The European Ministers of Culture adopted “Conclusions on the contribution the cultural and creative sector makes towards implementing the goals of the Lisbon Strategy”. Minister of State Bernd Neumann, at whose initiative the conclusions were drawn up during Germany’s EU Council Presidency, said: “These conclusions will create a clear political framework and focal points for the future work of the European Member States and the Council in the area of the cultural industries. Just a few months after initiating the debate at the last Council of November 2006, we have managed to begin paving the way for policy-making in the field of the cultural industries.”
The debate on strategies aimed at promoting the creative and cultural industries more effectively has steadily gained momentum at European and national level in recent months. The special role the cultural industries play for Europe’s global competitiveness is being increasingly recognised. “The creative and cultural sector offers above average opportunities for Europe especially regarding economic growth, competitiveness, the creation of jobs, sustainable development and innovation. The creative and cultural sector represents a growth sector that is developing more rapidly than any other industry. The most important aspects of the Council conclusions therefore relate to promoting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) more effectively in the cultural sector as they play a key role in tapping economic potential in the cultural sector”, Mr. Neumann explained.
Other demands made in the conclusions involve integrating business aspects more effectively during the training and advanced training of persons engaged in the cultural sector and making more effective use of the existing structures, programmes and initiatives at European level in order to promote the cultural industries. The Member States and the Commission are being called upon, inter alia, to help to use the European Cohesion and Structural Funds more efficiently in support of small and medium-sized enterprises in the cultural and creative sector.
