Androulla Vassiliou, the commissioner responsible for education, culture, multilingualism and youth, has launched a major rethinking exercise on how to unlock the potential of the EU’s cultural and creative industries, the so-called CCIs. The European Commission’s green paper presented by Vassiliou notes that CCIs provide almost five million quality jobs in the EU27 and contribute some 2.6% to the Union’s GDP. Their growth rate is also higher than in the rest of the economy (see Europolitics 3950).

NEED FOR STRATEGIC APPROACH

Speaking to journalists, on 27 April, Vassiliou stressed the need for the EU to develop a “strategic” approach to CCIs. “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. They have an important role to play in helping to bring Europe out of the crisis,” said Vassiliou. The Commission’s green paper admits that the EU’s international partners, notably the US and Canada, are already tapping into their cultural and creative industries. Europe must also help its CCIs face a rapidly changing context with (global) digital information and communication technologies (ICT) having a huge impact in all sectors along the whole value chain.

Industry must then develop new and innovative business models, notably to tackle the challenge of economic value being displaced towards the end of the chain and threats, such as piracy. The Commission outlines three main tasks for EU, national and local strategies. These are: 1. enabling increased experimentation and innovation as well as providing easier access to funding and the right mix of skills; 2. helping CCIs develop in their local and regional environment as a launch pad for a stronger global presence; and 3. moving towards a creative economy by catalysing the spill-over effects of CCIs into a wide range of economic and social contexts.

CONSULTATION ON EU’S ROLE

The accompanying consultation particularly calls for contributions on priorities for action at EU level. Several consultation questions relate to enabling new and improved spaces for experimentation, innovation and research in the cultural and creative sectors. How can ICTs become a driver of new business models for cultural and creative industries? How can art schools/business partnerships promote incubation, start-ups and entrepreneurship? With regard to access to funding, the Commission inquires as to how to stimulate private investment and improve CCIs’ access to loans? How could EU instruments (including the European Investment Fund) support and complement efforts made at national and regional levels? What EU tools could be foreseen or reinforced to promote cooperation, exchanges and trade between the EU CCIs and third countries?

Further information is available at ec.europa.eu/culture/our-policy-development/doc2577_en.htm

Background

Cultural industries include performing arts, visual arts, cultural heritage, film, DVD and video, television and radio, video games, new media, music, books and the press. Creative industries include architecture and design, graphic design, fashion design and advertising. CCIs are also important drivers of economic and social innovation. They even play a crucial role in the deployment of the information society, fuelling investments in broadband infrastructures and services, in digital technologies, as well as in new consumer electronics and telecommunication devices. Creative thinking by CCIs has pushed the regeneration or ‘branding’ of countries, regions and cities, stimulating research, product and service innovation, promotion of sustainable economic environments, and intergenerational and intercultural dialogue.