Main results of the informal meeting of ministers for culture and audiovisual affairs

The first day of the meeting focused on ways to better enhance knowledge of, and access to, European heritage, particularly for young people.

One the main issues discussed by the ministers of culture concerned the 'European Heritage Label' project. This initiative, put forward by over a dozen Member States of the European Union in 2007, aims to enhance certain key sites and landmarks of European heritage by organising them into a network. The project's goals are to improve cultural education, provide better visitor information in different languages and promote European creativity, etc.
The ministers agreed to launch proceedings within the Community bodies with a view to building a project between the 27. Such a programme will give European citizens a better awareness of their common European heritage and help promote the economic development of EU territories and their appeal as a tourist destination.

The ministers of culture also examined ways to prevent theft and how best to combat illegal trafficking in cultural property and artefacts which affects all Member States. It is a  genuine problem for European heritage, increasingly pillaged by international networks. Criminals take advantage of discrepancies between national laws and the limited cooperation in this field between Member States.
The European Union can bring real added value in this area. The interconnection of the national electronic databases recording stolen cultural artefacts is one measure set to be expanded to include all 27 Member States over the coming months.

On 22 July, the audiovisual affairs ministers discussed the revision of the Community's regulatory framework governing electronic communications (the 'Telecommunications Package'). During the meeting, they underlined the need to retain the balance between economic constraints and public-interest objectives such as media pluralism, cultural and linguistic diversity, and land-use planning.

The ministers also raised the issue of protecting copyright and related rights. This is of crucial importance, both for the future of the creative industries - i.e. producers of musical and audiovisual content - and electronic communications operators who are likely to become the principal distribution networks for these works. While depriving artists of their rightful income, online piracy hampers the fair sharing of growth from products that are created jointly by the creative and communications industries.

The ministers stressed the importance of improving consumer information on copyright issues concerning works broadcast on the internet and raising public awareness of the consequences of piracy on creativity and cultural diversity. Moreover, all stakeholders – from the worlds of culture and communications – must work together to combat piracy and develop a more attractive range of cultural products that is legally available to consumers.

Christine Albanel concluded by reminding fellow ministers of the work undertaken by the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union of public service media in the digital age. The importance of the European audiovisual public service model was also reaffirmed.

Informal meeting of Ministers for Culture and audiovisual affairs (Announcement)

• Updated: 15.12.2008

• 
• Gallery
• Back to the top