.  The Culture Programme (2007-2013) 

Aiming to celebrate Europe’s cultural diversity and enhance its shared cultural heritage, the 
Programme  promotes  cross-border  cooperation  through  the  mobility  of  artists,  cultural 
professionals and artworks, as well as intercultural dialogue.  

With  a  budget  of  EUR  400  million  allocated  for  the  period  2007-2013,  the  Culture 
Programme  supports  projects,  organisations, promotional activities  and research in all fields 
of  culture.  It  is  open  to  all  cultural  organisations  except  the  audiovisual  industry,  which  is 
covered by the MEDIA programme. Support can be given to cultural organisations from all 
the EU Member States, candidate countries, EFTA countries which are members of the EEA, 
and other countries for which a memorandum of understanding has been signed.  

Non-EU  countries  currently  taking  part  in  the  programme  include  Norway,  Iceland, 
Liechtenstein,  Turkey,  Croatia,  former  Yugoslav  Republic  of  Macedonia  (fYROM),  Serbia 
and  Montenegro.  Subject  to  the  signing  of  a  memorandum  of  understanding,  Bosnia-
Herzegovina and Albania are likely to join in 2011. The Programme also caters for activities 
with third countries, the focus being on a different country or group of countries each year: 
India  and  China  in  2007,  Brazil  in  2008,  Armenia,  Belarus,  Egypt,  Georgia,  Jordan, 
Moldova,  occupied  Palestinian  Territory  and  Tunisia  in  2009,  the  same  countries  joined 
by Azerbaijan and Ukraine in 2010, followed by Mexico in 2011 and South Africa in 2012.  

The 250 projects selected for co-funding every year involve many more organisations through 
partnerships.  For  example,  the  projects  funded  in  2009  involved  more  than  1 100 
organisations and a large number of individuals.  

Support  is  provided  for  cultural  actions  to  foster  cross-border  cooperation,  including  with 
third  countries,  and  to  create  and  implement  cultural  and  artistic  activities  in  line  with  the 
Programme’s objectives.  

The Programme also supports literary translations from one European language into another 
(including from Latin and ancient Greek), with the aim of circulating literature more widely, 
and  thereby  promoting  cultural  diversity  and  intercultural  dialogue.  In  2009  a  total  of  370 
books were translated.  

Cultural bodies working at European level can receive co-financing for their operating costs, 
provided they have a significant geographical outreach throughout Europe, varying according 
to the type of activity.  

Studies  and  dissemination  activities  in  the  field  of  culture  are  also  funded  from  the 
Programme.  Studies  are  undertaken  by  external  contractors  at  the  request  of  the  European 
Commission and have included in the last three years: 

•  The  contribution  of  culture  to  regional  development  -  evidence  from  the 
Structural Funds, ongoing1, looking at the many ways in which culture has been 
incorporated  into  EU  cohesion  and  regional  policy,  still  little  known;  the  study 
will be accompanied by an online practical information kit, addressed to cultural 
operators wishing to learn more about financing opportunities under the Structural 

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final report due during the second quarter of 2010. 

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Funds and to regional policy experts wishing to invest in culture as part of local 
and regional development strategies; 

•  The entrepreneurial dimension of cultural and creative industries, ongoing2, 
aiming at a better understanding of the operations and specific needs of companies 
in  the  cultural  and  creative  industries,  especially  small  and  medium-sized 
enterprises (SMEs); 

•  Mapping and evaluating of existing web platforms within the cultural sector 
aimed  at  stimulating  debate  and  cross-border  exchange  of  matters 
concerning European culture, ongoing3 

•  The  impact  of  culture  on  creativity  in  2009,  exploring  the  still  largely 
underestimated  links  between  culture,  cultural  diversity,  creativity  and  –  more 
broadly – social, scientific and economic innovation; 

•  Mobility  Matters:  Programmes  and  Schemes  to  Support  the  Mobility  of 
Artists  and  Cultural  Professionals  in  Europe  in  2008,  with  the  purpose  of 
providing  an  overview  of  the  mobility  schemes  that  already  exist  in  Europe, 
identifying any existing gaps and proposing recommendations for possible future 
action at EU or national level; 

•  Sharing Diversity: National approaches to Intercultural Dialogue in Europe 
in  2007,  investigating  definitions  of intercultural  dialogue,  its  challenges  to 
different sectors such as culture, education, sports and youth, and the main actors 
involved in its promotion.  

–  European Capitals of Culture 

The  EU's  European  Capitals  of  Culture  flagship  initiative  is  one  of  the  most  ambitious 
European  cultural  events.  The  objective  is  to  bring  European  citizens  closer  together  by 
promoting  a  better  understanding  of  our  common  cultural  heritage,  as  well  as  showing  the 
richness of our cultural diversity. The Capitals encourage cooperation and mobility between 
all kinds of cultural operators. This event is unique in scale and scope, lasting a full year and 
involving tens of millions of euros in investment, the bulk of it from national public sources. 
Over  the  years  its  capacity  for  contributing  to the  long-term  regeneration  of  cities  and  their 
regions has been recognised and is being increasingly tapped into. 

The  Capital  of  Culture  title  is  awarded  to  the  city  with  the  most  creative  and  innovative 
cultural  programme  proposal.  Essential  criteria  are  the  European  dimension  of  the  cultural 
programme  and  the  involvement  of  citizens,  including  the  long-term  impact  on  the  cultural 
and  social  development  of  the  city.  More  than  40  European  Capitals  of  Culture  have  been 
designated  since  the  event  began  in  1985.  2010  marks  the  25th  anniversary  of  this  highly 
visible EU initiative. 

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final report due during the third quarter of 2010. 
final report due during the second quarter of 2010. 

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2.1.2. 

- Prizes in the field of culture 

With the general objective of highlighting artists, works and cultural or artistic achievements 
and  making  them  known  beyond  national  borders,  the  EU  grants  three  annual  prizes 
(Contemporary  Literature,  European  Border  Breakers  Awards  -  EBBA,  Cultural 
Heritage) and one biennial prize (Contemporary Architecture). 

The awards are presented at large-scale events. The aim is to promote transnational mobility 
of cultural players, stimulate dialogue in the various cultural fields, spotlight excellence and 
cultural diversity, and contribute to branding Europe as a creative hub and European culture 
as a driver of creativity and innovation. 

2.1.3. 

- European Heritage Days 

European  Heritage  Days  is  a  joint  action  between  the  European  Union  and  the  Council  of 
Europe  aimed  at  opening  up  monuments  and  sites  all  over  Europe  (which  are  not  usually 
freely  accessible  to  the  general  public)  during  a  weekend  in  September.  The  event  attracts 
around 20 million people to remarkable spots spread out over the 49 participating countries 
and helps to give greater visibility to our shared European heritage. This event is linked to the 
European  Heritage  Forum,  an  annual  international  event  bringing  together  stakeholders 
working  on  the  interpretation,  communication  and  accessibility  of  cultural  heritage.  The 
Forum offers an opportunity to raise strategic questions concerning access to cultural heritage 
and to discuss best practices. 

2.1.4.  European Heritage Label 

A Commission proposal to establish the ‘European Heritage Label’ as an EU-wide initiative 
was approved in March 2010. The purpose of the Label is to highlight sites that celebrate and 
symbolise  European  integration,  ideals  and  history.  The  proposed  Decision  to  establish  the 
Label has been submitted to the EU’s Council of Ministers and the European Parliament for 
adoption and could potentially come into effect in 2011 or 2012. 

Under  the  proposed  new  scheme,  each  Member  State  would  be  able  to  nominate  up  to  two 
sites per year to receive the Label. Originally a 2006 intergovernmental project involving 17 
Member States, the Label as an EU-wide initiative would confer greater credibility, visibility 
and prestige. It would help both to increase public awareness of Europe’s common yet diverse 
cultural heritage and to stimulate cultural tourism and intercultural dialogue. 

2.1.5.  Pilot project for artist mobility 

Alongside  existing  initiatives  under  the  Culture  Programme,  the  Open  Method  of 
Coordination  (OMC)  and  structured  dialogue  with  the  cultural  sector,  a  pilot  project  for 
artist  mobility  was  launched  in  2008  outside  the  Culture  Programme.  The  project  had  an 
initial budget of EUR 1.5 million voted by the European Parliament. The results of this pilot 
project are feeding into the work of the Member States in the context of the OMC, as well as 
helping to test new ideas with a view to the preparation of a programme in the field of culture 
for the next programming period beyond 2013. 

One  element  of  the  pilot  project  entailed  a  study  examining  the  feasibility  of  a 
comprehensive Europe-wide information system for artists and cultural workers on the 
legal,  regulatory,  procedural  and  financial  aspects  related  to  mobility  in  the  cultural  sector. 
The study, carried out by an external consultant, was published in 2009. The model proposed 

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consists  of  the  creation  of  a  network  of  information  centres  in  all  Member  States.  This  is 
currently being discussed by national experts in the framework of the OMC. Possibilities for 
leveraging  existing  assistance  services  (such  as  EURES,  Citizens  Signpost  Service  and 
SOLVIT) to contribute to the information and help required by mobile artists are also being 
examined.  

A  second  element  of  the  pilot  project  was  a  call  for  proposals  to  encourage  networking 
among existing structures supporting mobility in different cultural sectors: four projects were 
selected. They started their activities in 2008 and have a maximum duration of 36 months.  

At the end of 2008, the Parliament voted another EUR 1.5 million line for the continuation of 
the  pilot  project.  A  new  call  for  proposals  was  launched  and  nine  projects  were  selected. 
They began their activities at the end of 2009 and have a maximum duration of 24 months.  

2.1.6.  Green Paper on "Unlocking the potential of cultural and creative industries" 

Europe's  cultural  and  creative  industries  are  not  only  essential  for  cultural  diversity  in  our 
continent; they are also one of our most dynamic economic sectors, employing more than 5 
million people across EU-27, contributing 2.6 % to EU GDP and growing faster than the rest 
of  the  economy.  Cultural  and  creative  industries  are  also  a  lever  for  social  and  territorial 
cohesion, as well as driving creativity and innovation with positive spill over effects on the 
rest of the economy and on society as a whole. 

But businesses in this sector, and especially SMEs, too often face obstacles to fulfilling their 
full  potential.  Cultural  and  creative  industries  need  the  right  business  environment  which 
meets the specific needs of creative entrepreneurship. 

For cultural and creative industries to be able to make the most of the opportunities offered by 
cultural  diversity,  globalization  and  digitization,  the  key  drivers  for  these  industries'  further 
development, the challenge is: 

•  To put the right enablers in place through an increased capacity for experimenting 

and innovating, easier access to funding and access to the right mix of skills; 

•  To  help  cultural  and  creative  industries  develop  in  their  local  and  regional 
environment  as  a  launch  pad  for  a  stronger  global  presence,  including  through 
increased exchange and mobility; and 

•  To  move  towards  a  creative  economy  by  catalyzing  the  spill-over  effects  of 
cultural and creative industries on a wide range of economic and social contexts.  

The  European  Commission  –  as  part  of  its  European  Agenda  for  Culture  -  has 
published  a  Green  Paper  on  "Unlocking  the  potential  of  cultural  and  creative 
industries"4. This document launches a public consultation open until 30 July 2010 to 
gather views on various issues impacting these industries, from business environment 
to the need to open up a common European space for culture, from capacity building 
to  skills  development  and  promotion  of  European  creators  on  the  world  stage.  The 
contributions  received  will  help  the  Commission  ensure  that  EU  programmes  and 
policies involving cultural and creative industries are "fit for purpose". 

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COM (2010) 183 final. http://ec.europa.eu/culture/our-policy-development/doc2577_en.htm 

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http://ec.europa.eu/culture 

2.1.7.  Cultural Statistics 

Support for  evidence-based  policymaking is one of the new working methods advocated  by 
the  European  Agenda  for  Culture.  The  Commission  coordinates  the  work  of  improving  the 
comparability  of  statistics  on  culture  through  Eurostat,  aiming  to  make  better  use  of  the 
harmonised statistics available at EU level, to widely disseminate these data and to develop a 
specific methodology in the field of cultural statistics. 

In  October  2007,  the  first  statistical  pocketbook  on  culture  in  the  EU  was  published  by 
Eurostat  and  was  very  well  received.  The  second  edition  will  be  published  in  early  2011. 
Additionally,  a  user-friendly  ‘Cultural  statistics’  section  has  been  created  on  the  Eurostat 
website.  
In June 2008, the ‘Cultural statistics’ Working Group recommended to establish a network of 
countries that could work together on various issues of statistics on culture. Consequently, the 
ESSnet-culture  was  set  up  in  September  2009  and  launched  in  December  2009  at  a 
conference during which the work programme of this ESSnet was presented. ESSnet-culture 
is  composed  of  four  thematic  Task  Forces  and  the  main  coordination  is  assured  by  the 
Ministry  of  Culture  of  Luxembourg.  These  Task  Forces  cover  the  following  domains: 
methodological  framework  of  cultural  statistics;  cultural/creative  industries;  public  and 
private  expenditure  on  culture;  cultural  participation  and  social  impact  of  culture.  The 
majority  of  the  ESSnet’s  tasks  are  related  to  methodology  (for  better  harmonisation  of 
existing and potential future data) but some new pilot data collections are also envisaged.  
Closer collaboration with international organisations working in the field of cultural statistics 
(UNESCO, Council of Europe, OECD, UNCTAD and WIPO) has been initiated by Eurostat 
and the first international meeting of March 2010 was a good step towards the development of 
cultural statistics worldwide.  

http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat 

2.2. 

THE AUDIOVISUAL SECTOR 

In the conclusions of the Lisbon summit, it was stressed that ‘content industries create added 
value by exploiting and networking European cultural diversity’. The audiovisual sector has a 
great economic potential and an important cultural and social impact. Moreover, it plays a key 
role in the emergence of European citizenship and identities. Community support is designed 
to enable the European audiovisual sector to promote intercultural dialogue, increase mutual 
awareness amongst Europe’s cultures and develop its political and cultural potential. 

2.2.1.  Regulatory framework 

European audiovisual policy seeks both to provide a framework conducive to development of 
the  audiovisual  sector  and  to  support  the  transnational  dimension  of  this  essentially  cultural 
industry.  To  this  end,  one  of  the  main  instruments  is  the  Audiovisual  Media  Services 
Directive  (AVMSD)5,  designed  to  facilitate  ‘business  without  frontiers’  in  the  audiovisual 
sector.  This  Directive,  which  replaces  the  ‘Television  without  Frontiers  Directive’,  has 
modernised  the  rules  governing  audiovisual  content  in  order  to  adapt  them  to  the  new 

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Directive 2010/13/EU of the Parliament and the Council of the 10 March 2010 on the coordination of 
the provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the 
provision of audiovisual media services (Audiovisual Media Services Directive) (codified version). 

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audiovisual  environment.  It  provides  harmonised  rules  for  all  audiovisual  media  services 
(including on-demand services), setting in particular the conditions for the transmission across 
borders of audiovisual media services, thus creating a legal framework for the free circulation 
of European audiovisual content within the EU single market. 

The  ‘country  of  origin’  principle  (which  allows  media  service  providers  to  offer  in  other 
Member States audiovisual content complying with the laws of their own State) is an efficient 
tool  for  increasing  the  number  of  cross-border  services,  thereby  contributing  to  media 
pluralism and cultural diversity in the EU. 

The Commission will report on the implementation of the AVMSD in a general application 
report  due  in  December  2011.  This  report  will  mainly  cover  the  development  of  the 
audiovisual sector and levels of media literacy in the Member States. 

In  addition,  cultural  diversity  is  fostered  through  promotion  measures  of  European6  and 
independent  audiovisual  productions  (Articles  13,  16  and  17  of  the  AVMSD).  Under 
Article 13 Member States must ensure that on-demand audiovisual media  services promote, 
where  practicable  and  by  appropriate  means,  production  of  and  access  to  European  works. 
Articles  16  and  17  require  Member  States  to  ensure,  where  practicable  and  by  appropriate 
means,  that  broadcasters  allocate  a  majority  of  time  on  TV  channels  to  European-made 
programmes and that a minimum proportion of viewing time is reserved for European works 
created  by  independent  producers  (or  alternatively  that  a  minimum  programme  budget  is 
allocated by broadcasters to independent productions). 

The Commission will, on the basis of an independent study, report to the European Parliament 
and the Council on the implementation of these provisions, taking into account the objective 
of cultural diversity. 

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/avpolicy/reg/index_en.htm 

The development of the EU audiovisual and information services industry also requires a 
minimum level of protection of the general interests of the European citizen. On 20 December 
2006  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  adopted  a  Recommendation  on  the 
Protection  of  Minors  and  Human  Dignity  and  on  the  Right  of  Reply  (2006/952/EC) 
dealing with matters such as media literacy, cooperation and sharing of experience and good 
practices between self-, co- and regulatory bodies, action against discrimination in all media, 
and the right of reply concerning online media. An implementation report will be published in 
the course of 2010. 

The  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  adopted  a  Recommendation  on  Film  Heritage 
and the competitiveness of related industrial activities on 16 November 2005. Member States 
must  inform  the  Commission  every  two  years  of  action  taken  in  response  to  this 
Recommendation. The first implementation report was published on 4 August 20087 and the 
second  report  is  expected  in  mid-2010.  One  issue  that  is  currently  being  addressed  is  the 
access  of  cultural  institutions  in  the  area  of  film  heritage  to  the  Culture  Programme,  in 

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The AVMSD has extended the definition of European works to works co-produced in the framework of 
agreements  related  to  the  audiovisual  sector  concluded  between  the  EU  and  third  countries,  thus 
increasing  the  potential  for  openness  to  international  cooperation,  with  the  aim  of  fostering  cultural 
diversity also through enhanced opportunities for the circulation of audiovisual works. 
http://ec.europa.eu/avpolicy/reg/cinema/report/index_en.htm 

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accordance  with  the  principle  of  non-discrimination.  Only  projects  eligible  for  the  MEDIA 
Programme can be excluded. Blanket exclusion of audiovisual institutions is disproportionate. 

2.2.2. 

Support measures in favour of the European audiovisual industry 

–  MEDIA Programme 

The  MEDIA  programme  was  created  in  1991  with  the  aim  of  supporting  the  European 
audiovisual  industry.  Since  then,  there  have  been  four  multiannual  programmes,  the  latest 
being MEDIA 2007 (2007-2013, budget: EUR 754.9 million). A total of 2  billion euros in 
co-funding  for  the  European  audiovisual  industry  has  been  provided  through  MEDIA 
between 1991 and 2013. 

The  MEDIA  programme  is  intended  to  make  the  European  audiovisual  sector  more 
competitive. This means in particular taking measures to foster: 

•  the adaptation of the European audiovisual industry to structural upheaval;  

•  the  development  of  a  propitious  environment  for  the  small  and  medium-sized 
businesses  which  underpin  the  industrial  fabric  of  the  cinema  and  audiovisual 
sectors;  

•  the creation of an environment which stimulates cooperation between businesses. 

Ultimately,  this  enhanced  competitiveness  should  become  evident  in  the  European  Union 
through an increased market share for non-national European productions.  

Productions  supported  by  the  MEDIA  programme  are  generally  of  qualitative  interest  and 
show  internationally  recognised  cultural  potential,  as  reflected  by  the  high  number  of 
MEDIA-supported films competing in the most famous film festivals (Cannes Film Festival, 
Venice  Festival,  Berlinale).  Furthermore,  a  significant  number  of  MEDIA-supported  films 
have won prestigious awards8.  

As  a  consequence  of  the  digital  revolution  and  the  enlargement  of  the  EU,  measures  under 
MEDIA 2007 are constantly being adapted and structured  in  a  growing  number  of  different 
action lines: Training (Initial and Continuous) Development and producers’ support, Access 
to  finance  for  SMEs,  Distribution  (Selective  and  Automatic),  Promotion  (Access  to  the 
market / Festivals), Exhibition and New Technologies (Video on Demand and linear services / 
Pilot Projects). 

Each  year,  around  50  specialised  training  events  for  professionals  are  organised  with  the 
support of MEDIA. Also, about 15 ‘Initial Training’ initiatives receive MEDIA 2007 support 

8 

‘The Wind that Shakes the Barley’ by Ken Loach won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 
2006,  ‘4  Months,  3  Weeks,  and  2  Days’  directed  by  Romanian  film-maker  Cristian  Mungiu  won  the 
same  prestigious  prize  in  2007.  At  the  2008  Cannes  Film  Festival,  four  films  funded  by  MEDIA 
received honours at the awards ceremony: ‘Entre Les Murs’ by French director Laurent Cantet won the 
Palme d’or, ‘Gomorra’ by Italian director Matteo Garrone received the Grand Prix of the festival, ‘Le 
Silence  De  Lorna  by  Belgians  Luc  and  Jean-Pierre  Dardenne  got  the  prize  for  best  scenario  and 
‘Tulpan’  directed  by  Sergey  Dvortsevoy  from  Kazahstan  the  prize  of  ‘Un  certain  Regard’.  In  2009, 
Austrian film director Michael Hanneke’s ‘Das Weisse Band ‘ received the Palme in Cannes. 

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aiming  to  increase  exchanges  of  good  practices  and  networking  between  film  schools 
students, trainees and trainers.  

The MEDIA programme provides European independent production companies with financial 
support for developing their cinema and audiovisual projects: every year, 350 new European 
film productions are supported by MEDIA.  

Through the distribution schemes, more than half of the European films shown on European 
cinema  screens  benefit  from  MEDIA  support.  Nine  out  of  ten  European  films  which  cross 
borders  within  Europe  receive  support  from  the  programme.  Distribution  and  promotion  of 
European  films  outside their originating country both across Europe and worldwide (almost 
60 % to 65 % of the total budget) are a clear priority The MEDIA programme also supports 
cinema networks and more than 100 film festivals every year (on condition that they show at 
least 70 % of European films). This helps improve the diversity and quality of films produced 
and distributed in Europe while creating greater choice.  

The need to face the challenges of a rapidly changing sector — new technologies, new players 
and  new  participating  countries,  market  fragmentation  and  difficulties  in  getting  access  to 
financing  —  has  meant  readapting  the  existing  schemes  as  well  as  creating  two  new  action 
lines for supporting Video on Demand (VoD) and Digital Cinema Distribution and Access 
to Finance.  

The main objective of the ‘VoD’ action — which started in 2007 — is to support the creation 
and exploitation of catalogues of European works and their digital distribution across borders. 
The competitiveness of the audiovisual content industry in Europe will largely depend on the 
use of these technologies. 

The  ‘access  to  finance’  action  will  be  implemented  in  2010.  The  audiovisual  sector  has 
always suffered from structural fragility and undercapitalisation –because financiers see it as a 
high-risk business carried out mostly by micro-SMEs with few tangible assets. Today, access 
to financing for producers of audiovisual content has become even more difficult due to the 
financial  crisis.  For  these  reasons,  the  Commission  took  the  initiative  to  set  up  a  MEDIA 
Production Guarantee Fund for the audiovisual sector9.  

http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/media/overview/index_en.htm 

–  MEDIA International Preparatory Action (2008-2010, budget: EUR 8 million) 

The MEDIA International preparatory action aims to explore ways of reinforcing cooperation 
between European and third-country professionals from the audiovisual industry on a basis of 
mutual  benefit.  With  a  budget  of  EUR  2  million  voted  by  the  European  Parliament  for  the 
year 2008, and EUR 5 million for 2009, subsequently reduced to EUR 1 million for the 2010 
call,  MEDIA  International  is  planned  to  be  the  forerunner  of  a  broader  EU  support 
programme  for  global  cooperation  in  the  audiovisual  industry  sector  (MEDIA  Mundus). 
MEDIA  International  runs  in  parallel  with  the  existing  MEDIA  2007  programme,  which 
supports the EU film industry. 

9 

The  fund  will  share  the  financial  risk  related  to  the  loans  granted  by  banks  to  European  independent 
audiovisual producers, by guaranteeing to cover a certain percentage of the loss in case of failure by the 
producer to reimburse the loan, thus encouraging local banks to grant credits to film producers. 

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In  February  2009  the  second  Call  for  Proposals  was  published  (budget:  EUR  5  million), 
aiming  at  (i)  reinforcing  the  exchange  of  information  and  knowledge  about  audiovisual 
markets;  (ii)  improving  the  competitiveness  and  distribution  of  works  from  third  countries 
within European markets and vice versa; and (iii) increasing the circulation and audience of 
these works.  

of 

Out 
applications, 
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/media/overview/international/index_en.htm 

projects  were 

finally 

total 

95 

40 

of 

a 

selected. 

–  MEDIA Mundus (2011-2013, budget: EUR 15 million) 

Adopted  in  October  2009,  the  new  MEDIA  Mundus  programme  will  follow  the  MEDIA 
International preparatory action as of 2011. It aims at strengthening cultural and commercial 
relations between Europe’s film industry and professionals from all over the world. Building 
on the experience gained from MEDIA International, and planned to run from 2011 to 2013, 
the programme will increase consumer choice by bringing more culturally diverse products to 
European and international markets and will create new business opportunities for audiovisual 
professionals from Europe and around the globe. 

The  budget  of  EUR  5  million  per  year  will  fund  projects  submitted  by  audiovisual 
professionals from the EU and third countries on the basis of the principle of mutual benefit 
for both sides.  

MEDIA Mundus will: 

•  Support  training,  including  trainees  and  trainers  from  European  and  third 

countries.  

•  Support the organisation of forums for international co-productions.  

•  Encourage  international  sales  and  promotion  of  audiovisual  works  (e.g.  cinema, 

TV, IPTV, Web TV and VOD platforms).  

•  Encourage  cinema  operators  in  European  and  third  countries  to  increase, 
reciprocally, the programming and exhibition conditions of audiovisual works.  

•  Increase 

the  supply  of  audiovisual  content  and 

improve  conditions  for 
broadcasting works from Europe and from third countries on TV, IPTV, Web TV, 
VOD platforms etc.  

•  Facilitate  the  organisation  of  events  and  media  literacy  initiatives,  aimed  in 

particular at young audiences.  

http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/media/overview/media_mundus/index_fr.htm 

2.2.3.  Other initiatives 

Media  literacy  is  the  ability  to  access  the  media,  to  understand  and  to  critically  evaluate 
different aspects of the media and media content and to create communications in a variety of 
contexts.  Media  literacy  relates  to  all  media  and  plays  an  important  role  in  enhancing 
awareness of European audiovisual heritage and cultural identities and increasing knowledge 

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of and interest in audiovisual heritage and recent European cultural works. Media literacy is a 
matter of inclusion and citizenship in today’s society. 

The  Commission’s  initiative  on  media  literacy  responds  to  requests  by  the  European 
Parliament  and  industry  together  with  a  number  of  Member  States.  At  the  end  of  2007,  the 
Commission adopted a Communication on media literacy and in 2009 came forward with a 
recommendation. The Commission actively promotes the development and exchange of good 
practice on media literacy in the digital environment through existing programmes and invites 
Member States and the media industry to increase people’s awareness of the many forms of 
media messages they encounter, be they advertisements, films or online content. In 2011, the 
Commission  will  report  on  ‘media  literacy  levels’  in  all  Member  States  based  on  an 
independent study. 

http://ec.europa.eu/avpolicy/media_literacy/index_en.htm 

Other  actions  in  relation  to  the  distribution  of  audiovisual  content  over  electronic  networks 
include ‘Content online’, for which  the Commission launched a first  public consultation in 
2006.  The  Communication  on  ‘Content  Online  in  Europe’s  Single  Market’  of  3  January 
2008 triggered another public consultation on further relevant issues.10. This Communication 
also established the ‘Content Online Platform’, which gathered together 77 experts from all 
(rights  holders,  collecting  societies,  creators,  content  providers, 
relevant  sectors 
telecommunication companies / ISPs, consumers) who discussed at five subsequent meetings 
new business models, legal offerings and the fight against piracy, management of copyright 
online,  cultural  diversity  and  protection  of  minors.  In  May  2009,  the  Final  Report  of  the 
Content Online Platform was published11.  

On  the  basis  of  this  report  and  the  ongoing  discussions  on  the  issues  relevant  to  creative 
content online – particularly the ones related to intellectual property rights – the Commission 
published  on  22  October  2009  a  comprehensive  Reflection  Paper  on  Creative  Content 
Online. It summarised the state of play and proposed possible solutions, having regard to the 
existing legal framework and modifications that would be necessary, and launched the latest 
public consultation, to which the Commission received more than 200 contributions.12  

Furthermore the European Union is committed to protecting media pluralism as well as the 
right  to  information  and  freedom  of  expression  enshrined  in  Article  11  of  the  Charter  of 
Fundamental  Rights.  A  phased  approach  to  Media  Pluralism  was  launched  in  January 
2007.  The  first  step  was  the  publication  of  a  Staff  Working  Paper  which  identified  the 
relevant aspects of media pluralism such as internal and external pluralism, relations between 
politics, economic interests and media or access to media content.13. The second step was a 
comprehensive study presenting a system of indicators for measuring media pluralism in the 
Member States of the European Union, completed in 2009.14  

2.3. 

EDUCATION AND TRAINING  

The Commission Communication ‘Key competences for a changing world’15 takes stock of 

10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:52007DC0836:EN:NOT 
http://ec.europa.eu/avpolicy/docs/other_actions/col_platform_report.pdf 
http://ec.europa.eu/avpolicy/other_actions/content_online/index_en.htm 
Media pluralism in the Member States of the European Union SEC(2007) 32. 
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/media_taskforce/pluralism/study/index_en.htm 
COM(2009) 640 final. 

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the  implementation  of  the  2006  Recommendation  on  key  competences  for  lifelong 
learning. As regards cultural awareness and expression, the Communication makes the point 
that while culture and the arts often form part of the school curriculum (except in vocational 
training,  where  the  provision  is  generally  very  limited),  in  most  Member  States  cultural 
awareness  does  not  appear  to  be  a  significant  strategic  priority.  The  potential  of  the  arts  to 
provide a methodology for work in other areas of the curriculum, and in personal and social 
development,  should  be  better  exploited.  This  has  implications  for  initial  and  continuing 
teacher  education,  which  could  incorporate  methods  borrowed  from  the  arts  into  the 
methodology of all subjects.  

Enhancing creativity at all levels of education and training and fostering cultural awareness as 
a  key  competence  is  also  one  of  the  four  objectives  of  the  new  strategic  framework  for 
European  cooperation  in  education  and  training  (‘ET  2020’)16,  which  highlights  the 
priority themes for future intergovernmental cooperation on education and training.  

The  Eurydice  network  launched  a  survey  on  ‘Arts  and  Cultural  Education  at  Schools  in 
Europe’ in the second half of 2007. The results published in December 2009 underlined the 
fact  that  arts  education  has  the  potential  to  develop  in  pupils  not  only  skills  related  to 
creativity,  but  also  different  personal  and  social  skills  and  attitudes.  However,  to  bear  fruit, 
arts education has to overcome certain challenges, such as a proportionally low level of taught 
time, particularly in lower secondary education, and specific difficulties related to assessment. 
Creating  partnerships  between  the  worlds  of  art  and  schools  seems  to  be  a  good  way  of 
tackling these challenges and more generally promoting arts education in schools.  

Work  on  the  development  of  indicators  for  creativity  is  currently  underway.  Measuring 
creativity  could  be  useful  to  monitor  progress  over  time,  e.g.  in  students’  achievements,  as 
well as country comparison, peer review and policy learning on issues such as how education 
systems can enhance creativity. To discuss possible measurement methods, DG Education and 
Culture  organised  in  2009  a  conference  together  with  the  Joint  Research  Centre  (JRC)17. 
During the conference a wide-ranging debate took place between those studying creativity for 
the  purpose  of  increasing  individual  efficiency,  those  linking  it  to  competitiveness  at  the 
country  level,  and  those  trying  to  understand  the  role  that  education  systems  can  play  in 
fostering it.  

–  Lifelong Learning Programme 2007-2013 

The  Lifelong  Learning  Programme  2007-2013  has  supported  a  wide  range  of  actions 
connecting education and culture.  

Enhancing creativity and supporting intercultural dialogue are among the specific objectives 
of  the  programme,  and  those  themes  of  the  European  Years  2008  and  2009  account  for  a 
significant proportion of programme resources.  

Since 2007, Comenius has supported far more projects dealing with the interaction between 
education  and  culture  than  in  previous  years.  A  trend  towards  a  broader  approach  to  the 
theme, involving more stakeholders, can be observed. 

16 
17 

2009/C 119/02. 
‘Can  creativity  be  measured?’  28-29  May  2009,  Brussels.  Conference  contributions  available  at 
http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-policy/doc1427_en.htm.  

Publication available at http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning policy/doc2082_en.htm 

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Some  curriculum  development  projects  supported  by  the Erasmus  programme  are  of  direct 
relevance  to  the  cultural  sector,  such  as  the  European  Master  on  Arts,  Culture  and 
International Management (http://www.emacim.eu) or the curriculum development project in 
the  area  of  ‘Ideation,  Preservation  and  Presentation  of  Contemporary  Visual  Arts’.  The 
‘EDICC’  project  aims  at  developing  an  academic  curriculum  for  Continuing  Education  on 
Intercultural Competence. Other examples of projects in the field of culture are the creative 
partnership  network  ‘Artesnet  Europe’,  which  sees  itself  as  a  Europe-wide  ‘community  of 
practice’ connecting practitioners from the creative/cultural sector, and the Polyfonia network 
that aims at introducing a European dimension into the Higher Music Education sector. 

The  Leonardo  da  Vinci  programme  has  supported  mobility  projects  and  pilot  projects  in 
areas  such  as  graphic  design  and  fashion,  cultural  heritage,  performing  arts,  media,  cinema 
and audiovisual, music, archaeology, and architecture.  

Within  the  Grundtvig  programme  in  the  field  of  adult  education,  transnational  cooperation 
has  often  focused  on  culture  and  intercultural  education.  The  culture-related  Grundtvig 
projects primarily aim to improve the capacity of cultural institutions to be active players in 
the  adult  education  field.  Several  projects  are  promoted  by  libraries,  museums  and  art 
associations.  In  2008,  118  Learning  Partnerships  on  cultural  subjects  were  approved;  79 
projects  were  concerned  with  artistic  education  (theatre,  music,  dance,  plastic  arts  and 
artisanal  creativity);  another  209  Adult  Learning  Partnerships  dealt  with  intercultural 
education  including  identity  and  folklore;  and  15 %  of  the  new  workshops  tackle  cultural 
issues. 

http://ec.europa.eu/education 

2.4.  MULTILINGUALISM 

Language is the most direct expression of a person’s culture, as well as a tool to understand 
other  people’s  culture.  Together  with  respect  for  the  individual,  openness  towards  other 
cultures, dialogue and acceptance of others, respect for linguistic diversity is a core value of 
the European Union. Our many mother tongues are a source of wealth and a bridge to greater 
solidarity  and  mutual  understanding.  EU  policies  focus  on  preserving  and  fostering  this 
linguistic diversity and promoting language learning. 

Multilingualism has a significant contribution to make in the cultural field. Language courses 
are a great way to develop sensitivity towards cultural differences and to understand the ways 
in which culture and language interlock. Many language-oriented activities and projects in the 
Lifelong  Learning  Programme  2007-2013  have  been  linked  to  various  forms  of  cultural 
expression and intercultural dialogue. In 2007 the Commission published a study (Languages 
and Cultures in Europe - LACE) identifying and assessing the nature, scope and extent of 
intercultural skills currently taught in compulsory foreign language education in the European 
Union.  

Multilingualism contributes to intercultural dialogue and integration. In 2008 the Commission 
published  a  report  from  a  High  Level  Group  on  Multilingualism  composed  of  artists, 
intellectuals  and  cultural  personalities  explaining  what  needs  to  be  done  to  turn  linguistic 
diversity  into  an  asset  enabling  citizens  to  enter  into  dialogue  with  people  from  different 
cultural backgrounds. 

In  the  context  of  the  civil  society  platform  for  multilingualism  the  Commission  has  been 
cooperating since the end  of  2009  with  EUNIC,  the  network of European National Cultural 
Institutes, in examining the cultural aspects of language learning. These aspects are becoming 

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increasingly  important  for  mobility  in  the  single  market,  individual  employability  and 
personal development. 

Initiatives have been launched in the field of literary translation, aiming mainly to raise the 
profile  of  literary  translators,  encouraging  them  to  take  advantage  of  the  new  opportunities 
offered by a growing market, supporting exchanges between residence centres, promoting the 
creation  of  internet  platforms  where  literary  translators  can  share  legal  advice,  data  bases, 
book synopses, models for contracts, and contacts with publishers. Moreover, two feasibility 
studies  are  being  conducted  on  mobility  grants  for  translators  and  a  literary  translation 
prize.  

http://ec.europa.eu/education/languages 

2.5. 

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP 

The  Europe  for  Citizens  Programme  (2007-2013)  was  launched  by  the  Commission  on  1 
January  2007.  The  concept  of  active  citizenship  refers  to  the  participatory  dimension  of 
citizenship, now enshrined in the Lisbon Treaty. The programme seeks to encourage citizens 
to  become  actively  involved  in  the  process  of  European  integration,  to  develop  a  sense  of 
European identity and ownership, based on common values, history and culture. It also aims 
at enhancing tolerance and mutual understanding between European citizens, respecting and 
promoting cultural diversity, while contributing to intercultural dialogue.  

In the context of this programme, culture is understood in its broader sociological rather than 
artistic sense, referring to history, ways of life and thinking, leading to identity and sense of 
belonging.  The 
‘European  Remembrance’  action,  aimed  at 
commemorating the victims of mass crimes perpetrated by Nazism and Stalinism, reflects this 
reinforced perspective, drawing lessons from Europe’s darkest history to help build the future.  

inclusion  of  a  new 

The core values on which the EU is founded constitute a priority theme of the programme, as 
is intercultural dialogue. Projects supported under the Europe for Citizens programme help to 
raise  awareness  about  the  importance  of  developing  active  citizenship  that  is  open  to  the 
world, respects cultural diversity and reflects the basic values of the EU. Types of activities 
include  town  twinning,  transnational  projects  and  networking  between  civil  society 
organisations,  NGOs,  trade  unions,  think  tanks,  associations,  and  other  non-governmental 
bodies.  The  actors  and  themes  are  diverse,  but  they  all  contribute  to  debate  on  our  place  in 
today’s Europe and our cultural roots.  

http://ec.europa.eu/citizenship 

2.6. 

YOUTH 

Culture  and  creativity  have  been  identified  in  the  new  EU  Youth  Strategy18  as  a  field  of 
action for young people, since involvement in cultural activities contributes to their personal 
development and feeling of belonging to a community. Moreover, accessing culture reinforces 
awareness of sharing a common cultural heritage and promotes active citizenship open to the 

18 

Commission Communication An EU strategy for youth — Investing and empowering. A renewed open 
method  of  coordination  to  address  youth  challenges  and  opportunities  COM  (2009)  200  —  Council 
Resolution of 27 November 2009 on a renewed framework for European cooperation in the youth field 
(2010-2018), OJ C 311. 

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world. Culture can even allow young people to express their creative energy in a way that will 
help them to exploit future employment and entrepreneurial opportunities. 

Member  States  and  the  European  Commission  are  working  together  to  enhance  young 
people’s  experience  of  culture  and  to  develop  their  talent  and  creative  skills.  This  includes 
making  new  technologies  readily  available  to  harness  young  people’s  creativity,  promoting 
specialised  training  in  new  media  and  intercultural  competences  for  youth  workers,  and 
encouraging partnerships between culture & creative sectors and youth organisations or those 
active with young people. 

A recently conducted study on youth access to culture in Europe19 highlights good practices 
and  includes  proposals  for  helping  European  institutions  and  Member  States  to  overcome 
common obstacles such as cost and distance, and improve the access of all young people to all 
forms of creative and cultural activity. 

Community youth programmes often offer young people the opportunity to engage in cultural 
activities. The general objectives of the Youth in Action programme (2007-2013) contribute 
to  the  development  of  EU  culture  policy,  particularly  as  regards  recognition  of  the  cultural 
and  linguistic  diversity  of  Europe.  In  a  similar  vein,  European  Voluntary  Service  allows 
young people aged between 18 and 25 to spend up to 12 months abroad in order to contribute 
to local projects of many different types, including artistic and cultural activities. 

Special emphasis has often been laid on the ‘intercultural dialogue’ dimension, reflecting in 
particular  the  idea  that  youth  exchanges  help  above  all  to  establish  mutual  trust  and 
understanding and foster a spirit of active exchange.  

http://ec.europa.eu/youth 

2.7. 

COMMUNICATION 

The link between culture and communication is a mutually-reinforcing one. On the one hand, 
culture influences the way we express ourselves and communicate with others. On the other 
hand, we learn about and from different cultures through communication. This means that if 
we want to continue to create a shared cultural space in Europe, communication must become 
intercultural  across  national  borders,  across  various  cultural  backgrounds,  languages  and 
religious or philosophical convictions. Through the involvement of citizens in debates about 
the  future  of  Europe,  the  communication  strategy  aims  to  create  shared  spaces  where 
intercultural dialogue can take place, while fostering active European citizenship and a sense 
of European belonging.  

EuroGlobe  Pilot  Action:  Communication  events  using  culture  as  a  vehicle  in  2010  and 
2011 

In 2007, 2008 and 2009, civil society initiatives aimed at developing European public spaces 
for debate, culture and learning were encouraged. Several projects received financial support 
for the organisation of events using culture as a communication vehicle in the Member States 
holding the rotating Presidency of the EU. 

19 

See Commission Youth website at http://ec.europa.eu/youth/index_en.htm 

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The overall aim is to foster a European public sphere for debate, culture and learning through 
the organisation of events that will promote an understanding of the relevance of the EU for 
culture and society in the Member States. 

The  overarching  theme  of  the  events  financed  is:  ‘The  relevance  of  the  EU  for  culture  and 
society  in  the  country  holding  the  Council’s  Presidency’.  Since  the  target  audience  is  the 
public  at  large,  the  projects  focus  on  communicating  on  the  EU  as  a  whole  and  not  on  its 
individual institutions. 

For  example,  the  European  Film  Festival  EuroCiné  featured  27  films  from  the  27  Member 
States on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the Schuman declaration, on 9 May 2010. 
The  catalogue  of  films  will  be  screened  through  UGC’s  cinemas  in  Brussels,  Luxembourg, 
Madrid,  Rome  and  Strasbourg.  The  Festival  included  debates  with  film  producers,  EU 
decision-makers and the public. In 2011, the catalogue of 27 films will be digitalised for the 
first time, allowing simultaneous screenings in Budapest under the Hungarian Presidency of 
the EU and Warsaw under the Polish Presidency. 

In the second half of 2010, music festivals featuring bands from the 27 Member States will be 
organised in Brussels, Namur and Antwerp. In parallel, debates on the EU and its policies will 
involve  EU  and  national  decision-makers  and  groups  of  youngsters  attending  the  music 
festivals. In Namur and Antwerp, the music festivals will be dedicated to the topic of climate 
change. 

http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/communication 

2.8. 

COHESION POLICY 

Culture has an important role to play in European economies, and there are many possibilities 
for  financing  under  the  instruments  of  the  Cohesion  Policy:  support  for  innovation  and  for 
small  and  medium-sized  enterprises  (SMEs),  funding  for  cultural  services  which  integrate 
information  and  communication  technologies,  funding  for  research  projects  on  the 
preservation  and  restoration  of  cultural  heritage,  etc.  The  instruments  of  the  new  Cohesion 
Policy  2007-13  should  make  it  possible  to  tap  all  the  potential  of  the  cultural  sphere, 
particularly  that  of  the  creative  industries.  The  creation  of  networks  and  interregional 
cooperation activities, for instance, can be supported by Cohesion Policy funds. 

Regions  which  benefit  from  the  Convergence  Objective  have  resources  to  invest  in  the 
protection,  promotion  and  preservation  of  their  cultural  heritage  and  in  the  development  of 
their cultural infrastructure, provided that these investments have a significant impact on the 
socio-economic  development  of  the  region.  Measures  to  promote  sustainable  tourism  and 
enhance a region’s appeal are also being supported.  

The Competitiveness and Employment Objective allows beneficiary regions to invest in the 
protection and enhancement of local cultural heritage if this will have an impact on regional 
socio-economic development. Such investments may also relate to promotion of the regions’ 
cultural assets, with a view to developing sustainable tourism.  

The  Territorial  Cooperation  Objective  allows  regions  to  invest  in  culture.  Cross-border 
cooperation  will  facilitate  the  development  and  shared  use  of  cultural  infrastructures.  As 
regards  transnational  cooperation,  financing  will  be  available  for  measures  to  preserve  and 
promote cultural heritage where these tie in with a sustainable urban development policy. In 
fact,  measures  to  preserve  and  develop  cultural  heritage  can  be  financed  under  special 

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provisions  for  urban  development  in  the  new  Regulation  on  the  European  Regional 
Development Fund (ERDF).  

For the total of 434 operational programmes approved by the Commission over the period 
2007-2013 amounting to EUR 347 billion, the Member States have earmarked EUR 6 billion 
for  the  ‘Culture’  heading,  including  EUR  2.9  billion  for  protection  and  preservation  of 
cultural heritage, EUR 2.2 billion for the development of cultural infrastructure, and EUR 797 
million for assistance to improve cultural services20.  

There is, however, a lot more that Cohesion Policy with a total budget of EUR 347 billion and 
its tools will do for culture and its related industries. Further support will be provided under 
other  relevant  headings,  such  as  Tourism,  Urban  regeneration,  Research  Technology 
Development, SME promotion, information society and human capital. Moreover, from 
the  recent  Strategic  reporting21  figures,  it  appears  that  a  substantial  part  (25.8 %)  of  the 
amounts planned for the ‘Culture’ heading has already been allocated by the Member States 
to selected operations. 

A  valuable  contribution  towards  further  mainstreaming  of  culture  in  regional  development 
programmes  comes  from  related  innovative  actions  and  territorial  cooperation  schemes 
carried out during the last funding period. For the category ‘heritage, culture and tourism’ 
of interregional cooperation (INTERREG III c), the experiences of no fewer than 42 projects 
can serve as inspiration for shapers and managers of the new programmes.  

An initiative under the Territorial Cooperation objective, ‘Regions for Economic Change’, 
introduces  new  ways  of  boosting  regional  and  urban  networks  and  testing  and  rapidly 
disseminating innovative ideas among the operational programmes in Member States. Three 
of the twelve fast-track networks of this initiative relate to culture (cultural heritage, cultural 
industries and cultural diversity).  

http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy 

2.9. 

INFORMATION SOCIETY  

2.9.1.  Digital Libraries initiative 

Information and Communication Technologies can further enhance Europe’s rich cultural and 
linguistic  diversity,  by  facilitating  the  creation  of  high-quality  digital  content,  improving 
access  to  our  shared  heritage,  and  supporting  its  preservation.  The  Commission’s  Digital 
Libraries initiative aims at making European cultural resources and scientific records easy to 
use  in  an  online  environment,  by  improving  the  framework  conditions  for  digitisation  and 
digital  libraries  in  Europe,  and  by  providing  co-funding  to  relevant  projects  through  EU 
programmes.  

Europeana, Europe’s digital library, museum and archive, was launched in November 2008. 
The  number  of  digital  objects  accessible  through  Europeana  grew  quickly  from  2  to  the 
current  7  million.  These  are  books,  journals,  newspapers,  maps,  photos,  images  of  museum 
objects  and  archaeological  sites,  films,  documentaries,  TV  and  radio  broadcasts,  music  and 

20 

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EU 

See 
Cohesion 
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/themes/culture  
See Cohesion policy: Strategic Report 2010 on the implementation of the programmes 2007-2013 
of 31.03.2010, COM(2010)110, SEC(2010)360 at http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/policy/reporting  

Thematic 

Culture 

Policy- 

Pages/ 

the 

at 

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other  sound  recordings.  They  originate  from  more  than  1 000  cultural  organisations  across 
Europe. The service, still in a beta phase, has already in its first year attracted 6 million users, 
corresponding to 120 million hits. Planning for 2010 includes the target of 10 million digital 
objects, and the launch of a new version of Europeana.eu, bringing it from a prototype to a 
full service with new multilingual tools and community facilities.  

In  August  2009  the  Commission  adopted  the  Communication  ‘Europeana  -  next  steps’, 
looking  ahead  to  the  next  phase  of  development  of  Europeana  and  its  orientation  for  the 
future.  The  Communication  also  launched  a  public  consultation,  which  triggered  118 
contributions  by  stakeholders  indicating  widespread  support  for  Europeana  and  the  Digital 
Libraries  initiative.  On  27  November  2009,  EU  Culture  Ministers  addressed  the  issue  of 
digitisation  policies  in  Europe,  and  how  to  make  books  and  other  cultural  content  available 
through Europeana.  

In particular, the issues of orphan and out-of-print works, raised  by  the High Level Expert 
Group  on  Digital  Libraries  (2006-2009),  have  been  taken  up  by  the  Commission  in  its 
Communication  on  Copyright  in  the  Knowledge  Economy.  An  impact  assessment  on 
possible options for orphan works is ongoing, and further work with stakeholders on ways to 
facilitate  rights  clearance  for  digitisation  and  online  dissemination  has  been  announced, 
including simpler licensing arrangements.  

The  Member  States’  Experts  Group  on  Digitisation  and  Digital  Preservation,  set  up  in 
2007, monitors progress made with the actions set out in the Commission Recommendation 
on  Digitisation,  Online  Accessibility  and  Digital  Preservation  of  Cultural  Material22. 
Moreover, it facilitates exchange of best practices and experiences among Member States in 
areas  such  as  accessibility  standards  for  people  with  disabilities,  large-scale  digitisation 
facilities,  orphan  and  out-of-print  works.  It  also  serves  as  a  means  to  discuss  topical  issues 
such  as  Google  Books  (Public  Private  Partnerships)  and  the  long-term  funding  and 
governance arrangements for Europeana.  

The  Commission  has  announced  new  measures  for  promoting  digitisation  and  online 
accessibility  of  our  cultural  heritage  in  the  framework  of  the  new  Digital  Agenda  for 
Europe. 

http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/digital_libraries/index_en.htm 

2.9.2. 

ICT Policy Support Programme: digital libraries and multilingual web 

The  ICT  Policy  Support  Programme  (‘ICT  PSP’)  aims  at  stimulating  innovation  and 
competitiveness  through  wider  uptake  and  best  use  of  ICT  by  citizens,  governments  and 
businesses. ICT PSP is one of three specific programmes implemented through Decision No 
1639/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 2006 establishing 
a  Competitiveness  and  Innovation  Framework  Programme  (2007-2013)  (‘CIP’).  ICT  PSP 
encompasses activities on cultural, scientific and scholarly content, as well as on multilingual 
access to quality digital content for education, conducted under the eContent (2000-2004) and 
eContentplus (2005-2008) programmes.  

22 

Commission  Recommendation  2006/585/EC.  ICT-PSP 
three  specific  programmes 
implemented through Decision No 1639/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 
October  2006  establishing  a  Competitiveness  and  Innovation  Framework  Programme  (2007-2013) 
(‘CIP’). 

is  one  of 

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One of the policies supported by the programme is the digital libraries initiative, aiming to 
improve  the  accessibility,  use  and  preservation  of  Europe’s  rich  and  diverse  cultural  and 
scientific heritage in the online environment. It further supports experiments with open access 
to  scientific  information  and  explores  new  paradigms  for  accessing  and  using  this 
information.  Through  the  ICT  PSP  the  Commission  intends  to  support  activities  that  will 
continue to make more cultural and scientific content available online, whilst at the same time 
supporting the next development phase of the central Europeana service as an access portal to 
this content.  

The  budget  allocated  for  digital  libraries  in  2009  was  EUR  25  million.  Funded  projects 
directly related to Europeana include: EUROPEANA v. 1.0, supporting the European Digital 
Library  Foundation  to  develop  a  new  operational  service;  EUROPEANA  CONNECT,  for 
interoperable,  multilingual  and  user-oriented  services;  and  EUROPEANA  LOCAL  for 
making  local  and  regional  content  accessible.  Projects  targeting  specific  types  of  cultural 
institutions  in  view  of  providing  their  content  to  Europeana  include:  EFG-European  Film 
Gateway (film archives), APENET- Internet Gateway for Documents and Archives in Europe 
(archives) and ATHENA (museums). 

The  ICT  PSP  also  supports  linguistic  diversity  in  the  online  universe  through  the  theme 
‘Multilingual  Web’  theme,  first  introduced  in  the  2009  work  programme  with  a  budget  of 
EUR  14  million.  Nine  high-impact  pilot  projects  were  selected  following  the  2009  call  for 
proposals. These projects leverage the richness of languages and involve a significant number 
of  European  SMEs  and  particularly  impressive  participation  on  the  part  of  the  new  EU 
Member  States.  The  2010  work  programme  provides  for  a  budget  of  EUR  16  million  for 
‘Multilingual Web’. Its main objectives are: to build a European  infrastructure for language 
resources (e.g. terminology bases, lexica, collections of translated documents, etc.) and to set 
up multilingual web services, for the public and private sector alike. 

http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/econtentplus/index_en.htm 

2.10.  RESEARCH  

The  Seventh  Framework  Programme  (FP7)  for  research  and  development  supports  culture 
directly  and  indirectly  through  its  specific  programmes.  Cultural  aspects  are  included  in  a 
number of thematic priorities: 

–  Information society technologies: cultural heritage 

The  European  Commission’s  funded  research  in  Information  Society  Technologies  (IST) 
applied  to  cultural  heritage  deals  with  leading-edge  information  and  communication 
technologies  for  expanding  access  to  and  use  of  Europe’s  rich  cultural  and  scientific 
resources.  It  also  investigates  how  digital  content  created  today  will  survive  as  the  cultural 
and scientific knowledge of the future. Between 2006 and 2009 a total budget of EUR 51.1 
million  was  devoted  to  supporting  research  projects  that  explored  leading-edge  information 
and  communication  technologies  for  accessing,  experiencing  and  preserving  cultural  and 
scientific resources. 

A  total  of  11  projects  were  funded  through  two  FP7  calls  for  proposals  in  2007  and  2008: 
Research  and  technical  development  in  the  form  of  large  integrated  projects  on  mass 
digitisation  of  European  cultural  heritage,  3D  digitisation  of  cultural  heritage  artefacts,  and 
preservation  of  audiovisual  and  film  heritage,  and  on  developing  a  digital  preservation 
framework,  coordination  actions  on  multilingual  information  access  and  on  digital  library 

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interoperability,  and  more  targeted  research  projects  dealing  with  virtual  representations  of 
urban  environments  as  well  as  aspects  of  digital  preservation  and  digital  libraries,  such  as 
emulation, web archiving and data mining.  

Funded projects include: 3D-COFORM, delivering new tools in the areas of 3D-capture and 
3D-processing  of  cultural  artefacts;  PRESTOPRIME  bringing  together  the  main  European 
institutions  responsible  for  audiovisual  archives  to  develop  methods  for  preserving  their 
content; IMPACT led by European national libraries is removing technological barriers in the 
field  of  mass  digitisation  and  V-CITY  is  recreating  historic  urban  environments  using  an 
innovative interactive 3D user interface. 

In  the  2009-2010  Work  Programme  of  the  Information  and  Communication  Technologies 
theme of FP7, cultural heritage research is an essential part of Objective 4.1 of Challenge 4, 
‘Digital  Libraries  and  Digital  Preservation’.  The  overall  budget  for  2009-2010  is  EUR  69 
million. 

http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/ict/telearn-digicult/home_en.html 

–  Information society technologies: multilingual technologies 

Technology  helps  to  maintain  and  promote  Europe’s  linguistic  diversity.  Automated 
translation,  indexing,  text  analysis  and  speech  processing  enable  communication  across 
language  barriers  and  make  content  accessible  and  understandable  to  speakers  of  any 
language.  The  FP7-ICT  programme  is  an  important  source  of  financial  support  for 
multilingual technologies. The 2009 call for proposals provided language technology projects 
with EUR 26 million in co-funding. The selected projects address adaptive and self-learning 
machine  translation,  embedded  in  a  collaborative  online  environment  and  making  use  of 
context and user feedback. In the next work programme for 2011-2012 support is expected to 
increase significantly to EUR 50 million for language technologies, ranging from multilingual 
content processing to information retrieval and speech-enabled conversational systems. 

Actions in the field of language technology, funded through the CIP, ICT PSP and FP7-ICT 
programmes, have been supported as a priority in point 4.A.e of the Council Resolution of 21 
November 2008 on a European Strategy for Multilingualism.23 

More information:  

http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/ict/language-technologies/portfolio_en.html 

–  Social sciences and humanities 

Within  the  ongoing  Seventh  Framework  Programme  (2007-2013),  projects  in  the  field  of 
social  sciences  are  supported  through  the  specific  programme  on  ‘Cooperation’,  Theme  8: 
‘Socio-economic  sciences  and  Humanities’  (SSH).  In  this  context,  two  activities  are 
particularly relevant to culture.  

Culture-related projects in the fields of social sciences and humanities are supported through 
Activity  5,  ‘The  citizen  in  the  EU’  (total  budget:  EUR  11  million)  addressing  two  areas: 
‘Participation and citizenship in Europe’ and ‘Diversities and commonalities in Europe’. The 
two  areas  cover  topics  such  as:  European  diversities  and  commonalities  including  their 

23 

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/educ/104230.pdf  

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historical  origins  and  evolution;  cultural  interactions  from  an  international  perspective; 
cultural  heritage;  identities  including  European  identity;  approaches  to  multiple  coexisting 
cultures;  the  role  of  language;  the  arts  and  religions;  attitudes  and  values.  Examples  of 
projects funded in these areas are: EUROFESTIVAL ‘Art festivals and the European public 
culture’  (http://www.euro-festival.org/);  EUNAMUS  ‘European  national  museums:  Identity 
politics,  the  uses  of  the  past  and  the  European  citizen’  (http://www.eunamus.eu/); 
GENDERACE  ‘The  use  of  racial  anti-discrimination  laws:  gender  and  citizenship  in  a 
multicultural  context’  (http://genderace.ulb.ac.be/);  IME  ‘Identities  and  modernities  in 
Europe:  European  and  national  identity  construction  programmes,  politics,  culture,  history 
and religion’ (http://fass.kingston.ac.uk/research/european/ime/); CRIC ‘Identity and conflict. 
conflict’ 
Cultural 
reconstruction 
(http://www.cric.arch.cam.ac.uk/index.php);  MediaAcT 
and 
Transparency  in  Europe’)  (http://www.mediaact.eu);  and  MEDIADEM  (‘European  Media 
Policies  Revisited:  Valuing  and  Reclaiming  Free  and  Independent  Media  in  Contemporary 
Democratic Systems’). 

(‘Media  Accountability 

identities 

heritage 

after 

and 

the 

of 

•  In  the  same  specific  programme,  Activity  3  on  ‘Major  trends  in  society  and  their 
implications’ addresses topics such as cultural exchanges, multiculturalism, dialogue and 
cultural  diversity.  Examples  of  funded  projects  through  this  activity  include:  RESPECT 
‘Towards a topography of tolerance and equal respect. A comparative study of policies for 
the  distribution  of  public  spaces  in  culturally  diverse  societies’;  ACCEPT  ‘Tolerance, 
diversity and social cohesion responding to the challenges of the 21st century in Europe’; 
MEDIA & CITIZENSHIP: Transnational television cultures reshaping political identity in 
the European Union’ (http://www.media-citizenship.eu). 

Furthermore, under Cooperation Theme 8 on ‘Socio-economic sciences and Humanities’, 
the European Commission co-funds HERA JRP ‘Humanities in the European Research Area - 
Joint  Research  Programme’,  initiated  by  13  national  organisations  funding  humanities 
research. HERA JRP finances high-quality transnational collaborative research investigating 
how creativity is linked to innovation culturally, socially and economically. It also considers 
cultural dynamics, such as the crossover between ‘high culture’ and ‘low culture’ as well as 
how culture affects identity and social cohesion. A joint open call for transnational projects in 
two  humanities  research  areas,  namely  ‘Cultural  Dynamics:  Inheritance  and  Identity’  and 
‘Humanities  as  a  Source  of  Creativity  and  Innovation’,  was  launched  in  January  2009. 
Nineteen collaborative research proposals involving consortia of at least three partners from 
three or more HERA JRP countries were awarded funding in December 2009.  

www.heranet.info 

–  Mobility and Capacity-building 

Other specific components of the Framework Programme are also broadly relevant to culture. 
The  specific  programme  ‘People’  supports  mobility  of  researchers  and  training  of  PhD 
students in scientific fields related to culture. 

Within the specific programme ‘Capacities’, cultural aspects are highlighted mainly through 
projects  linking  science  and  society,  where  cultural  means  are  often  used  to  bridge  the 
division between citizens and science. For example, the EUR 5.2 million PLACES project is 
bringing together networks of science museums and science centres, science events organisers 
and other key actors to promote scientific culture and communication. This four-year project 
is expected to define a model for a City of Scientific Culture. In future years links between 
scientific culture and other creative and cultural activities will be strengthened.  

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http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/sis/home_en.html  

–  Culture and Environment 

Within  FP7,  the  ‘Environment  (including  climate  change)’  theme  through  a  specific  sub-
activity  on  ‘Cultural  Heritage’  is  supporting  research  on  various  subjects  ranging  from  the 
development  of  advanced  techniques  and  materials  to  non-destructive  damage  diagnosis,  to 
methods  of  conservation  and  restoration,  and  mitigation  and  adaptation strategies  for  facing 
up to climate change and other environmental and human risks. 

In  its  first  four  years,  FP7  supported  16  projects  on  this  topic  for  a  total  EC  funding  of 
EUR 32.5  million,  including  one  large-scale  project  entitled  ‘CLIMATE  FOR  CULTURE’, 
dealing  with  the  impact  of  climate  change  on  Cultural  Heritage  conservation  strategies,  a 
subject  first  addressed  by  the  FP6  NOAH’s  ARK  project,  which  was  awarded  the  Europa 
Nostra Prize in 2009. 

–  Joint Programming Initiative on Cultural Heritage and Climate Change 

On  3  December  2009,  the  Competitiveness  Council  adopted  conclusions  endorsing  the 
identification and substantiation of a Joint Programming Initiative (JPI) on ‘Cultural Heritage, 
Climate Change and Security’24, coordinated by Italy and initially supported by 14 countries. 
The Council invited the Commission to contribute to the preparation of the JPI25. 

Joint  Programming  is  a  process  whereby  Member  States  address  jointly  areas  where  public 
research programmes can respond to major societal challenges (‘grand challenges’). 

Joint Programming Initiatives will seek to align the national research programmes in order to 
develop  a  more  effective  response  to  the  issue  at  stake.  In  this  framework,  Member  States 
define,  develop  and  implement  a  common  vision  and  a  Strategic  Research  Agenda  (SRA). 
The  Commission  may  contribute  with  measures  to  establish  the  proposed  JPI.  It  is  worth 
noting  that  the  preservation  of  Cultural  Heritage,  affected  by  environmental  and  human 
factors, was one of the first priority areas to be identified for the implementation of this new 
instrument. 

2.11.  ENTERPRISE AND INDUSTRY 

2.11.1.  The Competitiveness and Innovation Programme 

With  a  total  budget  of  over  EUR  3.6  billion  for  the  period  2007-2013,  the  Competitiveness 
and  Innovation  Framework  Programme  (CIP)  is  the  European  funding  instrument  specially 
aimed  at  fostering  the  competitiveness  of  European  firms,  in  particular  small  and  medium-
sized  enterprises  (SMEs).  The  programme  is  designed  to  encourage  innovative  activities, 
offering better access to finance as well as business support services. It also aims to enhance 
the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) as well as the use of renewable 
energies and energy efficiency. 

24 

25 

This provisional title was later changed by the consortium of proposing countries to ‘Cultural Heritage 
and Global Change: a new challenge for Europe’. 
Council conclusions 17226/09 http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/09/st17/st17226.en09.pdf 

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The  programme  has  supported  various  activities  related  to  creative  industries  through  its 
initiatives on  innovation. Under the Europe INNOVA  and  Pro INNO  Europe® initiatives, a 
number of pilot projects have been launched..  

Examples of such projects are ADMIRE, aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of European 
SMEs  through  better  use  of  design;  the  Innovation  C.I.R.C.U.S.  that  examined  the  driving 
forces  behind  innovation,  recording  experiences  of,  and  attitudes  towards  creativity  and 
innovation in European regions; the Innovation Festival, celebrating innovation and creativity 
across six European cities; the ImMediaTe project aimed at supporting growth and innovation 
skills  of  SMEs  in  the  Digital  Media  and  Creative  Industries;  BCreative,  aiming  to  support 
SMEs in the creative sector through streamlining different innovation support mechanisms. In 
addition, the EPISIS INNO-Net will look more closely at new markets generated by service 
innovation, such as by the creative industries.  

http://www.europe-innova.eu and http://www.proinno-europe.eu 

One  of  the  CIP’s  key  instruments  for  supporting  SMEs  in  their  growth  and  innovation 
activities  is  the  Enterprise  Europe  Network.  Launched  in  2008  by  the  European 
Commission,  the  Network  provides  a  range  of  targeted  business  and  innovation  services  to 
European SMEs. Combining the former Innovation Relay Centres and Euro Info Centres, the 
Enterprise Europe Network is made up of 577 organisations across 45 countries. The services 
of  the  Network  –  next  to  providing  advice  on  business  collaborations  across  borders  –  also 
help SMEs to access EU support programmes such as FP7.  

The  Enterprise  Europe  Network  partners  also  provide  support  on  a  sectoral  or  cluster  basis 
(Network sector groups). The creative industries sector group was recently established and 
held  its  first  meeting  in  Birmingham  in  April  2010,  hosted  by  the  Birmingham  Chamber  of 
Commerce  and  Industry.  The  aim  of  the  group  is  to  showcase  local  creative  activities  to 
potential  customers  across  the  EU.  It  also  tackles  further  upgrading  of  SME  customers’ 
business models or fresh activity through seeking collaboration across the whole network into 
the  internal  market  and  beyond.  The  group  should  mobilise  SMEs  present  at  major  cultural 
events throughout Europe to exchange on business or innovation opportunities and to mount 
trans-national deals involving SMEs. 

Whilst  creative  industries  represent  a  core  element  of  culture  and  creative  activity  ranging 
from  performing  arts  to  games,  fashion,  design,  etc.,  considerable  synergy  for  further 
innovative commercial activity is to be derived from interaction with the ICT sector group 
(both  on  audiovisual  production  equipment  and  on  digital  content  platforms)  as  well  as  the 
tourism and culture heritage sector group (role of art and creativity in enhancing tourism). The 
creative industries sector group of the Enterprise Europe Network has around twenty Network 
partners. It will be a catalyst for further take-up of innovative and commercial opportunities 
by the whole EU creative industry. 

http://www.enterprise-europe-network.ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm 

2.11.2.  Small Business Act  

Adopted in June 2008, the Small Business Act (SBA) for Europe reflects the Commission’s 
political will to recognise the central role of SMEs in the EU economy and for the first time 
puts into place  a  comprehensive SME policy framework for the EU and its Member States. 
The SBA aims to improve the overall approach to entrepreneurship, to irreversibly anchor the 
‘Think  Small  first’  principle  in  policymaking  from  regulation  to  public  service,  and  to 

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promote SMEs’ growth by helping  them tackle the remaining problems  which hamper their 
development. 

The Small Business Act for Europe applies to all companies which are independent and have 
fewer  than  250  employees,  meaning  99 %  of  all  European  businesses,  among  which  a 
significant number of companies operate in the cultural and creative sector. 

2.11.3.  Design as a driver of innovation  

In  April  2009,  the  European  Year  of  Creativity  and  Innovation,  the  European  Commission 
published  a  staff  working  document  entitled  ‘Design  as  a  driver  of  user-centred 
innovation’26.  It  painted  a  broad  picture  of  the  benefits  of  design  as  a  bridge  between 
creativity  and  innovation,  between  culture  and  the  market.  It  highlighted  the  potential  of 
design  to  enhance  the  attractiveness  of  new  products  —  e.g.  by  making  technological 
inventions more user-friendly — as well as to bring innovation into mature markets. It also 
recognised that the application of design is not limited to aesthetics, but that as an innovation 
activity,  it  allows  environmental,  safety  and  other  user  considerations  to  be  taken  into 
account. As such, design complements more traditional innovation drivers such as research. 

To  explore  what  could  be  done  at  a  European  level  to  further  support  design,  the  European 
Commission  launched  an  online  public  consultation  on  the  topic  on  the  basis  of  the  staff 
working document. The consultation was received with a lot of interest by the stakeholders, 
with 91 percent of responding organisations saying that design is very important for the future 
competitiveness  of  the  EU  economy.  71  percent  consider  that  its  use  is  very  important  to 
achieve social objectives, and 72 percent think the same to achieve environmental objectives.  

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/innovation/policy/design-creativity 

2.11.4.  2.10.4. Creative industries and services innovation 

Furthermore,  in  September  2009,  the  European  Commission  published  a  staff  working 
document  entitled  ‘Challenges  for  EU  support  to  innovation  in  services’27,  analysing  the 
economic  relevance  of  services  in  Europe  and  the  potential  of  services  innovation.  The 
document  concluded  that  the  European  policy  approach  to  services  innovation  needs  to  be 
holistic  and  to  make  better  use  of  available  Community  instruments  in  order  to  have  a  real 
impact. The analysis showed that the creative industries have one of the greatest innovation 
potentials in the services field. 

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise  

2.12.  EMPLOYMENT, SOCIAL AFFAIRS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES 

2.12.1.  European Social Fund (ESF) and the culture sector  

The  European  Social  Fund  is  continuing  to  make  a  considerable  indirect  contribution  to 
culture  through  support  for  vocational  training  and  pathways  to  employment.  Creative 
industries are increasingly recognised as successful sectors of employment and are linked to 
the creation of enterprises. The ESF invests in the cultural field through many different ways; 

26 
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SEC(2009)501. 
SEC(2009)1195. 

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advice  and  training  for  entrepreneurs  who  wish  to  start  a  business  in  the  creative  sector, 
investing in training for public authorities’ staff working in the cultural or tourism area, grants 
for students studying in the artistic or cultural heritage field.  

Art,  photography,  renovation,  these  are  also  fields  that  can  help  to  reintegrate  unemployed 
persons  or  attract  young  people  who  have  left  the  traditional  education  system.  The  ESF 
invests in projects that encourage people to develop new skills in these  areas  and  this  often 
result  in  jobs  for  people  previously  considered  as  socially  excluded. One  example  is  Real 
Ideas  Organisation  (RIO)  in  England,  a  social  enterprise  working  with  young  people  and 
unemployed persons in the creative sector.  

http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/esf/ 

2.12.2.  Social dialogue in the audiovisual and live performance sectors 

–  Audiovisual sector 

In  the  EU,  more  than  2.3  million  people  are  employed  in  publishing  activities,  video  and 
television  programme  production,  and  programming,  broadcasting  and  information  service 
activities,  and  almost  1.2  million  people  work  in  printing  and  media  reproduction.  The 
progressive  liberalisation  of  the  audiovisual  industries  has  led  to  an  increasing  division  of 
labour across the value chain, particularly in the television sub-sector. A similar process has 
occurred  within  the  field  of  radio  broadcasting,  with  the  growth  of  independent  radio 
production  companies  and  service  providers.  The  initial  expansion  of  the  audiovisual  sector 
has been followed by a process of rationalisation, with a handful of large players dominating 
the field in many countries. 

The audiovisual industry faces various other challenges. In the public sector, there is a threat 
to  licence  fees  and  public  funding,  while  in  the  commercial  sector  advertising  revenue  has 
collapsed  and  the  number  of  work  commissions  has  fallen,  leading  to  financial  instability. 
Problems that have arisen in the digital age include how to provide content across numerous 
platforms and increased piracy of creative output 

Many  workers  in  the  audiovisual  sector  face  irregular  and  unpredictable  employment 
opportunities,  atypical  contractual  relationships  and  lack  of  control  over  their  working 
conditions.  This  means  that  safeguarding  and  enhancing  a  genuine  professional  status  for 
cultural  and  media  workers  is  vital  to  making  a  career  viable.  However,  audiovisual  sector 
workers have a recognised standard of competence which allows them to be mobile within the 
industry across the EU and beyond. They tend also to be highly skilled and are trained for the 
future requirements of the sector.  

The Audiovisual Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee has only recently been established. So 
far,  it  has  focused  on  enlargement  and  how  to  improve  social  dialogue  in  the  new  Member 
States,  health  and  safety  at  work,  training  as  a  tool  for  change,  equal  opportunities  and 
diversity; as well as following up EU draft legislation and policies (such as the revision of the 
Working Time Directive and the Directive on services in the internal market). 

In  2009  a  new  sub-working  group  on  training  started  its  work  in  two  test  categories: 
journalists and technicians. The objective is to identify the needs of media and entertainment 
workers in the sector and to develop joint activities. 

–  Live performance sector 

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The  live  performance  sector  covers  artistic  and  literary  creation,  interpretation,  operation  of 
arts  facilities,  fair  and  amusement  parks  and  other  entertainment  activities  in  direct  contact 
with the public. The EU live performance sector employs a million or so people, up to half of 
whom have the status of self-employed. Among the employees, almost a third work part-time. 
Moreover, more than 40 % of the workers are women, and more than 40 % of the workforce 
has a high education level. 

The slow growth or even decline in public subsidies for the sector in EU countries in recent 
years has put the budgets of many established performing arts organisations under pressure. 
Moreover,  the  nature  of  the  live  performance  sector  necessitates  significant  geographical 
mobility.  However,  the  European  social  partners  consider  that  there  is  no  satisfactory 
response to the problems of visas, work permits, residence, recognition of diplomas, status of 
artists in terms of social protection and taxation, which need to be resolved if workers are to 
be  fully  mobile.  These  problems  stem  from  disparities  in  legislation  between  European 
countries.  

The  Live  Performance  Sectoral  Social  Dialogue  Committee  was  established  in  1999  and  its 
rules of procedure were adopted in January 2003. It meets about six times a year, in biannual 
plenary meetings and dedicated working groups. Recent outputs of the Committee include a 
Joint Statement on the impact of the financial crisis in the live performance sector (2009), and 
the  Bucharest  and  Sophia  Declarations  on  strengthening  social  dialogue  and  reinforcing  the 
capacities  of  national  social  partner  organisations  in  the  newer  Member  States  in  the 
performing arts sector (2007).  

Currently, the Live Performance Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee is working on issues of 
EU  enlargement,  technical  training  in  the  theatre  and  mobility.  In  response  to  the  European 
Year of Workers’ Mobility in 2006, they prepared a study on impediments to mobility in the 
EU live performance sector and on possible solutions.  

2.12.3.  Coordination of social security schemes for artists  

Mobility of artists within the European Union is a particular problem area. In fact, EU law on 
the coordination of social security schemes does not easily apply to professionals who work 
frequently  and  for  short  periods  of  time  under  varying  employment  statuses  in  different 
Member  States.  Given  that  the  problems  are  similar  for  different  professional  groups,  the 
situation  of  highly  mobile  workers  is  being  analysed  as  a  whole  rather  than  through  a 
profession-specific approach.  

The scope and limitations of existing rules determining the social security coverage of highly 
mobile groups of workers will be the subject of a Commission communication in 2011, which 
will  draw  up  guidelines  for  implementing  the  current  legal  framework  and  explore  possible 
adjustments.  

Key  issues  for  highly  mobile  workers  are  provision  of  information  and  acceleration  of  the 
administrative  procedures.  These  aspects  will  be  improved  through  the  modernised 
Regulations for coordination of social security systems (originally Regulations 883/2004 and 
574/2009),  entering  into  force  on  1  May  2010.  Cooperation  across  Member  States  will  be 
strengthened through new provisions and streamlined procedures. At the latest as from 1 May 
2012, social security data will be exchanged electronically (EESSI system) so as to accelerate 
procedures and secure rights. 

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2.12.4.  Access to culture for people with disabilities 

Since  March  2007,  all  EU  Member  States  have  signed  the  United  Nations  Convention  on 
the  Rights  of  Persons  with  Disabilities  (UNCRPD)  and  a  majority  have  also  signed  its 
Optional Protocol. The European Community (now EU) has also signed the Convention and 
the  Council  adopted  the  Decision  for  conclusion  of  the  Convention  in  November  2009. 
Furthermore,  the  Commission  has  issued  a  proposal  for  a  Council  decision  to  accede  to  the 
Optional Protocol. 

Article  30  of  the  UNCRPD  declares  that  State  Parties  recognise  the  right  of  persons  with 
disabilities  to  take  part  on  an  equal  basis  with  others  in  cultural  life,  and  must  take 
appropriate  measures  enabling  them  to:  a)  enjoy  access  to  cultural  materials  in  accessible 
formats; b) enjoy access to television programmes, films, theatre and other cultural activities, 
in accessible formats; c) enjoy access to places for cultural performances or services, such as 
theatres,  museums,  cinemas,  libraries  and  tourism  services,  and,  as  far  as  possible,  enjoy 
access  to  monuments  and  sites  of  national  cultural  importance.  State  Parties  must  also  take 
appropriate  measures  giving  persons  with  disabilities  the  opportunity  to  develop  and  utilise 
their creative, artistic and intellectual potential, not only for their own benefit but also for the 
enrichment of society. 

The Commission is currently working on the development of a new EU Disability Strategy 
2010-2020  to  succeed  the  European  Disability  Action  Plan  (DAP)  2003-2010.  The  new 
strategy  is  expected  to  propose  actions  at  EU  level,  as  does  the  current  DAP,  and  will  also 
contribute to assessing the implementation of the UNCRPD.  

2.12.5.  Preventing poverty and social exclusion 

2010 has been declared European Year for combating poverty and social exclusion. The role 
of  culture  in  promoting  the  active  participation  in  society  of  people  who  are  experiencing 
poverty and exclusion is the focus of several events and initiatives organised in the framework 
of the Year, at both national and European levels. 

http://ec.europa.eu/social 

2.13. 

FREEDOM, SECURITY AND JUSTICE 

2.13.1.  Integration 

Intercultural dialogue is a key dimension of a comprehensive integration policy for migrants. 
Its relevance is made clear in the Stockholm Programme which will shape immigration and 
integration policies within the EU for the next five years. Intercultural dialogue fosters open 
and  cohesive  societies  through  enhanced  mutual  understanding  and  respect,  beyond  cultural 
differences.  Among  the  varied  actions  included  under  the  banner  of  intercultural  dialogue, 
organisation  of  cultural  events  may  contribute  to  fostering  a  shared  identity,  allowing 
interaction between immigrants and Member State citizens, providing migrants with a better 
knowledge of their host society and increasing respect for cultural diversity, in line with the 
‘Common Basic Principles on Integration’ established on 19 December 2004 by the Justice 
and Home Affairs (JHA) Council. 

The European Fund for the Integration of third-country nationals (EIF), with EUR 825 
million for the period 2007–2013, contributes through the programmes of the Member States 
to  their  efforts  to  develop  and  implement  national  integration  strategies  to  facilitate  the 

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integration of third-country nationals into European societies, in conformity with the common 
basic principles. In addition, up to 7 % of the annual allocation for the Fund may be used for 
Community actions. As for 2009, actions in the field of culture may be co-financed as long as 
they  promote  understanding  of  the  contribution  that  migrants  make  to  European  societies, 
involve the population as a whole in managing an increasingly diverse society, and encourage 
interaction between immigrants and the host population. 

The  European  Web  Site  on  Integration  (http://ec.europa.eu/ewsi)  aims  to  provide  policy 
makers  and  practitioners  working  on  integration  in  Europe  with  a  tool  for  the  exchange  of 
information and good practice. 

2.13.2.  Visas and transnational mobility28 

Transnational mobility has been integral to the European project from the very beginning, as 
the Rome Treaty included freedom of movement among the four freedoms necessary to build 
the  common  market.  The  Commission  promotes  mobility  of  workers  and  citizens  both  as  a 
means to create a mobile and flexible workforce and as a way of breaking down barriers and 
building European solidarity. Removing obstacles to mobility is a responsibility shared by the 
Commission and the Member States.  

The  Commission  is  currently  looking  at  the  direct  or  indirect  administrative  and  procedural 
obstacles created by national borders in the effective exercise of people’s rights resulting from 
Union  citizenship,  including  the  right  of  EU  citizens  and  their  family  members  to  free 
movement  and  residence,  with  a  view  to  identifying  measures  that  can  remove  these 
obstacles, including for artists and cultural professionals. These measures will be set out in the 
Communication on Union citizenship that will be published in October 2010.  

Mobility gives artists and culture professionals the opportunity to meet their peers, show their 
work  to  different  audiences,  acquire  new  professional  skills  and  find  inspiration.  Moreover, 
mobility brings audiences into direct contact with cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, 
stimulating the creation of a ‘European cultural area’. One aspect of mobility concerns the EU 
visa  policy  towards  third-country  nationals  legally  residing  in  a  Member  State  not  applying 
the common visa policy and artists residing outside the EU. Improvements on these issues are 
very relevant to the implementation of the Agenda for Culture, even if the concrete measures 
apply across the board and are not specifically focused on artists and culture professionals.  

Restrictions  on  market  access  and  mobility  of  artists  and  cultural  practitioners  should  be 
addressed by Member States in the context of the implementation of Directive 2006/123/EC 
on the internal market for services. In addition, the points of single contact that have to be set 
up  by  all  Member  States  should  help  to  facilitate  market  access  and  mobility  of  artists  and 
cultural practitioners. 

2.13.3.  Highly skilled workers 

The  Blue  Card  Directive29,  which  is  part  of  a  legislative  package  on  labour  migration 
announced in the Policy Plan on Legal Migration30, was formally adopted on 25 May 2009. 
This  common  European  immigration  scheme  creates  a  fast-track  and  flexible  procedure  for 

28 

29 
30 

For mobility and social security coordination, see chapter on Employment and social affairs. See also 
chapter on Culture for actions related to mobility of artists. 
Directive 2009/50/EC. 
COM(2005)669 of 21 December 2005. 

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the  admission  of  highly  qualified  third-country  immigrants,  as  well  as  attractive  residence 
conditions  for  them  and  their  family  members,  and  can  make  things  easier  for  those  who 
might  wish  to  move  to  a  second  Member  State  for  highly  qualified  employment.  Member 
States must transpose this Directive by 19 June 2011 at the latest.  

This  scheme  does  not  specifically  focus  on  workers  in  the  field  of  culture,  but  they  are 
covered whenever they fulfil the conditions laid down by the Directive, including in particular 
a work contract or  binding job  offer,  a salary  threshold and  proof of the required educational 
qualifications. The salary threshold is to be fixed at 1.5 times the annual average wage in the 
Member State concerned, with the possibility of setting a lower threshold (1.2) for the so-called 
‘professions in need’ (ISCO 1 and 2 major groups). 

2.13.4.  Community Code on Visas 

The  Regulation  establishing  a  Community  Code  on  Visas31,  adopted  by  the  European 
Parliament and the Council in 2009, became applicable on 5 April 2010. While the Regulation 
applies to all third country nationals subject to visa requirement, it also influences the mobility 
of  artists  and  culture  professionals.  The  Visa  Code  recasts  the  legal  framework  for  the 
common  visa  policy  and  enhances  transparency,  equal  treatment  of  applicants  and  legal 
certainty and brings about a harmonisation of the procedures for issuing visas. 

The common visa policy covers short stays, i.e. envisaged stays with a maximum duration of 90 
days  in  a  period  of  180  days.  The  territorial  validity  of  a  Schengen  visa  is  limited  to  the 
Schengen  area  without  internal  borders  (comprising  at  present  22  Member  States  and  three 
associated States: Norway, Iceland and Switzerland. The UK and Ireland do not participate in 
this but apply national rules).  

The  Regulation  clarifies  which  Member  State  is  responsible  for  processing  a  visa  application 
and defines the different phases for examination and decision taking. It includes new provisions 
on  the  issuance  of  multiple-entry  visas  under  certain  conditions  and  specifies  categories  of 
travellers  for  which  the  visa  handling  fee  can  be  waived.  The  Visa  Code  contains  a  non-
exhaustive harmonised list of documents that visa applicants might need to submit for justifying 
their intended journey and the procedures for verification. These lists are to be adapted to local 
circumstances. A decision on a visa application  should  generally  be  taken  within  15  calendar 
days.  The  Regulation  requires  Member  States  to  notify  the  grounds  for  refusal  to  the  person 
concerned and gives such persons the right to appeal32. 

All  these  measures  contribute  to  the  equal  treatment  of  visa  applicants  and  provide  greater 
legal  certainty  to  make  the  visa  application  process  more  reliable  and  calculable  also  for 
artists  and  culture  professionals.  Furthermore  a  Handbook  for  the  processing  of  visa 
applications and the modification of issued visas has been drawn up, with the aim of ensuring 
harmonised application of the legal provisions. 

Apart from these main rules contained in the Visa Code, visa facilitation agreements have been 
concluded with certain third countries, making things easier for persons travelling for cultural 
purposes  (e.g.  in  obtaining  a  multiple-entry  visa,  a  visa  fee  waiver  or  in  facilitating  the 
documentation to be presented as proof of the journey).  

31 
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Regulation 810/2009, OJ L 243, 15.9.2009. 
These measures become mandatory from April 2011. 

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However, these arrangements do not affect national rules of the individual Member States on 
access to employment for artists. 

2.13.5.  Freedom of movement with a long- stay visa33 

In  accordance  with  the  Schengen  Convention  (Article  21),  third-country  nationals  who  are 
holders of a residence permit issued by a Schengen State are entitled to travel for short stays 
to the other Schengen States.  

The Regulation on freedom of movement with a long-stay visa was adopted in April 2010 
by  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council.  It  aims  at  facilitating  circulation  within  the 
border-free  Schengen  area  of  third-country  nationals  legally  residing  in  one  of  the  Member 
States  on  the  basis  of  a  national  long-stay  ‘D’  visa  issued  by  that  Member  State.  This  new 
development  can  support  the  mobility  of  artists  and  culture  professionals  residing  in  a 
Schengen  Member  State.  The  conditions  of  issuing  a  D  visa  remain  subject  to  national 
legislation, but once a D visa has been issued it confers the following rights to the holders: 

•  All valid long-stay visas allow the holder to free circulation in the Schengen area 
for 90 days in a in a 180 days period, under the same conditions as holders of a 
residence permit. In accordance with the Regulation, this rule also applies to long-
stay visas already issued before 5 April 2010, including still valid D+C visas; 

•  For D visas already issued, the six months reference period will start on 5 April 
2010. In the case of D+C visas issued before 5 April, the period of stay should be 
calculated on the basis of actual stays in the other Member States before and after 
5 April 2010; 

•  Member  States  are  allowed  to  issue  long-stay  visas  for  a  maximum  period  of 
validity  of  one  year.  Long-stay  visas  already  issued  before  5  April  2010  for  a 
longer period of validity than one year should be converted into residence permits 
after one year calculated from 5 April 2010. 

http://ec.europa.eu/justice_home 

2.14.  COMPETITION POLICY 

Competition  policy  ensures  that  competition  is  not  distorted  as  a  result  of  anti-competitive 
agreements (Article 101 TFEU (Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union)), abuse of 
a dominant position (Article 102 TFEU), anti-competitive mergers or incompatible State aid. 
Competition policy is an important element in achieving and protecting cultural diversity. In 
particular,  cartels  and  exclusionary  practices  may  lead  to  reduced  availability  of  cultural 
goods and services. Anti-competitive agreements and exploitative abuses may result in higher 
prices  not  only  for  consumers  but  also  for  producers  and  suppliers  of  cultural  goods  and 
services, such as writers, artists and film-makers.  

When applying Article 101 TFEU the Commission must assess each case on its merits. In the 
cultural  sector,  this  means  that  the  Commission  must  take  into  account  the  specific 

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Regulation (EU) No 265/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending the Convention 
Implementing  the  Schengen  Agreement  and  Regulation  (EC)  No  562/2006  as  regards  movement  of 
persons with a long-stay visa. 

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characteristics  of  cultural  goods  and  services  at  various  stages  of  the  assessment.  First,  the 
characteristics  of  the  goods  and  services  concerned  will  influence  the  definition  of  the 
relevant market. Second, within the assessment of whether an agreement restricts competition 
within the meaning of Article 101(1) TFEU, account will be taken of the actual conditions in 
which  it  functions,  in  particular  the  specific  economic  and  legal  context  in  which  the 
undertakings  operate,  the  products  or  services  covered  by  the  agreement  and  the  actual 
structure of the market concerned. Third, under Article 101(3) TFEU, restrictive agreements 
may in certain cases be exempted, for instance if they improve the production or distribution 
of  goods  including  cultural  goods,  if  the  consumers  receive  a  fair  share  of  the  resulting 
benefit,  if  the  restriction  or  conduct  is  indispensable  and  competition  is  not  substantially 
eliminated. These conditions are cumulative, which means that the welfare of the consumer 
has systematically been taken into account. Within the framework of Article 102 TFEU, the 
characteristics of the market and the products and services concerned are relevant, e.g. when 
assessing whether conduct may be qualified as abusive or whether the alleged abuse can be 
objectively justified. 

2.14.1.  Antitrust policy and Merger control 

An approach has been followed which, in the competition analysis, takes into account impacts 
on  cultural  diversity  in  the  entire  chain  (production/distribution/consumption)  leading  to 
availability of a diversity of cultural goods and services.  

–  Antitrust policy  

The Commission tackled the issue of collective management of authors’ rights in music works 
in the CISAC case. It applied the competition rules and issued on 16 July 2008 the antirust 
decision  addressed  to  24  EEA  collecting  societies  which  manage  music  rights  on  behalf  of 
their  authors  (both  composers  and  lyricists),  all  members  of  CISAC  (International 
Confederation  of  Societies  of  Authors  and  Composers).  The  CISAC  decision  prohibits 
membership  and  exclusivity  clauses  in  the  reciprocal  representation  agreements  between 
collecting societies for all modes of exploitation and ends a concerted practice concerning the 
territorial  delineation  of  mandates  to  license  established  under  these  representation 
agreements for internet, cable retransmission and satellite exploitation. However, the decision 
does  not  call  into  question  the  network  of  reciprocal  agreements  as  such.  Also,  it  does  not 
undermine  cultural  diversity  as  it  does  not  affect  authors’  revenues  nor  does  it  affect  the 
ability  of  small  collecting  societies  to  license  their  local  repertoire.  The  CISAC  case  is  one 
example  of  how  the  possible  impact  of  an  antitrust  decision  on  cultural  diversity  has  been 
duly taken into account. 

–  Merger control 

In Case No COMP/M.5272 - Sony / Sony BMG, a transaction cleared on 15 September 2008, 
the Commission analysed the vertical integration between the activities of Sony in consumer 
electronics  (portable  music  devices,  mobile  phones),  video  games  and  cinema,  and  the 
activities of Sony BMG in music publishing and music recording. The Commission concluded 
that  Sony  would  continue  to  have  the  incentive  to  sell  its  music  to  as  many  customers  of 
portable  music  devices,  mobile  phones,  video  games  and  films  as  possible,  and  would 
therefore  not  restrict  access  to  its  music  catalogue  to  competitors  in  these  markets.  In  any 
event,  Sony’s  competitors  for  portable  music  devices,  mobile  phones,  video  games  and 
movies  would  continue  to  have  access  to  a  sufficiently  large  portfolio  of  music  rights  from 
alternative  suppliers.  In  addition,  Sony  would  continue  to  have  the  incentive  to  purchase 

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music  for  its  portable  music  devices,  mobile  phones,  video  games  and  films  from  different 
sources. The Commission therefore concluded that the transaction did not have any negative 
impact on consumer choice and cultural diversity (explicit reference made in the decision). 

–  Other initiatives 

The Commission has also pursued advocacy efforts to support industry solutions facilitating 
EU-wide licensing and transparency of rights ownership information through the ‘Roundtable 
on  opportunities  and  barriers  to  online  retailing  in  the  European  Single  Market’.  On  17 
September 2008, former Commissioner for Competition, Neelie Kroes, held the first meeting 
of  the  Roundtable  with  consumer  and  industry  representatives.  The  aim  was  to  discuss  the 
business  opportunities  created  by  the  Internet  and  the  existing  barriers  to  increased  online 
retailing  of  music  and  goods  in  Europe.  Subsequent  meetings  of  the  Roundtable  under  the 
aegis  of  the  Commissioner  for  Competition  were  held  in  December  2008,  September  2009 
and  October  2009,  focusing  on  online  distribution  of  music  only.  The  Roundtable  initiative 
resulted in two joint statements: on online distribution of music and on rights ownership 
information.  A  number  of  Roundtable  participants  also  announced  concrete  steps  and 
commitments that should result in European consumers having better access to music online. 

2.14.2.  State aid  

The  objective  of  State  aid  control  is  to  ensure  that  government  interventions  do  not  distort 
competition and intra-community trade in a form contrary to the common interest. The Treaty 
on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) establishes the general prohibition of State 
aid (Article 107 (1)). In some circumstances, however, government interventions constituting 
State aid contribute to objectives of Community interest and are necessary and proportionate 
for  achieving  those  objectives.  Therefore  the  TFEU  accommodates  a  number  of  policy 
objectives for which State aid can be considered compatible.  

Culture  is  one  such  objective  and  according  to  Article  107(3)(d)  TFEU,  introduced  by  the 
Maastricht Treaty, ‘aid to promote culture and heritage conservation where such aid does not 
affect trading conditions and competition in the Community to an extent that is contrary to the 
common interest, may be considered to be compatible with the common market’.  

It should be pointed out that many initiatives in the cultural field do not fall under the State 
aid  rules  at  all,  for  example  because  the  beneficiaries  are  not  undertakings  or  because  the 
measures  do  not  affect  trade  between  Member  States.  Where  measures  constitute  State  aid 
under  Article  107(1)  TFEU,  they  can  be  authorised  as  compatible  aid  under  the  afore-
mentioned  Article  107(3)(d).  Under  that  provision,  the  Commission  has  approved  a  wide 
range of measures, which have benefited such diverse areas as museums and cultural centres, 
national  heritage  (also  in  the  form  of  immaterial  heritage),  theatre  and  music  productions, 
printed cultural media, and last but not least the cinematographic and audiovisual sector (this 
last one being subject to a specific communication based on the cultural derogation).  

The Commission has been making sure over recent years that cases with a cultural aim34 are 
systematically treated in terms of the cultural derogation. Article 167 TFEU and the UNESCO 

34 

Countless cases could be referred to in this context. We recommend therefore attentive reading of the 
cases mentioned on the following site: http://ec.europa.eu/competition/elojade/isef, refining the search 
by policy area ‘State aid’ and primary objective ‘Culture’. 

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Convention  on  Protection  and  Promotion  of  the  Diversity  of  Cultural  Expressions  have 
provided strong support in this context.  

2.15.  TAXATION AND CUSTOMS 

2.15.1.  Taxation 

–  Rules on the place of supply  

The rules on the place of supply were changed by a Council Directive in February 
200835.  These  changes  will  impact  on  the  rules  governing  the  place  of  supply  of 
services relating to cultural, artistic, sporting, scientific, educational, entertainment or 
similar activities, including services of the organisers of such activities.  

Until 31 December 2010, these services continue to be taxed at the place where the 
activities are physically carried out36. Regarding similar activities, it is clarified that 
this  includes  activities  such  as  fairs  and  exhibitions.  It  is  a  rule  which  applies 
regardless of whether the supply is made to taxable persons or non-taxable persons. 

As from 1 January 2011, this rule will no longer apply for supplies made to taxable 
persons  (or  non-taxable  legal  persons  identified  for  VAT  purposes,  who  are 
assimilated  to  taxable  persons  by  Article  43)3738.  It  will  only  be  applicable  if  these 
services are supplied directly to non-taxable persons. In the case of supply to taxable 
persons,  a  new  rule,  more  limited  in  scope,  is  introduced  for  services  in  respect  of 
admission  to  cultural,  artistic,  sporting,  scientific,  educational,  entertainment  or 
similar  events  (such  as  fairs  and  exhibitions)  and  related  ancillary  services.  If  the 
service is not only the admission to an event, it will fall under the general rule, which 
provides  that  the  service  supplied  to  taxable  persons  or  non-taxable  legal  persons 
identified  for  VAT  purposes  is  taxable  at  the  place  where  the  customer  is 

35 

36 

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Council  Directive  2008/8/EC  of  12  February  2008  amending  Directive  2006/112/EC  as  regards  the 
place of supply of services – OJ L 44, 20.2.2008 p. 11. 
According  to  Article 53  (as  inserted  by  Article 2  of  Directive  2008/8/EC)  ‘[t]he  place  of  supply  of 
services  and  ancillary  services  relating  to  cultural,  artistic,  sporting,  scientific,  educational, 
entertainment or similar activities, such as fairs and exhibitions, including the supply of services of the 
organisers of such activities, shall be the place where those activities are physically carried out.’. 
Article  43  provides  that  ‘For  the  purpose  of  applying  the  rules  concerning  the  place  of  supply  of 
services: 

1. […]; 

2. a non-taxable legal person who is identified for VAT purposes shall be regarded as a taxable person.’. 
Article 53  (as  replaced  by  Article 3  of  Directive  2008/8EC)  provides  that  ‘[t]he  place  of  supply  of 
services  in  respect  of  admission  to  cultural,  artistic,  sporting,  scientific,  educational,  entertainment  or 
similar events, such as fairs and exhibitions, and of ancillary services related to the admission, supplied 
to a taxable person, shall be the place where those events actually take place’. 
Article 54  (as  replaced  by  Article 3  of  Directive  2008/8/EC)  provides  that  ‘[t]he  place  of  supply  of 
services  and  ancillary  services,  relating  to  cultural,  artistic,  sporting,  scientific,  educational, 
entertainment or similar activities, such as fairs and exhibitions, including the supply of services of the 
organisers of such activities, supplied to a non-taxable person shall be the place where those activities 
actually take place’. 

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established39.  If  the  supplier  of  the  service  is  not  established  in  the  Member  State 
where the customer is established, the customer himself will be the person liable to 
pay the VAT due in his Member State40. This will represent a genuine simplification 
for  artists  providing  cultural  services  to  organisers  of  spectacles  in  Member  States 
where they are not established. 

–  VAT rates 

The  VAT  rates  on  cultural  services  are  very  different  from  Member  State  to  Member  State 
because,  first,  the  2006  VAT  Directive41  only  fixes  minimum  levels  (15 %  for  the  standard 
rate and 5 % for reduced rates) and, second, the application of a reduced rate is optional for 
the  Member  States.  Under  the  EU  VAT  rules  currently  in  force,  as  a  general  rule  Member 
States  may  have  a  maximum  of  two  reduced  rates  set  no  lower  than  5 %,  which  they  may 
apply at their discretion to goods and services listed in Annex III (list of supplies of goods 
and services which may be subject to reduced rates) to the VAT Directive.  

The  cultural  goods  and  services  included  in  Annex  III  are:  books  on  all  physical  means  of 
support, newspapers and periodicals, other than material wholly or predominantly devoted to 
advertising;  admission  to  shows,  theatres,  circuses,  fairs,  amusement  parks,  concerts, 
museums,  zoos,  cinemas,  exhibitions  and  similar  cultural  events  and  facilities;  reception  of 
radio  and  television  broadcasting  services;  supply  of  services  by  writers,  composers  and 
performing artists, or of the royalties due to them. 

In  2007,  the  Commission  adopted  a  Communication42  in  which  it  suggested  a  political 
debate,  in  the  Council,  the  European  Parliament  and  with  other  stakeholders  on  the  way 
forward in the field of reduced rates.  

In  2008,  the  Commission  launched  a  public  consultation43  on  its  website,  with  a  view  to 
gathering stakeholders’ views on the review of the existing legislation on reduced VAT rates 
in the context of both a first proposal for amending the VAT Directive and a planned more 
global review of the scope and structure of reduced VAT rates at a later stage.  

Also in 2008, the Commission presented a proposal44 which was intended to be the first step 
in the process of revising the EU legislation concerning reduced VAT rates. A more in-depth 
review  of  the  whole  structure  of  VAT  reduced  rates  was  to  follow,  taking  account  of  the 

39 

40 

41 
42 
43 

44 

Article 44 provides that ‘The place of supply of services to a taxable person acting as such shall be the 
place where that person has established his business. However, if those services are provided to a fixed 
establishment of the taxable person located in a place other than the place where he has established his 
business,  the  place  of  supply  of  those  services  shall  be  the  place  where  that  fixed  establishment  is 
located.  In  the  absence  of  such  place  of  establishment  or  fixed  establishment,  the  place  of  supply  of 
services  shall  be  the  place  where  the  taxable  person  who  receives  such  services  has  his  permanent 
address or usually resides. 

Article  196  provides  that  ‘VAT  shall  be  payable  by  any  taxable  person,  or  non-taxable  legal  person 
identified for VAT purposes, to whom the services referred to in Article 44 are supplied, if the services 
are supplied by a taxable person not established within the territory of the Member State. 
Council Directive 2006/112/EC. 
Commission Communication COM (2007)380 final. 
The results of this consultation are available at: 
http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/common/consultations/tax/index_en.htm. 
COM(2008) 428 final http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2008:0428:FIN:EN:PDF. 

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outcome of the general debate on the way forward and the usefulness and cost-effectiveness 
of reduced VAT rates.  

After  long  and  thorough  discussions,  the  debate  in  the  Council  on  the  overall  system  of 
reduced VAT rates was concluded by the unanimous political agreement of 10 March 200945. 
This  political  agreement  was  the  result  of  difficult  negotiations  and  respects  a  fragile 
equilibrium of Member States’ interests in the politically sensitive area of reduced VAT rates. 
It led to the adoption in 2009 of the Council Directive46 on reduced rates of VAT. Concerning 
the cultural sector, this Directive clarified and updated to technical progress the reference to 
books  in  category  6  of  Annex  III,  which  previously  only  referred  to  printed  books,  by 
specifying ‘books, on all physical means of support’. The result is that under the EU VAT 
Directive supplies of books on all physical means of support are eligible for a reduced VAT 
rate as of 1 June 2009. 

2.15.2.  Customs 

The  European  Commission  (Director  General  TAXUD)  manages  legislation47  that  provides 
for  control  over  the  export  of  cultural  goods  such  as  paintings,  sculptures  and  photographs 
from  the  EU,  thereby  contributing  to  protecting  the  cultural  diversity  and  identity  of  the 
Member States. 

2.16. 

INTERNAL MARKET 

As for other Community fields of action, regulated single market approaches exist for cultural 
goods and services. For instance, Community law includes major measures for harmonising 
intellectual  property  rights  in  order  to  provide  equivalent  levels  of  protection  for  rights 
holders in the various Member States, eliminate barriers to trade and adapt the European legal 
framework  to  the  new  forms  of  use  made  possible  by  information  and  communication 
technologies. 

The Commission Communication on Copyright in the Knowledge Economy48 summarises 
a large-scale consultation process that was launched by the Green Paper on Copyright in the 
Knowledge  Economy  of  16  July  2008.  The  Communication  is  part  of  the  Digital  Agenda 
launched by Commission President Barroso and announces an ambitious programme to deal 
with  the  emergence  of  European  Digital  Libraries  and  the  need  to  further  integrate  people 
with  visual  impairments  into  the  knowledge  economy.  One  major  task  entails  creating  a 
coherent framework for copyright in the digital era that (1) facilitates the online access to all 
print material contained  in  library  and archives collections for the public at large, including 
the visually impaired; (2) protects of the rights of right holders and (3) allows the preservation 
of Europe's cultural heritage. 

As a first follow-up measure envisaged  by the Communication, the  Commission  is working 
on  an  ‘orphan  works’  initiative.  The  complexity  of  copyright  assignment  and  the  often 
unsatisfactory  maintenance  of  records  on  copyright  ownership  has  resulted  in  a  situation 
where much of European library stock is made up of ‘orphan works’. These are works whose 
owner can either not be identified or cannot be traced. To prevent the complexity of copyright 

45 
46 
47 
48 

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ecofin/106576.pdf. 
Council Directive 2009/47/EC amending Directive 2006/112/EC. 
Regulations 116/2009 and 752/93. 
(COM (2009) 532 of 19 October 2009). 

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rules  from  constituting  an  obstacle  to  the  online  display  of  such  works  across  Europe,  the 
Commission  is  considering  a  legislative  solution  that  would  facilitate  the  digitisation  and 
Europe-wide online access of orphan works.  

An additional plank of the Commission’s effort to promote social and societal inclusion is the 
copyright policy in relation to the special needs of the visually impaired or people suffering 
from  other  disabilities  which  prevent  their  full  enjoyment  of  literary  and  artistic  works.  In 
many respects, online libraries that make books readily available deny people suffering from a 
variety  of  disabilities  new  opportunities  to  gain  access  to  culture.  In  order  to  enhance  the 
availability of products and services conceived for the visually impaired and reading disabled, 
the  Commission  has  launched  a  stakeholder  dialogue  aiming  to  produce  a  Memorandum  of 
Understanding which will set out ways and means of making an increased number of books 
available to disabled persons in a format suitable for their specific needs. Special emphasis is 
laid  on  the  fact  that  such  books  should  be  legally  supplied  to  any  user,  irrespective  of  the 
Member  State  of  the  European  Union  where  they  reside.  There  should  be  no  territorial 
restrictions  preventing  users  in  certain  Member  States  from  having  access  to  products  and 
services  for  the  visually  impaired  and  reading  disabled  that  were  lawfully  produced  in  a 
Member State of the European Union. In the Commission’s view, the free movement of such 
special products and services constitutes an efficient tool to battle the ‘book famine’ -— the 
fact  that  only  5 %  of  all  books  published  are  also  produced  in  formats  that  the  visually 
impaired and reading disabled can use.  

The  Commission’s  drive  to  better  integrate  the  visually  impaired  and  reading  disabled 
complements work carried out at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) where 
delegations  are  currently  debating  a  Treaty  proposal  to  enhance  the  free  movement  of 
products conceived for the special needs of the blind and visually impaired.  

In  light  of  the  overall  aim  of  copyright  policy,  to  foster  legal  online  services  which  are 
available to all consumers across the entire European Union, the Commission, on 22 October 
2009, published a reflection paper entitled ‘Creative Content in a European Digital Single 
Market: Challenges for the Future’. Adapting Europe’s regulatory framework so that more 
protected  works  (music,  books,  films)  and  sound  recordings  are  sold  legally  online  is  the 
biggest priority in this area. With the increase in legal services, payment flows to the owners 
of  copyright  will  increase  as  well.  Accordingly,  some  streamlining  of  the  way  in  which 
copyright  is  managed  in  the  online  space  might  become  necessary.  As  announced  in  the 
Digital Agenda, the Commission will present a Green Paper addressing the opportunities and 
challenges of online distribution of audiovisual works and other creative content by 2010.  

Finally, the Commission has adopted a proposal49 for extending the term of protection for 
performers  and  sound  recordings.  The  aim  of  the  proposal  is  to  extend  the  term  of 
protection beyond the current 50 years after publication in order to cover a performer’s entire 
lifetime. This is why the conciliation between the European Parliament, the Council and the 
Commission in the end agreed to a term of 70 years after publication of a sound recording. At 
present,  performers  often  face  reduced  earnings  later  in  life  at  a  time  when  they  are  more 
vulnerable and not able to continue creating. The proposal enjoyed significant support from 
the European Parliament as shown by the overwhelming vote in favour at the plenary meeting 
in April 2009. The proposal is still being considered by EU Member States. 

49 

(COM (2008) 464 of 16 July 2008. 

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In all of the above fields, the Commission will take account of the need to promote cultural 
diversity through the implementation of potential new initiatives. 

2.17.  AGRICULTURE AND SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT 

The  contribution  to  culture  is  to  be  found  mainly  in  the  second  pillar  of  the  Common 
Agricultural Policy, i.e. the rural development policy.  

For  the  programming  period  2007-2013,  the  contribution  to  culture  comes  under  priority  2 
(improving the environment and the countryside) which, under the agri-environment measure, 
supports the preservation by farmers of traditional farmed landscapes (e.g. cultural landscapes 
such as terracing, low dry-stone walls and hedgerows). 

Culture  is  also  supported  under  the  third  priority  (quality  of  life  in  rural  areas  and 
diversification  of  the  rural  economy),  which  includes  in  particular  measures  to  improve  the 
quality  of  life  in  rural  areas  by  making  them  more  attractive  (attracting  new  businesses  and 
stabilising  the  population):  on  the  one  hand,  the  ‘Conservation  and  upgrading  of  rural 
heritage’ measure provides financing for studies and investments linked to the maintenance, 
restoration and upgrading of cultural heritage and, on the other hand, the ‘Basic services for 
the  economy  and  rural  population’  measure  offers  financing  for  the  establishment  of 
cultural services in rural areas. 

Lastly,  priority  4  of  the  Leader  approach  should  likewise  allow  for  the  development  of 
territorial  cultural  activities  including  local  cultural  strategies,  particularly  those  linked  to 
territorial  identity,  which  often  forms  the  basis  for  development  that  draws  on  local  human 
resources (endogenous development). 

In 2008, 424 actions linked to cultural heritage were approved for a total budget of EUR 7.9 
million from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). 

http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture 

2.18.  MARITIME POLICY 

The Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP) Blue Paper Action Plan of 2007 contains a chapter 
entitled ‘Raising the visibility of maritime Europe’. 

Although no specific action on maritime heritage was envisaged in the Action Plan, the Blue 
Paper  clearly  stated  that:  ‘[The  Integrated  Maritime  Policy]  should  also  promote  Europe’s 
maritime  heritage,  supporting  maritime  communities,  including  port-cities  and  traditional 
fisheries communities, their artefacts and traditional skills, and promoting links between them 
that enhance their knowledge and visibility.’ 

The  European  Maritime  Day  (EMD)  is  one  of  the  actions  in  which  the  topic  of  maritime 
heritage has been explored further. 

During EMD 2009 in Rome a workshop on maritime heritage was held. The objectives of this 
workshop were: 

–  Linking the maritime heritage dimension of Europe to tourism-related initiatives; 

–  Showing examples of the EU Prize for Cultural Heritage; 

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–  Exploring Europe’s maritime industrial heritage; 

–  Sharing best practice from EU regional projects; 

–  Establishing maritime cultural heritage in postgraduate education. 

The  workshop  was  considered  very  useful  by  participants  as  a  first  step  in  establishing  a 
Europe-wide exchange on maritime heritage issues and developing operational conclusions. 

There will be two maritime heritage workshops during the EMD 2010 in Gijon. One will deal 
with the common European maritime heritage as a challenge for communication and will try 
to develop some recommendations for the European Commission on how  maritime heritage 
can be dealt with from the European point of view, including how it can be made part of the 
EU’s Integrated Maritime Policy. 

Activities  and  projects  aiming  at  preserving  and  promoting  European  heritage  in  different 
areas (culture, research, regional policy, etc.) include maritime heritage. 

http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs 

2.19.  ENVIRONMENT POLICY  

Our societies, cultural diversity and economies are reflected in our landscapes, agriculture and 
natural spaces. The Natura 2000 (N2K) network covers some 18 % of the territory of the EU 
encompassing  the  most  important  natural  and  scenic  areas  and  providing  a  long-term 
guarantee for the protection of our valued and threatened wildlife. Many of these areas have a 
significant  cultural  dimension  and  their  protection  and  use  as  a  resource  for  tourism  and 
recreation  is  an  essential  element  of  European  lifestyle.  Furthermore,  in  a  continent  where 
little of our landscape is genuinely wilderness, many protected habitats and landscapes of the 
N2K  network  are  the  product  of  traditional  agricultural  and  land  management  practices  – 
grazing,  hay  making,  etc.  –  which  are  an  integral  part  of  rural  cultural  traditions.  The 
continuation  of  these  management  practices  is  vital  to  the  long-term  conservation  of  these 
sites.  

Starting  in  2010,  one  European  city  is  to  be  selected  each  year  as  the  European  Green 
Capital (EGC). Stockholm was the first city to win this title. Cities designated as European 
Green  Capitals  which  perform  well  in  terms  of  the  nature  and  biodiversity  indicator  may 
contribute indirectly to improving the knowledge and dissemination of their cultural heritage 
across  Europe.  The  EGC  evaluation  criteria  for  choosing  the  cities  focus  on  typical 
environmental indicator areas, but cities are also given the chance to show what their cultural 
heritage  means  to  them  and  how  it  ties  in  with  a  sustainable  living  and  development 
environment.  For  example,  restoration  and  adaptation  of  existing  buildings  and  urban 
landscapes  is  in  the  long  run  much  more  environmentally  friendly  than  demolition  and 
starting anew. 

http://ec.europa.eu/environment 

2.20.  CONSUMER POLICY 

Cultural  markets  are  included  in  EU  Consumer  Policy  through  the  Consumer  Markets 
Scoreboard. This tool aims to develop indicators showing where consumer markets may be 
failing to deliver the economic and social outcomes expected by consumers, to track progress 

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in the integration of the EU retail market and to monitor national consumer environments. The 
Scoreboard  is  an  essential  component  of  the  market  monitoring  approach  developed  by  the 
Commission.  Indicators  should  show  where  markets  are  failing  to  maximise  economic 
outcomes for consumers and also where they are failing to deliver the key social outcomes.  

The Scoreboard is derived from surveys on 50 market areas. Two markets are directly related 
to  culture,  i.e.  books,  magazines,  newspapers  and  stationery,  and  cultural  and  entertainment 
services.  The  Commission  is  currently  screening  answers  to  five  questions  asked  in  the  27 
Member  States  (plus  Norway).  The  questions  refer  to  comparability  of  different  goods  or 
services  available  on  the  market;  trust  in  the  providers  on  this  market;  whether  consumers 
have experienced a problem on this market; whether they complained about the problem and 
to whom; to what extent were their expectations met. 

Based  on  the  survey,  a  composite  indicator  will  be  defined  for  each  market,  showing  the 
perceived consumer conditions.  

http://ec.europa.eu/consumers 

3. 

CULTURE  IN  EXTERNAL  RELATIONS  AND  DEVELOPMENT  POLICIES 
AND PROGRAMMES 

Since the adoption of the European Agenda for Culture in 2007, a new strategic framework 
for  culture  in  the  EU’s  external  relations  is  emerging:  culture  is  increasingly  perceived  as  a 
strategic  factor  of  political,  social  and  economic  development  and  not  in  terms  of  isolated 
cultural events or showcasing. New policy developments and funding opportunities are part of 
a  dynamic  process  that  has  reinforced  considerably  the  role  of  culture  in  the  EU’s  relations 
with the rest of the world. 

This novel approach, strengthened by the ratification by the EU and most Member States of 
the  2005  UNESCO  Convention  on  the  Protection  and  Promotion  of  the  Diversity  of 
Cultural  Expressions,  provides  for  a  more  in-depth  understanding  of  Europe’s  cultures 
throughout  the  world,  as  well  as  for  greater  cultural  cooperation  between  our  continent  and 
the rest of the world. To achieve this dual aim, it is crucial to foster intercultural dialogue and 
strengthen  cultural  exchanges  with  partner  countries  and  regional  organisations  that  share 
commonly accepted principles of cultural governance at international level.  

In the context of cultural cooperation with third countries, it is also important to promote the 
cultural  diversity  of  EU  partners  and  the  development  of  national  cultural  policies,  to  make 
access  to  culture  easier  for  local  populations  and  to  build  structural  capacities  in  order  to 
foster  cultural  and  creative  industries,  which  can  have  a  direct  impact  on  socio-economic 
development.  

The positive results achieved in 2007 and 2008 in the field of culture and external relations 
were taken forward by the Council Conclusions on the promotion of cultural diversity and 
intercultural dialogue in the external relations of the Union and its Member States adopted 
in  November  200850.  The  Conclusions  outline  a  strategic  approach  for  culture  and 
intercultural dialogue in the context of external relations and set out a number of fundamental 
principles  regarding  the  role  of  cultural  cooperation  and  intercultural  dialogue  in  fostering 

50 

http://ec.europa.eu/culture/our-policy-development/doc/ICD_external_relations_en.doc.pdf. 

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reconciliation,  democratisation  and  economic  development.  Overall,  the  Conclusions 
represent  an  important  step  forward  providing  the  European  Commission  and  EU  Member 
States with a general framework for implementing the third objective of the European Agenda 
for Culture. 

Culture  is  recognised  as  an  important  element  of  the  European  Union’s  cooperation 
programmes  and  instruments,  and  in  its  bilateral  agreements  with  third  countries.  A 
wide variety of cultural projects and programmes have been implemented for many years as 
part  of  EU  technical  and  financial  assistance.  The  Commission  runs  funds  and  actions  to 
support the emergence and strengthening of cultural industries, in particular the cinema and 
audiovisual  sector  in  partner  countries,  as  well  as  to  promote  local  access  to  culture  and 
cultural  diversity  in  third  countries.  The  EU  has  increasingly  focused  on  promoting  support 
for protection and promotion of cultural rights, the rights of indigenous people, etc.  

Certain programmes such as Culture 2007 and the Media International preparatory action 
under  the  MEDIA  2007  programme  (to  become  Media  Mundus  from  2011)  offer 
opportunities  for  boosting  cultural  cooperation51.  The  European  Commission  also  develops 
cooperation with UNESCO, the Council of Europe and other multilateral institutions which 
are active in the field of culture, development and external relations.  

Moreover,  the  European  Commission  Delegations  have  been  involved  in  the  EU’s  cultural 
activities  in  third  countries,  including  film  festivals,  concerts,  open  doors  events,  drawing 
competitions, etc. Following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the Delegations abroad 
are  responsible  for  coordinating  and  hosting  meetings  of  the  EU  Member  States’  Cultural 
Counsellors.  They  cooperate  closely  also  with  Member  States’  cultural  centres  through  the 
EUNIC network (European Union National Institutes for Culture). 

3.1. 

CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION  

In  the  field  of  development  cooperation,  the  EU’s  policy  approach  gives  culture  an 
important role to play by: 

–  systematically integrating cultural aspects into all its policies, projects and programmes,  

–  funding  the  preservation  of  cultural  heritage  and  the  emergence  of  viable  cultural 

industries,  

–  covering living culture and cultural heritage – both important for growth, jobs and cultural 

identity, and  

–  encouraging  its  partners  to  include  culture  in  their  own  poverty  reduction  strategies  and 

national development plans. 

Regarding  financial  support,  the  European  Commission  has  established  multiannual 
thematic  programmes  financed  under  the  Development  Cooperation  Instrument  (DCI, 
financial perspectives 2007-2013) for its activities in developing countries and regions, on the 
one hand, and at international level, on the other hand. The thematic programmes ‘Investing 
in People’ and ‘Non-state Actors and Local Authorities in Development’ are available to 
complement geographical programmes. 

51 

See the chapters on culture and the audiovisual sector in this document. 

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Investing  in  People  supports  projects  in  the  area  of  human  and  social  development  for  all 
to  complement  geographical 
partner  countries.  Thematic  programmes  are  designed 
programmes  that  are  the  main  focus  of  EC  cooperation  with  third  countries  by  bringing 
specific  added  value  in  a  particular  area  of  activity.  Investing  in  People  covers  several 
domains, among them culture, which benefits from a fund allocation of EUR 50 million for 
the period 2007-2013. Through this programme, the Commission is also promoting culture in 
new regions  –  outside the  African, Caribbean and Pacific  (ACP) countries  and the southern 
Mediterranean, where it has long been active. 

The  programme  promotes  culture  as  part  of  its  approach  to  development  and  reducing 
poverty, with the general aim of improving human and social development levels in partner 
countries  and  thus  contributing  to  the  Millennium  Development  Goals.  It  promotes 
intercultural dialogue, cultural diversity and respect for the equal dignity of  all  cultures and 
supports the cultural sector as a promising economic sector for development and growth. 

The  objectives  of  the  programme  have  been  taken  into  account  in  two  calls  for  proposals 
under  the  2007,  2008  and  2009  Annual  Action  Programmes,  revolving  around  the  general 
theme ‘Access to local culture, protection and promotion of cultural diversity’. 

The first call for proposals, published in December 2007, aimed to strengthen the capacities of 
cultural actors by encouraging networking and coordination, as well as to stimulate regional 
cooperation.  It  sought  projects  promoting  access  to  culture,  dissemination  of  culture  and 
intercultural dialogue.  Strengthening of  local  culture, access to and dissemination  of  culture 
continued to be supported in the second call for proposals, combining the budget allocations 
for  2008  and  2009.  A  particular  focus  was  put  on  the  promotion  of  cultural  expressions 
contributing  to  the  fight  against  all  forms  of  discrimination.  In  all,  32  projects  have  been 
funded to the tune of EUR 17.8 million. 

In 2010 the programme focus will shift to governance of the cultural sector, so as to support 
the  implementation  of  effective  cultural  policies  and  the  development  of  an  enabling 
institutional, regulatory, economic and professional environment, essential to foster access to 
culture  and  creation,  promote  cultural  diversity  and  support  the  sustainable  development  of 
the cultural sectors. This approach will entail two complementary actions: 

–  Firstly, the programme will support the structuring and strengthening of the cultural sector 
through  capacity-building  for  the  benefit  of  cultural  actors  including  public  and  private 
entities  and  civil  society  organisations,  so  as  to  enhance  their  own  governance  and  their 
role  in  national  governance  of  the  cultural  sector.  The  call  for  proposals  will  promote 
cooperation  and  exchange  of  experiences  between  different  countries  and  regions  in  this 
regard.  

–  Secondly, the programme seeks to support developing countries in their efforts to improve 
governance of the cultural sector through an expert facility to  be  managed by UNESCO. 
The expert facility will provide demand-driven technical assistance to ministries and public 
institutions with responsibilities in the cultural sector or influencing sector governance, as 
well as to local authorities, for the development of cultural policies and public initiatives 
enhancing the role of culture as a vector of sustainable human and social development. 

Developing countries lack an operational institutional framework that would facilitate and 
respect the commercial exploitation of the country’s cultural heritage. Moreover, there are not 
enough properly functioning collective management societies, which means that local artists 

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and authors cannot effectively collect remuneration that would allow them to live from their 
work.  This  causes  a  significant  talent  drain.  Therefore,  it  is  crucial  to  focus  on  a legal, 
institutional  and  educational  framework  for  intellectual  property  rights  (IPR) that  both  local 
and  EU  creative  companies  and  individuals  will  benefit  from,  as  well  as  IPR  awareness-
raising.  

3.2. 

CULTURE AND TRADE POLICY 

The  EU  has  used  its  commercial  policy  to  increase  opportunities  for  cultural  industries  and 
professionals from Europe and abroad and thus meet targets for promoting cultural diversity. 
Multilateral  and  bilateral  trade  negotiations  can  offer  enhanced  economic  opportunities  for 
cultural  practitioners  in  spheres  as  varied  as  performing  arts,  theatre,  circus,  publishing  and 
design, to name only a few, but may also give them a chance to travel and benefit from new 
experiences  and  ideas.  EU  trade  agreements  are  also  used  to  promote  intellectual  property 
protection standards and ensure that the rights of artists and performers get the protection they 
deserve.  
A  key  objective  of  the  2005  UNESCO  Convention  is  to  ensure  broader  and  more  balanced 
cultural  exchanges.  Indeed  one  of  the  fundamental  challenges  today  is  to  facilitate  cultural 
exchange  while  promoting  cultural  diversity  and  in  particular  preserving  the  ability  of 
partners  to  develop  and  implement  cultural  policies.  This  applies  especially  to  developing 
countries  whose  cultural  practitioners  often need  support  to  ensure  the  creation  or 
consolidation of sustainable national cultural industries and models. 

As  part  of  the  implementation  of  the  Convention  by  the  EU,  a  Protocol  on  Cultural 
Cooperation was concluded with the Cariforum countries52 in 2008. This Protocol aims at 
implementing in particular Article 16 of the Convention regarding preferential treatment for 
developing  countries’  cultural  goods,  services  and  cultural  practitioners,  outside  of  the 
provisions on trade liberalisation of the general trade agreement which they are party to. It is 
an innovative framework for cooperation allowing easier cultural exchanges between the EU 
and the Caribbean countries while consolidating public policies in favour of cultural diversity.  

In  the  negotiations  with  Andean  countries  (Peru  and  Colombia,  with  the  possibility  of 
Bolivia and Ecuador joining at a later stage) and Central America (Panama, Nicaragua, El 
Salvador, Costa-Rica, Honduras and Guatemala), different solutions from the ones established 
with CARIFORUM are being prioritised in the final phase of the negotiations in the light of 
the modalities of cooperation agreed with these partners: 

–  For  Andean  countries,  the  negotiation  of  an  Agreement  on  Cultural  Cooperation, 
independent  from  the  multiparty  trade  agreement  between  the  EU  and  the  Andeans,  was 
provisionally finalised in February 2010;  

–  For  Central  America,  a  Protocol  of  Cultural  Cooperation  connected  to  the  culture  and 
audiovisual cooperation provisions of the EU-Central America Association Agreement was 
provisionally finalised for the EU-Latin America Summit in May 2010.  

In  both  instances,  the  Agreement  /Protocol  will  enter  into  force  upon  ratification  of  the 
UNESCO Convention by the partners. 

52 

Antigua  and  Barbuda,  the  Bahamas,  Barbados,  Belize,  Dominica,  the  Dominican  Republic,  Grenada, 
Guyana,  Haiti,  Jamaica,  Saint  Lucia,  Saint  Vincent  and  the  Grenadines,  Saint  Kitts  and  Nevis, 
Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. 

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Furthermore, the possibility of negotiating a Protocol on Cultural Cooperation with developed 
and  emerging  countries  is  also  under  consideration  on  a  case-by-case  basis,  as  a  means  to 
implement the Convention, based on its Articles 12 and 20.  

In this context and following more than two years of negotiations, the EU and South Korea 
initialled  in  October  2009  a  Protocol  on  Cultural  Cooperation  together  with  the  bilateral 
Free Trade Agreement which is the first such agreement negotiated by the EU with an Asian 
partner.  This  Protocol  sets  a  framework  for  engaging  in  policy  dialogue  on  culture  and 
audiovisual  issues  and  cooperating  in  facilitating  exchanges  regarding  cultural  activities, 
including the audiovisual sector. It is based on strict reciprocity and balance — compared to 
the  Protocol  with  Cariforum  countries,  which  is  asymmetrical  in  nature.  The  Protocol 
illustrates the EU’s commitment to actively promoting and implementing the 2005 UNESCO 
Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions. Its entry 
into  force  is  conditional  upon  South  Korea’s  ratification  of  the  Convention  —  which  took 
place in April 2010. 

These Protocols fit into a general strategy of cooperation and dialogue as they are intended to 
achieve  non-trade  objectives 
the  UNESCO  Convention  expansion  and 
implementation),  while  they  are  also  a  tool  to  address,  where  needed,  issues  arising  from 
modalities of cooperation which may have an interaction with the trade environment. 

(such  as 

Another  area  where  trade  policy  takes  cultural  considerations  into  account  is  intellectual 
property (IP) rights. In this regard, EU policy is geared to reinforcing cooperation with third 
countries, for example in the context of Free Trade Agreements or by promoting a framework 
to improve enforcement in relation to large-scale infringements of IP rights such as the Anti-
Counterfeiting Trade Agreement being negotiated with a number of international partners.  

3.3. 

CANDIDATE AND POTENTIAL CANDIDATE COUNTRIES 

The  specific  policy  and  financial  instruments  dedicated  to  culture  have  been  even  more 
tangible  since  2007  in  the  candidate  countries  (Turkey,  Croatia,  the  former  Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia) and potential candidate countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 
Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo53 and Iceland). This complements the participation of the same 
countries (not all of them at this stage) in the Culture Programme54 and, where relevant, the 
negotiations on Chapter 26 of the acquis communautaire concerning education and culture. 

In  the  enlargement  context,  the  bilateral  and  regional  cultural  cooperation  activities  are 
recognised  as  making  a  fundamental  contribution  to  the  promotion  of  European  values  and 
intercultural  dialogue.  This  is  of  particular  relevance  in  the  Western  Balkans,  where  in 
addition  to  fostering  democratisation,  reconciliation  and  respect  for  human  rights,  culture 
contributes to the development of the local economy. 

Significantly, three Commission Communications have supported new actions in the cultural 
field in the enlargement countries since 2007: 

–  ‘Western Balkans: Enhancing the European perspective’ of March 2008 established the 

Civil Society Facility, covering a number of sectors, including culture; 

53 
54 

Under UNSCR 1244/99. 
see chapter on culture in this document. 

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–  The Enlargement Strategy 2008-2009 specifies that under IPA 2009 ‘support schemes to 
civil  society  partnerships  will  give  priority  to  sectors  such  as  culture,  minorities  and 
business associations’. The relevant call for proposals was published early in 2010; 

–  The  Enlargement  Strategy  Paper  2009-2010  emphasises  that  ‘the  Commission,  in  the 
context  of  the  Ljubljana  Process,  supports  the  rehabilitation  of  cultural  heritage  as  an 
important means for reconciliation also contributing to the development of local economy.’  

As  a  consequence,  substantial  financial  and  human  resources  are  allocated  for  cultural 
purposes.  

Following  the  launching  of  the  Union  for  the  Mediterranean  in  July  2008,  the  Euro 
Mediterranean  Partnership  has  been  extended  with  some  new  partner  countries  from  the 
Western Balkans, which will therefore take part in the work on the new Euromed Strategy 
on Culture to be adopted before the end of 201055 . 

In  order  to  ensure  full  coherence  of  the  EU’s  policies  on  the  ground,  Commission  services 
work closely with EU Special Representatives (EUSR) whenever relevant. The most striking 
example  is  Kosovo  where  the  EC  and  EUSR  launched  a  Technical  Forum  on  Cultural 
Heritage  convening  on  a  bi-monthly  basis  for  the  sake  of  transparency  among  and 
coordination of local and international stakeholders.  

The Commission meets with key international interlocutors in the field of culture, namely the 
Council of Europe and UNESCO, at headquarters and at field level with a view to enhancing 
coordination and cooperation. 

The  website  www.southeasteurope.com,  dedicated  to  the  promotion  of  Southeast  European 
culture(s) and artists, has been funded and created by the Commission.  

EU  financial  assistance  in  the  cultural  sector  focuses  on  infrastructures,  events  and 
administrative capacities.  

For  the  first  time,  as  part  of  the  preparatory  actions  for  the  multi-beneficiary  IPA  2011-13 
programming, a working group with the main stakeholders dealing with Culture and History 
in the Western Balkans was set up to identify key strategic sectors in the fields of culture, 
heritage and history. The priorities identified will be incorporated into the 2010 Multiannual 
Indicative Programme (MIPD). NGOs are participating in identifying priorities as well as in 
the programming process. 

In the heritage sector, the Commission provides funding and cooperates with the Council of 
Europe  and  local  ministries  to  implement  the  ‘Ljubljana  Process  for  Funding  Cultural 
Heritage  in  Southeast  Europe’  (the  new  phase  of  the  Integrated  Rehabilitation  Project 
Plan/Survey of the Architectural and Archaeological Heritage IRPP/SAAH, initiated in 2003). 
This is a joint initiative of the European Commission and the Council of Europe, which is part 
of  a  regional  long-term  effort  designed  to  move  forward  the  enlargement  process  in  the 
Balkan  countries,  encouraging  cooperation  with  European  institutions  and  the  adoption  of 
European  standards.  The  aim  of  the  initiative  is  to  build  bridges  between  peoples,  thereby 
fostering reconciliation, cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue.  

55 

see subchapter on Euromed partners. 

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Following the launch of the final phase of the IRPP/SAAH, Slovenia organised the ‘Ljubljana 
Conference – Rehabilitating our Common Heritage’, which took place on 6 and 7 November 
2009  in  Ljubljana  in  the  context  of  the  Slovenian  Chairmanship  of  the  Committee  of 
Ministers  of  the  Council  of  Europe,  celebrating  the  achievements  of  the  IRPP/SAAH. 
Ministers of the Western Balkan countries signed a declaration to continue their commitment 
in the region after 2010. 

Talks  are  now  progressing  with  the  Regional  Cooperation  Council  (RCC  -  successor  of  the 
Stability Pact) to develop a joint EC/RCC/CoE project to start a new phase of the Ljubljana 
Process  at  the  end  of  2010,  in  particular  to  increase  local  ownership  of  this  project.  At  the 
request  of  the  European  Parliament,  extra  funds  (EUR  6  million)  were  allocated  to  the 
Commission in 2008 and 2009 for a pilot project for preserving and restoring cultural heritage 
in  post-conflict  areas.  Projects  will  be  implemented  in  Bosnia-and-Herzegovina,  Croatia, 
Kosovo, Serbia and Montenegro. 

Under  the  Civil  Society  Facility,  a  call  for  proposals  launched  in  early  2010  focuses 
exclusively on partnerships between cultural organisations. The funding amounts to EUR 2.5 
million.  The  specific  objectives  of  the  call  are  to  encourage  the  development  of  sustainable 
partnerships and networks among cultural organisations in order to increase involvement and 
ownership among civil society organisations, as well as citizens in the cultural field. 

The  Commission-funded  Technical  Assistance  and  Information  Exchange  Instrument 
(TAIEX)  has  recently  been  used  for  cultural  purposes,  more  precisely  to  help  Albania  and 
Kosovo  respectively  to  improve  fund-raising  and  cooperate  with  external  donors,  and  to 
restructure central and decentralised cultural administrations. TAIEX is also implementing the 
Civil  Society  Facility’s  People  2  People  Programme  (P2P)  that  supports  visits  to  EU 
institutions  and  bodies  to  exchange  experience,  know-how  and  good  practices  between 
beneficiaries,  EU  and  Member  States’  Civil  Society  Organisations  (CSOs).  In  this  context, 
some visits have focused on cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue. 

At country level the EU has in particular funded heritage-related actions and dedicated some 
funds to cultural events (jazz and film festivals, ‘Les Rencontres du Livre de Sarajevo’).  

As regards audiovisual and media policies, one of the main priorities of the European Union 
is  to  promote  alignment  with  European  standards  on  media  regulation  in  supporting  the 
convergence  of  the  Western  Balkan  countries  and  Turkey  with  the  European  Union.  The 
European  Commission  therefore  invited  media  stakeholders  from  the  Western  Balkan 
countries  and  Turkey  to  a  seminar  on  the  audiovisual  media  services  directive  and  the 
digitalisation  of  television,  which  took  place  in  Istanbul  on  1  and  2  December  2008.  This 
followed  on  from  an  earlier  initiative  to  support  broadcasting  policy  reform  in  the  Western 
Balkans. 

–  Albania 

There  are  two  interlinked  projects  concerning  one  of  the  26  consolidated  projects  of  the 
Ljubljana Process, i.e. the Bazaar of Korca, in south-east Albania. 

–  Under  CARDS  2006  the  project  for  ‘Sustainable  and  integrated  development  of  cultural 
and  historical  heritage  Albania’  is  preparing  the  designs  and  tender  documents  for  the 
restoration  of  historical  sites  identified  in  Tirana,  Kruja,  Himara,  Korca,  Elbasan  and 
Shkodra, and is financing works on three sites until 2011. 

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–  Under  IPA  2009  there  is  a  EUR  5  million  project  that  aims  at  providing  ‘Support  to 
sustainable  and  integrated  development  of  cultural  and  historical  heritage  —  phase  II’, 
entailing physical restoration of urban areas in and around selected historical heritage sites 
based  on  the  economic  and  development  plans  concerning  the  following  sites:  Korca 
Bazaar, Via Egnatia in Elbasan, street next to the Cathedral in Shkodra and streets around 
the castle in Berat. 

–  Bosnia and Herzegovina 

Under IPA 2009 the sum of EUR 4 million is earmarked for restoration and rehabilitation of 
the  Sarajevo  Town  Hall  destroyed  during  the  war  in  1992.  This  is  one  of  the  projects 
identified  and  consolidated  in  the  framework  of  the  Ljubljana  Process.  Under  IPA  2010  an 
additional EUR 5 million is being discussed to ensure the completion of the reconstruction of 
this site. 

–  Croatia 

Under IPA 2009 a project (EUR 1.8 million) related to cultural heritage aims at rehabilitating 
the  Maskovica  Han  in  the  Ljubljana  Process  framework.  There  are  also  a  number  of  small-
scale projects financed under Cross-border Programmes (IPA Component II) mostly related to 
cultural  tourism  and  preservation  of  cultural  heritage.  Under  the  EIDHR,  Croatian  CSOs 
benefit from funds mainly for intercultural activities fostering reconciliation.  

–  The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 

Supporting the implementation of the Ljubljana Process, a cultural heritage project has been 
programmed  under  IPA  2009  (EUR  1.2  million)  for  conservation  and  revitalisation  of  the 
cultural and tourist site St. George – Staro Nagorichane. 

–  Kosovo56  

From  CARDS  2001  until  IPA  2009  around  EUR  10  million  have  been  implemented  for 
cultural heritage projects in Kosovo, like restoration of medieval orthodox churches, but also 
for  capacity-building  and  training  of  civil  servants  at  central  and  decentralised  levels  in  the 
administration dealing with culture. Logistical support has been provided for organisation of 
the  technical  forum  on  heritage  in  Kosovo.  Moreover,  in  accordance  with  the  Commission 
Communication  on  ‘Enhancing  the  European  Perspective  of  Kosovo’,  endorsed  by  the  EU 
Council  in  December  2010,  the  Kosovo-tailored  scholarship  scheme  called  Young  Cell 
Scheme  (YCS)  has  opened  its  eligibility  criteria  to  postgraduate  students  from  the  cultural 
sector.  

–  Serbia  

In the framework of the Ljubljana Process, an EU-funded project will aim at rehabilitating 
the  coal  mine  of  Senj:  Senjski  Rudnik.  The  old  industrial  centre  will  be  transformed  into  a 
regional  heritage  centre  and  contribute  to  sustainable  tourism  and  development.  Senjski 
Rudnik  is  the  birthplace  of  the  industrialisation  of  Serbia,  established  in  1853.  The  project 
amount  is  EUR  1.5  million.  Also,  under  CARDS  2006,  the  Commission  supported  the 
restoration  and  conservation  of,  and  access  to,  the  Yugoslav  Film  Archive  collection.  The 

56 

Under UNSCR 12244/99. 

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budget for the project amounts to EUR 2 million. The Archive is considered to be one of the 
five  most  important  in  Europe  and  one  of  the  10  largest  in  the  world,  with  a  collection 
containing over 95 000 copies of national and international films. 

–  Turkey 

Culture  is  considered  an  important  vector  for  the  development  of  civil  society  in  Turkey. 
Therefore,  while  actively  promoting  civil  society  dialogue  between  the  EU  and  Turkey,  the 
EU-funded  programmes  ‘Culture  in  Action’  and  ‘Cultural  Bridges’  allow  cultural  actors  to 
receive grants to develop projects in the culture and arts areas. Between 2006 and 2009, the 
Culture in Action programme funded 15 joint EU-Turkey projects contributing to heightened 
public  interest  in  different  aspects  of  European  art  and  culture  (EUR  1.5  million).  The 
Cultural Bridges programme targets mainly the cultural institutes of EU Member States and 
their  Turkish  and  European  partners  (EUR  6  million). It provides direct grants to engage in 
multi-partner  cultural  activities  with  the  aim  of  establishing  a  permanent  dialogue  and 
partnerships between cultural actors from Turkey and the EU. 

Furthermore, EUR 1.5 million has been allocated to support Istanbul as the 2010 European 
Capital of Culture. 

–  Iceland 

Given  the  recent  inclusion  of  Iceland  among  the  Enlargement  countries,  there  is  no  EU 
assistance implemented in this country. Iceland is an EEA signatory and has therefore already 
been  participating  in  the  Culture  Programme  for  many  years.  If  shared,  its  successful 
experience in this field could help the other Enlargement countries.  

3.4. 

EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD 

Cultural cooperation plays an important role in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), 
both  in  the  Eastern  Partnership  and  in  the  Mediterranean  region.  Cultural  cooperation, 
including  cross-border  cooperation,  is  financed  through  the  European  Neighbourhood 
Partnership Instrument (ENPI), covering neighbourhood countries (Eastern Europe, South 
Caucasus  and  the  Mediterranean  partners)  and  Russia.  The  central  elements  of  the  ENP  are 
the bilateral Action Plans agreed between the EU and each partner. These set out an agenda of 
political  and  economic  reforms,  also  including  cultural  provisions,  with  short  and  medium-
term priorities.  

Furthermore,  new  forms  of  technical  assistance  have  been  extended  to  ENP  partners 
(previously  available  only  for  new  Member  States,  candidate  and  potential  candidate 
countries). In this context, opportunities under TAIEX (Technical Assistance and Information 
Exchange) and the Twinning Programme — offering a framework for administrations and 
semi-public  organisations  in  the  beneficiary  countries  to  work  with  their  counterparts  in 
Member States — can be exploited in the field of culture.  

As  a  way  of  opening  up  funding  opportunities  for  ENP  countries  under  the  Culture 
Programme (candidate and potential candidate countries can participate on an equal footing 
with  Member  States),  in  2009  and  2010  the  Special  Action  is  dedicated  to  ENP  countries 
(with  political  conditionality  linked  to  ratification  of  the  UNESCO  Convention  on  Cultural 
Diversity and the signing of Association or Partnership and Cooperation Agreements with the 
EU).  

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A  new  follow-up  initiative  —  covering  the  whole  ENP  region  and  allowing  for  regional 
and inter-regional cultural cooperation — should be launched from 2011 onwards.  

3.4.1.  Euromed  countries:  Algeria,  Egypt,  Israel,  Jordan,  Lebanon,  Libya,  Morocco, 

Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria and Tunisia 

Since 1995, the Barcelona process has become the regional framework for dialogue between 
members of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. Dialogue between cultures was recognised 
right  from  the  outset  as  a  major  component  of  the  process  and  as  a  new  development  in 
relations between the EU and Mediterranean partners. The social, cultural and human chapter 
of the Barcelona process aims to bring people on both sides of the Mediterranean together, to 
promote their mutual knowledge and understanding and to improve their perception of each 
other.  

Particular attention is paid to intercultural and inter-religious dialogue and to the fundamental 
contribution that civil society organisations can make towards bringing people together. These 
goals have been the target of a wide variety of regional programmes and projects in the field 
of  culture,  notably  actions  to  preserve  and  promote  tangible  and  non-tangible  cultural 
heritage.  The  Euromed  Heritage  Programme  was  the  first  regional  MEDA  programme 
focusing on cultural heritage. It was launched in 1998 and is continuing in four phases until 
2012  for  a  total  amount  of  almost  EUR  75  million,  involving  48  projects  and  with 
approximately 400 partners from EU Member States and South Mediterranean countries. The 
aim  of  the  programme  is  to  highlight  Euro-Mediterranean  common  heritage,  to  promote 
exchange of know-how and knowledge about heritage and to offer training in heritage-related 
skills  and  professions.  One  of  the  main  results  of  the  programme  is  the  production  of  a 
strategy  paper  entitled  ‘Strategy  for  the  development  of  Euro-Mediterranean  Cultural 
Heritage:  priorities  from  Mediterranean  countries  (2007-2013)’,  drafted  in  consultation 
with the Mediterranean partner countries. This document, which defines priorities for Cultural 
Heritage  in  the  framework  of  the  Euro-Mediterranean  partnership  and  the  European 
Neighbourhood Policy, is intended to serve as a reference tool for future policies in this field. 

Euromed  Heritage  IV  (2008-2012)  represents  a  further  milestone,  carrying  forward  the 
achievements of Heritage I + II + III, in the process of recognising culture as a catalyst for 
mutual  understanding  between  the  people  of  the  Mediterranean  region.  Today  embedded  in 
the European Neighbourhood Policy and with a budget of EUR 17 million, Euromed Heritage 
4  contributes  to  the  exchange  of  experiences  on  cultural  heritage,  creates  networks  and 
promotes  cooperation.  It  is  based  on  the  objectives  defined  in  the ‘Strategy  for  the 
Development  of  Euro-Mediterranean  Heritage:  priorities  from  Mediterranean  Countries 
(2007-2013)’  and  focuses  on  local  populations’  appropriation  of  their  cultural  heritage  and 
favours  access  to  education  on  this  subject.  It  supports  a  framework  for  exchanging 
experiences,  channelling  the  dissemination  of  best  practices  and  new  perspectives  aimed  at 
the development of an institutional cultural environment. 

www.euromedheritage.net 

The new EU maritime policy also offers a unique opportunity to promote maritime cultural 
heritage on both sides of the Mediterranean as a  means to foster cultural understanding and 
economic cooperation. 

Another major regional programme, Euromed Audiovisual, continues to foster cooperation 
in  the  audiovisual  sector  across  the  Mediterranean  with  a  third  phase  (total  budget  EUR  46 

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million  since  its  creation  in  2000).  Euromed  Audiovisual  III  (2009-2012)  contributes  to 
intercultural dialogue and cultural diversity through support for building cinematographic and 
audiovisual  capacity  in  the  Mediterranean  partner  countries.  With  a  budget  of  EUR  11 
million,  the  latest  programme  aims  to  contribute  to  intercultural  dialogue  and  cultural 
diversity through support for the development of cinematographic and audiovisual capacity in 
the  partner  countries.  It  promotes  complementarity  and  integration  of  the  region’s  film  and 
audiovisual  industries,  while  seeking  to  harmonise  public  sector  policy  and  legislation.  It 
builds on the achievements of Euromed Audiovisual I + II, aiming to tap into the potential of 
a developing audiovisual market in the region and help Mediterranean films to secure a place 
on the global scene. 

www.euromedaudiovisuel.net 

The Euro-Mediterranean Anna Lindh Foundation for Dialogue between Cultures, as the 
first  common  institution  created  within  the  Barcelona  process,  aims  at  bringing  people  and 
organisations  of  the  region  together  by  launching  actions  impacting  on  mutual  perceptions 
across  the  Mediterranean  region,  including  culture,  education  and  media,  as  well  as 
developing  its  position  as  a  space  of  expertise  on  the  human  and  cultural  dimension  of  the 
EuroMed partnership though its report on intercultural trends. 

The  Foundation  coordinates  43  national  networks  involving  civil  society  actors  and  public 
bodies,  thus  serving  as  a  catalyst  to  develop  activities  on  the  ground.  It  acts  in  partnership 
with regional and international organisations to promote the role of intercultural dialogue as a 
tool  to  prevent  conflict  and  to  build  human,  cultural  and  political  bridges  across  the  Euro-
Mediterranean  region.  With  a  total  initial  budget  of  almost  EUR  13  million  for  the  period 
2008-2011, provided by all EuroMed partners, of which the European Commission provides 
EUR  7  million,  the  activity  of  the  Anna  Lindh  Foundation  is  now  well  established  and 
provides the ideal framework for developing cultural dialogue between the two shores of the 
Mediterranean Sea.  

The Foundation was jointly created and is co-financed by all member countries of the Euro-
Mediterranean  Partnership.  It  covers  Algeria,  Egypt,  Israel,  Jordan,  Lebanon,  Morocco, 
Occupied  Palestinian  Territory,  Syria,  and  Tunisia  as  well  as  all  27  EU  Member  States  and 
remaining members of the Union for the Mediterranean, making a total of 43 countries. The 
Foundation  promotes  cooperation  in  the  fields  of  culture,  education,  science,  human  rights, 
sustainable development, empowerment of women and the arts.  

The  EuroMed  Youth  Programme  supports  and  strengthens  the  contribution  of  youth 
organisations  and  young  people  from  the  region  to  the  development  of  society  and 
democracy, and promotes dialogue and understanding. The fourth phase of the programme - 
with  a  budget  of  EUR  5  million  for  2010-2013  -  supports  concrete  actions  implemented  by 
organisations on the ground focusing  on three types of activity: youth exchanges, voluntary 
service, and training and networking (the same scheme as the Youth for Europe programme). 
Thematic  priorities  focus  on  the  fight  against  racism  and  xenophobia  and  the  promotion  of 
more tolerance, active citizenship and gender equality. 

In addition to the cooperation programmes, Ministers of Culture of the EuroMed Partnership 
have established a political dialogue in the form of ministerial meetings. The third one took 
place  in  Athens  in  May  2008  and  was  an  opportunity  to  exchange  views  about  the  cultural 
dimension of the partnership while also agreeing on the launching of a process to draw up a 
fully  fledged  Euro-Mediterranean  Strategy  on  Culture  serving  to  enhance  dialogue  between 
cultures  and  targeting  cooperation  on  cultural  policies.  The  strategy  –  to  be  based  on  the 

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principles of the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity 
of Cultural Expressions – should be adopted at a ministerial meeting during the second half of 
2010.  

This marks a milestone not only as regards the cultural dimension of the Euromed Partnership 
but also with regard to the overall implementation of the European Agenda for Culture. For 
the first time a mandate has been given at political level for devising a regional Strategy on 
Culture.  

In order to understand the needs more fully, the European Commission has been engaged in a 
consultation  process  addressing  public  entities  and  civil  society  organisations  in  the  partner 
countries of the Union for the Mediterranean. For the South-Mediterranean countries a needs 
assessment  report  has  been  drawn  up  by  two  external  experts  (for  the  Western  Balkan 
countries  and  Turkey  a  separate  written  consultation  process  has  been  conducted).  With  a 
view  to  completing  this  process  and  providing  an  opportunity  for  the  cultural  sectors  of 
partner countries to exchange views on needs in the context of the new Strategy as well as on 
the  results  of  consultations,  the  European  Commission  organised  a  seminar  on  12  October 
2009.  Furthermore,  as  outlined  in  the  Athens  Conclusions,  an  ad  hoc  working  group 
(composed  of  cultural  experts  of  the  members  of  the  Union  for  the  Mediterranean)  will  be 
given the responsibility for drawing up the new Strategy.  

At the Paris Summit in July 2008, the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership was re-launched as the 
Union for the Mediterranean with the aim of enhancing relations between the countries on 
both  sides.  This  Union  was  endorsed  at  the  Marseille  meeting  of  the  Euro-Mediterranean 
Ministers of Foreign Affairs in November 2008. The Partnership now includes all 27 Member 
States of the European Union, along with 16 partners across the Southern Mediterranean, the 
Middle East and the Western Balkans. 

http://www.euromedalex.org/En/AboutUs.htm 

3.4.2.  Eastern  Partnership  countries:  Armenia,  Azerbaijan, Belarus,  Georgia,  Moldova 

and Ukraine 

Following the adoption of the Commission Communication on the Eastern Partnership in 
December 2008, according to which ‘The EU has specifically recognised the value of cultural 
cooperation  and  intercultural  dialogue  as  an  integral  part  of  all  external  policies  and  has 
underlined  the  importance  of  cultural  cooperation  in  addressing  political  processes  and 
challenges’, the partnership initiative was officially launched at the Prague Summit meeting 
on  7  May  2009.  The  multilateral  framework  of  the  Eastern  Partnership  provides  for 
cooperation  activities  and  open  and  free  dialogue.  In  this  framework,  four  Platforms  have 
been set up.  

The  Platform  on  Contacts  between  people  (Platform  4)  –  covering  inter  alia  the  field  of 
culture – met twice in 2009 and once in 2010 (May). At its first meeting held in June 2009, 
the  policy  dialogue  on  culture  was  launched,  based  on  the  implementation  of  the  2005 
UNESCO  Convention  on  the  Protection  and  Promotion  of  the  Diversity  of  Cultural 
Expressions and on the experience accumulated in the context of the Cultural Policy Reviews 
conducted  under  the  aegis  of  the  Council  of  Europe.  The  Platform’s  work  programme  for 
2009-2011,  adopted  at  the  second  meeting  in  November  2009,  focuses  on  (1)  a  demand-
driven policy dialogue, (2) fostering participation of partners in EU-funded programmes, and 
(3)  organising  an  enlarged  meeting  of  Cultural  Contact  Points  allowing  for  an  exchange  of 

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views on preparatory measures to be taken by partners with a view to new programmes. The 
enlarged meeting of Cultural Contact Points was held on 18 March 2010. 

The  Eastern  Partnership  Culture  Programme  –  Part  I  has  been  designed  to  strengthen 
regional cultural links and dialogue within the ENP East region, and between the EU and ENP 
Eastern  countries’  cultural  networks  and  actors.  It  covers  cooperation  with  Armenia, 
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, and Belarus from 2010 to 2013. The budget of € 3 
million foreseen for its Part I is supposed to provide technical assistance to public authorities 
and civil society. This first phase will be complemented by € 9 million for Part II and a call 
for proposals for projects should be published before the end of 2010. The Eastern Partnership 
Culture Programme aims at assisting the partner countries in their cultural policy reforms at 
government level, as well as capacity-building and improving the professionalism of cultural 
operators in the Eastern ENP region. It contributes to exchange of information and experience 
among cultural operators at a regional level and with the EU. The programme seeks to support 
regional 
to  economic 
development, social inclusion, conflict resolution and intercultural dialogue.  

initiatives  which  demonstrate  positive  cultural  contributions 

–  The Kyiv Initiative: Black Sea and South Caucasus 

The Kyiv Initiative brings together five countries at the south-eastern edge of Europe, namely 
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Their aim is to work with each other, to 
create democratic and engaged societies and rebuild trust and confidence across the region.  
The  programme  focuses  on  five  themes  that  both  unite  and  characterise  the  participating 
countries – heritage management, film, the shaping of cultural policy, literature, wine culture 
and  tourism  exchange.  Through  a  series  of  projects  designed  to  encourage  cross-border 
collaboration,  the  Kyiv  Initiative  enables  the  sharing  of  expertise  and  the  development  of 
competence and skills in both towns and the countryside.  
In the context of the Council of Europe’s Kyiv Initiative Regional Programme, the European 
Commission  is  co-financing  over  the  period  2009/2010  the  first  phase  of  Pilot  Project  2  on 
‘Rehabilitation  of  Cultural  Heritage  in  Historic  Cities’  (PP2)  for  institutional  capacity-
building in relation to rehabilitation projects. A second convention will be concluded between 
the Commission and the Council of Europe in 2010, valid until 2011, for the second phase of 
Pilot Project 2.  

3.5. 

AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC (ACP) COUNTRIES  

The European Development Fund is the instrument that finances external cooperation with 
the group of African, Caribbean and Pacific states. Currently, the EC is implementing the 10th 
EDF for the period 2008-2013 with an overall budget of EUR 22 682 million. The cooperation 
programmes financed by the EDF are governed by the Cotonou partnership agreement, signed 
by the ACP countries and the EU Member States in June 2000 and revised in Luxemburg in 
2005.  

Article 27 of the Cotonou agreement states that the cultural dimension is to be implemented 
at  all  levels  of  development  cooperation;  recognising,  preserving  and  promoting  cultural 
values and identities to enable intercultural dialogue; recognising, preserving and promoting 
the  value  of  cultural  heritage;  supporting  the  development  of  capacity  in  this  sector;  and 
developing  cultural  industries  and  enhancing  market  access  opportunities  for  cultural  goods 
and services. 

The second revision of the Cotonou partnership agreement was signed in March 2010. This 
revision changes the title of the relevant Article 27 from ‘Cultural development’ to ‘Culture 

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and development’ and introduces two new points, namely ‘e) recognising and supporting the 
role  of  cultural  actors  and  cultural  networks  and  their  contribution  to  sustainable 
development’; and ‘f) promoting the cultural dimension in education and the participation of 
youth in cultural activities’. 

In the spirit of the Cotonou agreement, cultural cooperation projects or activities at bilateral 
level  under  the  10th  EDF  are  scheduled  in  the  National  Indicative  Programmes  (NIPs) 
currently  being  implemented  in  Benin,  Eritrea,  Ethiopia,  Haiti,  Mali,  Nigeria  and  Senegal. 
Cultural cooperation activities in a number of these countries are actually funded through calls 
for  proposals  in  the  context  of  a  Civil  Society  Support  programme.  Most  of  the  projects 
qualify for small allocations, but in some cases significant funding is envisaged for the culture 
sector,  for  instance  in  the  case  of  Eritrea  (EUR  5  million),  Ethiopia  (EUR  10  million),  or 
Mali (EUR  15 million). The case of Mali  is  quite specific, as EU/Mali cultural cooperation 
has been going on for almost 10 years. This burgeoning cooperation has been shaped by past 
experiences and by responding to the changing needs of the country’s cultural sectors.  

Moreover,  apart  from  the  countries  which  originally  included  cultural  programmes  in  their 
NIPs,  some  others  have  shown  interest  in  establishing  cultural  programmes  within  the 
framework of their development strategies as a result of the recent mid-term review of the 10th 
EDF.  In  countries  where  culture  does  not  constitute  a  programme  in  itself,  there  is  the 
possibility of integrating it into other transversal programmes such as local development, 
support to non-state actors and to small and medium-sized enterprises, microcredit, vocational 
training and good governance. Countries such as the Dominican Republic, Mozambique and 
Cameroon propose to follow this strategy and include cultural windows in larger programmes 
integrating several sectors.  

The  EDF  also  covers  regional  cooperation.  Cultural  cooperation  may  be  included  in  the 
Regional Indicative Programmes (RIP) as a focal sector for intervention. This is the case in 
two specific instances, namely West Africa and its programme supporting cultural industries, 
financed  as  an  Intra-ACP  programme,  and  the  PALOP  regional  association,  which 
(Angola,  Cape  Verde, 
five  Portuguese-speaking  countries 
encompasses  Africa’s 
Mozambique,  Sao  Tome  e  Principe  and  Guinea  Bissau).  The  PALOP  regional  development 
programme is an exception as it is the only programme gathering non-adjacent countries on a 
purely  linguistic  criterion.  Culture  was  a  focal  sector  for  the  PALOP  under  previous  EDFs. 
The second RIP PALOP (9th EDF) included a programme of EUR 3 million. The agreement 
was signed in February 2008. In the 10th EDF it continues to be a priority. 

A  specific  programme  supports  institutions,  NGOs  and  individual  actors  throughout  West 
Africa  (Economic  Community  of  West  African  States  -  ECOWAS)  and  Mauritania  to 
ensure wider access to culture, sharing of expertise and experiences, support for creation and 
for new forms of expression based on new technologies. 

Future  regional  cooperation  should  focus  on  actions  that  cannot  be  developed  with  the 
smaller size programmes at national level and have added value if designed regionally. Such 
is  the  case,  for  instance,  with  the  structuring  of  cultural  sectors  at  regional  level  and  the 
support given to cultural operators that cover the whole value chain in the region. Similarly, 
future  regional  cooperation  could  foster  the  emergence  of  regional  poles  of  excellence  in 
certain cultural sectors, including a vocational training and technical support dimension. The 
diffusion, circulation and commercialisation of cultural goods, services and works at regional 
level is also another target identified for future actions by professionals and politicians in the 

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International Colloquium on ‘Culture and creativity, vectors for Development’ organised 
by the Commission in April 2009 in Brussels. 

international  donor  community  and 

The Colloquium attracted over 800 participants: artists, professionals and politicians from 65 
ACP and EU countries, including 48 Ministers of Culture from ACP countries, two European 
Commissioners and two Heads of State. The Colloquium led to the Brussels Declaration of 
EU/ACP  professionals,  giving  a  series  of  recommendations  at  the  level  of  local  authorities, 
the 
themselves.  The  culture 
professionals  asked  for  a  Follow-up  Committee  to  be  set  up  in  order  to  monitor  the 
implementation  of  the  Declaration  and  strengthen  the  synergy  between  EC  cooperation 
actions  and  those  of  different  public  actors  in  the  field  of  development  (especially  Cultural 
Institutes and private Foundations). The first meeting of the Follow-up Committee took place 
in  the  framework  of  the  Seminar  on  culture  and  development  organised  by  the  Spanish 
Presidency in Girona (4-6 May 2010). 

the  professionals 

The national and regional levels are not the only ones at which the EDF acts. At the intra-
ACP  level,  covering  all  ACP  countries,  two  programmes  for  a  total  of  EUR  15  million  are 
currently active under the 9th EDF: ACP Films and ACP Cultures, focusing on the cultural 
industries of the ACP countries. 

ACP Films co-finances the production, distribution and promotion of audiovisual works from 
ACP  countries,  including  feature  films,  TV  series  and  animated  films.  Its  funding  level  is 
EUR 8 million under the 9th EDF, of which EUR 6.5 million has been allocated to 24 grant 
projects,  involving  partners  from  over  40  countries  covering  the  six  geographical  and 
linguistic ACP regions as well as several European countries. This programme builds on the 
achievements of the previous EU-ACP programme supporting cinema (2000-2004), which co-
financed the production of 47 films and eight distribution actions. This focus on cinema and 
audiovisual cooperation reflects the economic importance of the sector and the importance of 
audiovisual media as a vector of culture.  
ACP Cultures is a Cultural Industries Support Programme providing support to cultural 
actors.  While  the  programme  is  open  to  all  ACP  countries,  particular  emphasis  is  put  on 
strengthening the culture sector in five pilot countries with a view to maximising the sector’s 
economic  and  job  potential.  The  programme  also  supports  the  creation  of  an  ACP  Cultural 
Observatory,  which  will  allow  a  better  view  and  understanding  of  the  cultural  sector  in  the 
ACP region and will help structure the sector on a professional and political level. The budget 
for this action is over EUR 6 million under the 9th EDF, of which EUR 2.3 million has been 
allocated to six grant projects currently in progress in the areas of performing arts, visual arts 
and music. These projects include partnerships from the entire ACP area. 

These  programmes  are  currently  being  evaluated,  and  identification  of  the  new  intra-ACP 
programme  under  the  10th  EDF,  which  will  amount  to  EUR  30  million,  is  already 
underway.  The  intra-ACP  programmes  transcend  national  and  regional  distinctions.  The 
beneficiaries  are  all  the  ACP  countries,  on  a  global  scale,  and  therefore,  intra-ACP 
programmes try to build up synergies within the different ACP countries and regions, but also 
beyond the ACP realm, encompassing the EU and its Member States. The primary objective 
is  to  develop  networks  enhancing  the  exchange  of  competences  and  the  diffusion  and 
circulation  of  cultural  goods,  services  and  works  and  to  structure  the  cultural  sectors 
complementing the national and regional levels. 

Furthermore,  the  European  Commission  has  other  instruments  to  promote  development 
through  culture.  In  the  case  of  ACP  states,  cultural  cooperation  can  be  supported  through 
Economic  Partnership  Agreements  (EPAs),  as  has  already  been  done  in  the  case  of 

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CARIFORUM, where the EPA grants a special status and easier access to European markets 
to cultural goods and services through a special cultural protocol attached to the body of the 
agreement. The CARIFORUM cultural protocol forms a precedent for the rest of the ACP 
regional organisations in terms of commercial relations with the EU. Jamaica is considering 
including the cultural industry as one of the four priority sectors for a project to be financed 
within the NIP of the 10th EDF in the framework of a project supporting the implementation 
of the EPA among Jamaican industries and exporters. 

Finally, it should be noted that, in order to centralise all information on the issue of culture 
and development, and to create an enduring network of professionals who can exchange their 
views with the Commission, the latter has established a website (www.culture-dev.eu) with 
information  on  the  conclusions  and  follow-up  of  the  above-mentioned  Colloquium  on 
‘Culture  and  Creativity,  vectors  for  development’.  Also,  a  working  group  on  ‘Culture  and 
Development  in  International  Cooperation’  has  been  created  on  the  EC  web  platform 
www.capacity4dev.ec.europa.eu  to  allow  for  better  exchanges  among  cultural  cooperation 
professionals. 

3.6. 

LATIN AMERICA 

The Heads of State and Government of the EU and the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) 
countries recognised the importance of cultural diversity as a factor for development, growth 
and  stability  at  the  EU-LAC  Summit  that  took  place  in  Vienna  in  2006.  They  committed 
themselves  to  finding  ways  to  enhance  both  EU-LAC  and  intra-LAC  cooperation  and 
exchanges of expertise and good practices and agreed to commemorate historic and cultural 
events with the aim of contributing to closer ties between their peoples. 

In  line  with  these  political  recommendations,  at  sub-regional  and  bilateral  level,  sectoral 
dialogues are on the increase and cooperation on culture is being developed. Several policy 
initiatives in the cultural field have taken place or are scheduled.  

Regarding  regional  cooperation,  the  MERCOSUR  Audiovisual  Programme  aims  to 
strengthen  the  cinematographic  and  audiovisual  sector  in  MERCOSUR  as  an  instrument 
fostering  the  regional  integration  process  and  the  participation  of  civil  society.  With  an  EU 
contribution of EUR 1.5 million, the programme is based on five axes of intervention, which 
are:  to  support  harmonisation  of  the  legislation  governing  the  sector  in  MERCOSUR 
countries;  to  strengthen  the  capacities  of  the  MERCOSUR  Audiovisual  Observatory;  to 
disseminate audiovisual content; to support the preservation, dissemination and digitalisation 
of audiovisual heritage; and to provide professional and technical training for the audiovisual 
sector. 

The  VI  EU-LAC  Summit  of  Heads  of  State  and  Government  held  in Madrid  on  18  May 
2010 announced 
the  creation  of  an  EU-LAC  Foundation  for  promoting  mutual 
understanding  and  cooperation  between  the  peoples  of  Latin  America  and  the  EU  through 
cultural, intellectual and people-to-people exchanges, and fostering the transfer of knowledge 
and good practice between the two regions. 

–  Brazil 

The  EU’s  strategic  partnership  with  Brazil  has  a  strong  cultural  dimension,  reflected  in  the 
reference to culture in the landmark Joint Action Plan (JAP) with Brazil and in the ambitious 
conclusions of the latest EU-Brazil Summit held in Rio in December 2008.  

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The structured sectoral policy dialogue on culture was launched by a Joint Declaration on 
culture  signed  in  May  2009  by  the  European  Commission  and  the  Brazilian  Government. 
Both  parties  stress  that  ‘enhancing  cooperation  and  dialogue  on  culture  is  instrumental  to 
improve mutual understanding and to establish a genuine intercultural dialogue, as well as a 
community of views as regards questions of cultural governance at international level’. 

The Culture Programme selected Brazil for the external cooperation action in 2008 (‘Special 
measures:  cooperation  with  third  countries’).  Seven  bi-annual  projects  scheduled  for  the 
period  2008-2010  were  selected  with  a  total  budget  of  EUR  1.3  million.  They  involve 
cultural  cooperation  between  European  and  Brazilian  cultural  organisations  and/or  cultural 
activities carried out in Brazil.  

–  Mexico 

The signing of the Joint Declaration on culture in June 2009 set the scene for a structured 
sectoral policy dialogue on culture between the EU and Mexico. 

The Cultural Fund EU – Mexico is a bilateral cultural cooperation project which started in 
December 2007 with a budget of EUR 1 million for the first phase (2008 – 2010). The aim of 
the  Fund  is  to  stimulate  better  reciprocal  understanding  between  Mexican  and  European 
societies. Never before had cultural cooperation been highlighted as clearly prior to the start 
of  a  sectoral  dialogue  between  the  EU  and  an  external  partner  country.  This  pilot  phase 
provides  new  perspectives  on  cultural  exchanges  that  will  benefit  EU  and  Mexican  cultural 
operators. 

During  the  first  phase  of  the  Cultural  Fund,  six  projects  were  financed  in  2008  for  a  total 
amount of almost EUR 1 million. Two projects were in the cinematographic diffusion area, 
two related to the organisation of theatre festivals and two were concerned with art exchange. 
An agreement for financing the second phase of this programme, Cultural EU – Mexico II 
Fund  2009  –  2012,  was  signed  in  2009  with  a  total  budget  of  EUR  5.6  million,  financed 
equally  by  the  European  Commission  and  the  Mexican  government.  The  objectives  include 
support  for  artist  and  cultural  industry  exchanges  as  well  as  seminars  on  public  policies 
dealing with access to culture and job creation. 

A special action will be dedicated to Mexico in the framework of the Culture Programme 
for the period 2011-2013, similar to the one for Brazil. The call for proposals will be launched 
in December 2010 with a budget of at least EUR 1 million. The aim of the action is to support 
cultural  projects  involving  both  Mexican  and  European  cultural  operators,  and  taking  place 
equally  in  Europe  and  Mexico.  It  is  more  specifically  meant  to  ensure  the  continuation  and 
sustainability  of  cultural  activities  of  common  interest  developed  in  the  context  of  the  2010 
official  celebrations  in  Mexico  and  Europe  (centenary  of  Revolution  and  bicentenary  of 
Mexican Independence). 

3.7. 

ASIAN COUNTRIES 

In Asia and Central Asia, the DCI is the legal basis for development cooperation, replacing 
the  ALA  regulation  for  Asia  and  the  TACIS  regulation  for  Central  Asia.  The  cooperation 
strategy  with  Asia  is  based  on  a  partnership  approach.  One  of  the  priorities  is  to  increase 
awareness  of  the  EU  in  Asia  and  vice  versa,  which  should  be  achieved  by,  among  other 
things,  strengthening  educational  and  cultural  exchanges  between  the  two  regions,  and 
promoting enhanced civil society contacts and intellectual exchanges. 

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These objectives are pursued through the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), an informal process 
of dialogue and cooperation between the EU Member States and the European Commission 
and  16  Asian  countries  and  the  ASEAN  Secretariat.  ASEM  activities  on  the  cultural  pillar 
include a wide range of enhanced contacts and dialogue between the two regions, as well as 
cooperation in the protection of cultural heritage.  

Since 1997 the Commission has been co-financing project activities carried out by the Asia-
Europe  Foundation  (ASEF),  whose  aim  is  to  promote  mutual  understanding,  deeper 
engagement  and  continuing  collaboration  among  the  people  of  Asia  and  Europe  through 
greater intellectual, cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two regions. In the 
field of arts and culture, ASEF aims to stimulate the exchange of ideas, creativity and artistic 
practices  in  different  contexts.  ASEF  is  also  active  in  the  field  of  interfaith  dialogue, 
exploring  opportunities  for  collaboration  and  innovation  among  stakeholders  and  between 
religious and secular groups, so as to contribute to mitigation of conflict and reconciliation. 
The ASEF budget is EUR 3 million for the period 2008-10. 

–  India 

The New Delhi EU-India Summit Joint Statement of 30 November 2007 provided support 
for  further  cooperation  in  the  field  of  culture,  including  stepping  up  the  activities  of 
organisations such as the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and the Indian cluster 
of the European Union National Institutes of Culture (EUNIC).  

In the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue (2008), a conference on ‘Multilingualism and 
Intercultural  Dialogue  in  Globalisation’  was  organised  in  December  2008  in  New  Delhi. 
This was the first EU-India platform for discussion and exchange between high-level scholars 
and intellectuals on the issue of multilingualism and its implications in the fields of business, 
politics, identity, intercultural dialogue and education. The event was the first step towards a 
more permanent policy dialogue with India in this domain, initiated by the signing of an EU-
India Joint Declaration on Multilingualism on 6 March 2009.  

In financing terms, a number of cultural cooperation initiatives were supported in the context 
of  the  EU-India  Economic  Cross-Cultural  Programme,  as  well  as  through  the  special 
action  under  the  Culture  Programme  in  2007  with  a  budget  of  EUR  1.8  million  (together 
with  China).  The EU  Delegation  and  Embassies  of 
in 
Delhi supported a wide range of cultural activities aimed at raising the profile of the EU, and 
of European culture, in India. Key events included cultural weeks that were organised in 2008 
and 2009 and, in 2010, the 15th anniversary of the European Union Film Festival (24 April - 4 
May), which showcased European cultural diversity and brought European cinema to Indian 
audiences. 

the  EU  Member  States 

–  China 

In  October  2007,  the  European  Commission  and  the  Chinese  Ministry  of  Culture  signed  a 
Joint Declaration on cooperation in the field of culture. 

The  first  EU-China  sectoral  dialogue  on  culture  took  place  in  May  2009,  in  Beijing, 
at director  general  level.  During  the  follow-up  meeting  in  October  2009  in  Brussels,  both 
sides  agreed  on  three  priority  areas  of  cooperation,  namely (a) promotion  of  cultural  and 
creative 
the 
management of cultural organisations and institutions (printing houses, operas…). In order to 

industries, (b) preservation  of  cultural  heritage,  and (c) cooperation  on 

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enhance cultural cooperation by raising the issue at a higher level, the Chinese side proposed 
to hold a high-level cultural forum.  

The  importance  of  the  cultural  dimension  of  EU-China  relations  was  underlined  at  the  12th 
EU-China  Summit  in  November  2009,  in  Nanjing.  Premier  Wen  further  endorsed  the 
proposal to establish a high-level cultural forum that would take place in the margin of the 
EU-China Summit in October 2010. President Barroso also stressed the importance of cultural 
and people-to-people exchanges for increasing mutual understanding. Both sides decided that 
2011 would be the Year of EU-China Youth, and that an EU-China ministerial mechanism 
on  youth  affairs  should  be  created.  Both  sides  agreed  to  work  together  to  improve  dialogue 
mechanisms and introduce fresh vitality into the relationship, including in the cultural field.  

The Joint Statement issued on this occasion promoted further strengthening of the exchanges 
and cooperation on the basis of the existing good cultural relations, continuing the EU-China 
cultural  policy  dialogue,  and  working  closely  together  to  push  for  implementation  of  the 
Unesco  Convention  on  the  Protection  and  Promotion  of  the  Diversity  of  Cultural 
Expressions.  

A number of pilot events, involving young people from both China and Europe, are planned 
in 2010, including school twinning and a Youth Summit. Interactions will be strengthened in 
the  framework  of  the  European  Year  of  Volunteering  2011.  Europe  and  China  will  host 
official  opening  ceremonies,  flagship  events  on  youth,  culture,  sports  and  volunteering,  as 
well as projects jointly implemented by Chinese and European organisations. It is proposed to 
designate Youth Ambassadors in a number of fields. An official closing ceremony is planned 
for the later part of 2011.  

Regarding  funding  opportunities,  the  third  country  call  under  the  Culture  Programme  in 
2007 covered China and India with a budget of EUR 1.8 million. Ten projects in the fields of 
performing  arts,  cultural  heritage,  new  media  technologies,  library  books  and  reading, 
architecture,  design  and  applied  arts  were  carried  out  in  a  spirit  of  cooperation  between 
European, Chinese and Indian operators. 

3.8. 

INDUSTRIALISED COUNTRIES  

–  Russia 

A  Joint  Working  Group  on  Culture  made  up  of  representatives  of  the  European 
Commission,  the  Member  States  and  the  Russian  Ministry  of  Culture  was  established  in 
February 2007 and has met regularly, most recently in June 2008 in Moscow. One of the main 
aims of the Joint Working Group is to draw up an EU-Russia Culture Action Plan, which is 
currently being discussed.  

The  first  Permanent  Partnership  Council  (PPC)  on  Culture  took  place  in  Lisbon  on  25 
October 2007 and was concluded with a Joint Statement between the Russian Federation (RF) 
and  the  EU.  The  PPC  is  a  new  format  for  cooperation  with  the  RF  agreed  upon  at  the  St 
Petersburg Summit to strengthen the EU/Russia Cooperation Council. PPCs bring together the 
Ministers/Commissioners responsible for particular policy areas. The EC position is based on 
a Commission proposal adopted by the Council. 

One of the concrete proposals set out in the Culture Action Plan is the organisation of an EU-
Russia high-level seminar on cultural cooperation. In this context, an international seminar on 
‘Russia-EU: signs on the road map of cultural cooperation’, co-organised by the European 

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Commission and the Russian Ministry of Culture, took place on 8 December 2009 in Moscow. 
It brought together cultural operators from the EU and Russia (more than 150 experts from 22 
European countries and 20 regions of the Russian Federation) so that they could discuss the 
priorities  and  modalities  of  EU-Russia  cooperation,  as  well  as  elements  of  the  policy 
environment which could facilitate cultural cooperation.  

The main conclusions of the seminar were linked to the enhancement of EU-Russia cultural 
cooperation  encompassing  all  areas  of  cultural  and  artistic  expressions,  engaging  cultural 
stakeholders  at  all  levels,  including  state  and  non-state  actors,  civil  society,  business  and 
independent actors, fostering the mobility of artists and cultural workers between the EU and 
Russia, facilitating access to information and networking, etc. The overall objective is to link 
the  outcome  of  the  seminar  to  the  ongoing  negotiations  on  the  Culture  Action  Plan  and 
prepare recommendations from the cultural sector to feed into this process. 

EU-Russia cooperation in the field of culture is covered by the 1997 EU-Russia Partnership 
and  Cooperation  Agreement  (PCA),  and  it  will  also  be  a  part  of  the  New  EU-Russia 
Agreement (NA), which is currently under discussion. The NA contains substantive, legally-
binding  commitments  in  all  areas  of  the  partnership,  including  political  dialogue,  justice, 
freedom  and  security  issues,  trade  and  investment,  energy,  economic  cooperation,  and 
research,  education  and  culture.  The  culture  and  audiovisual  cooperation  text  is  being 
negotiated within the Research, Education and Culture Working Group.  

In  May  2010,  a  Memorandum  of  Understanding  establishing  a  Northern  Dimension 
Partnership  on  Culture  (NDPC)  under  the  Northern  Dimension  policy,  with  the 
participation of Norway, Iceland, EU Member States and the Russian Federation, was signed. 
The main purpose of the Partnership is to function as a focal point for networks, projects and 
other  cultural  activities  in  the  Northern  Dimension  area  with  a  view  to  keeping  interested 
parties informed of plans and activities. 

In  the  framework  of  the  European  Neighbourhood  and  Partnership  Instrument,  the 
programme  on  ‘Minorities  in  Russia:  Developing  languages,  culture,  media  and  civil 
society’ is implemented jointly with the Council of  Europe.  The  project  started  in  February 
2009 and will last for 36 months, with EU funding of EUR 2.5 million. The overall objective 
of this action is to promote Russia’s ethnic and national minorities and better recognition of 
their  specific  integrity  as  regards  culture,  education,  languages,  media  and  civil  society.  A 
more specific aim is to pave the way for Russia’s future ratification and implementation of the 
Council of Europe’s Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.  

The Institution Building Partnership Programme (IBPP): the EU-Russia Culture Window  

For a number of years, the European Commission has fostered cultural cooperation between 
the  EU  and  Russia  through  its  Delegation  in  Moscow.  Support  to  the  EU-Russia  Cultural 
Cooperation  Initiative  is  a  part  of  the  EU-Russia  Cooperation  Programme  designed  to 
support grassroots initiatives in the area of culture via the Institution Building Partnership 
Programme  (IBPP).  The  purpose  is  to  support  the  EU-Russia  cultural  initiatives 
implemented  through  partnerships  among  non-governmental  organisations,  local/regional 
authorities,  artistic  universities,  museums  and  other  cultural  institutions  from  the  EU  and 
Russia.  Project  promoters  act  in  partnership  and  projects  involve  at  least  one  organisation 
from Russia and one from the EU. 

In 2007 the European Commission’s Delegation to Russia launched the first thematic call for 
proposals specifically focused on culture. Eight joint EU-Russia projects with a total budget 

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of EUR 2 million were selected and financed. In 2008 the European Commission continued 
its  activities  aimed  at  fostering  cooperation  with  Russia  in  the  cultural  field  and  promoting 
artistic  and  cultural  projects  with  a  European  dimension.  As  a  result,  nine  joint  EU-Russia 
projects were selected and financed via the IBPP in 2008 for a total budget of EUR 2 million. 
The  subjects  covered  were  artistic  creation,  cultural  mobility,  intercultural  dialogue, 
strengthening of cultural networks and cooperation among museums. In 2009, a third call for 
proposals was launched with a focus on promoting creativity and innovative artistic projects 
with a European dimension, for a total budget of EUR 2 million.  

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