European Union: how to boost the cultural and creative industries?

Cultural and creative industries contribute to European societies in many ways. They provide 5 million Europeans with jobs, add 2,7% to EU GDP and have a high growth potential. But their effects go further. The cultural and creative industries (which we’ll call CCIs from now on, for the sake of brevity) drive innovation in many other industries and branches of society. They enhance cultural diversity and social cohesion.

As cultural content is increasingly consumed through digital channels, CCIs are a driver for investments in new and faster data network, contributing to the information society.

For all the reasons stated above, the EU has recently published a green paper to stimulate the discussion about how to create the best conditions for the CCIs to thrive. In the Green Paper’s own words: “Europe's CCIs offer a path towards a more imaginative,

more cohesive, greener and more prosperous future.”

In order to do so, the EU should not waste any time with developing a sound and cohesive strategy to that puts Europe’s “strong and attractive” cultural assets at the heart of the EU economy. That way, we can effectively make use of all the innovative ideas that are generated in the CCIs. The Green Paper warns us that our international partners already do so on a large scale, helping them in securing a lead over the EU.

As a basis for a comprehensive strategy, the Green Paper identifies three pillars that need to be strengthened. Firstly, there is an emphasis on enablers for business development. The room for experimentation and innovation needs to broaden, CCIs need better access to funding and skills. Secondly, the regional setting needs to be primed to support CCIs in a global launch. Thirdly, the spill-over effects from CCIs to other sectors of the economy need to be enhanced and catalysed.

How these three pillars can best be shaped, is the main subject for a broad discussion for which the EU asks societal input.

3 May 2010