[Ecommerce] News re UNESCO Cultural Diversity Convention

[Manon Ress]

http://www.mcc.gouv.qc.ca/international/diversite-culturelle/eng/
index.html#nouvelle2

Council of Europe =96 The European Commission intends to be an active
party to the Convention and will in turn ratify it, 2006/02/06

In a recommendation to the European Union Member States adopted last
February 1, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe,
"recommends that, at the earliest opportunity, Council of Europe
member states ratify, accept, approve or accede to the UNESCO
Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of
cultural expressions"

In other respects, the European Commission officially invited last
December 21, its 25 Member States to ratify this Convention "in the
best possible times". The Commission did recall that it had received
mandate to negotiate at UNESCO in the name of the EU and that Member
States, on their part, were equally represented by their Minister ad
hoc of the Council of Europe. Raising the principle of shared
competence, the European Commission intends to be an active party to
the Convention and will in turn ratify it. But, this ratification
will not be accounted within the required minimum of 30 for the
Convention to become effective. In that, it calls upon the good
"coherence" of this Convention together with other political
instruments of the Union, in matters of cooperation, development,
common trade policy, audiovisual policy as well as cultural action.

If the UNESCO Convention did not make provision for ratifications
time limit it is known that Canada is the very first country =96 and
the only one at this time - to have actually ratified it. However, =AB
France has promised it for next March, the Northern countries for
summer, Belgium like other countries will need one year. But several
countries, Eastern ones namely, do not yet have their own complete
translation. =BB.

Another challenge, as is underlined, is to the effect that the
required minimum of 30 signatory countries be truly representative of
the world scope and of its cultural mosaic=BB. So, in its official
statement the European Commission incites the 25 to communicate with
their third countries and invite them to the ratification.

It is also acknowledged that the Southern countries had requested an
"International Fund for Cultural Diversity" to support their
developing film industries. It was agreed upon in as much as
contributions should remain voluntary. In this respect, some
countries such as Belgium, have already anticipated to steer anew
their assistance or their existing cooperation agreements through
this specific fund.

The Council of Europe recommendation
European Commission proposal for the ratification of the UNESCO
Convention
European Commission release related to the adoption of the Convention
For further information (Available in French only)




************************************************
Manon Anne Ress
manon.ress@cptech.org,
www.cptech.org

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