EBU welcomes European Parliament’s move to recognize the major contribution culture can make to boost European competitiveness

EBU welcomes European Parliament’s move to recognize the major contribution culture can make to boost European competitiveness

The European Parliament has asked for the launch of a comprehensive and coherent industrial policy framework to support Europe’s cultural and creative sector. The EBU welcomes this move which recognizes the major contribution culture can make to boost European competitiveness and the creation of quality jobs and growth.

GENEVA, 23-Dec-2016 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Parliament’s resolution, entitled ‘a coherent EU policy for cultural and creative industries’, notably calls on the European Commission to step up support for research in the media sector and beyond by introducing an ‘umbrella scheme that bridges the gap between research and development, European creative content production and technological innovation’.

EBU Head of European Affairs Nicola Frank said: “Cultural and creative industries must be placed at the heart of Europe’s Digital Single Market objectives. Media convergence offers a host of new opportunities for European media organizations and SMEs to innovate together, delivering economic value as well as educational, cultural and democratic values.”

Mrs. Frank added: “The new emphasis on research is particularly welcome. A comprehensive approach that makes the link between content creation and distribution technologies will lead to real change and fast transition from project ideas to pilots and commercial implementation.”

At present, content creation and technological development do receive EU support under two separate programmes – Creative Europe and Horizon 2020 respectively. For the EBU, bringing these two elements together, as suggested by the European Parliament, is all the more necessary for the European cultural and creative sector to reap the benefits of media convergence.

The resolution is based on an own-initiative report by MEPs Christian Ehler (EPP) and Luigi Morgano (S&D), following close collaboration between the European Parliament’s Culture and Education (CULT) and Industry and Research (ITRE) Committees.

In addition to the support for research, the resolution highlights the key contribution of cultural and creative industries in Europe: more than 12 million full-time jobs, which amounts to 7,5 % of the EU’s work force, creating approximately EUR 509 billion in value added to GDP – 5,3 % of the EU’s total Gross Value Added.

The resolution also emphasizes the importance of cross-sectoral educational programmes and it encourages the development of media literacy and digital skills trainings.

SOURCE: EBU

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Jacques Lovell
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