Impact Study: UNESCO-Aschberg Programme for Artists and Cultural Professionals

The CARIFORUM-EU EPA is a partnership for sustainable development, regional integration and the creation of new commercial opportunities between CARIFORUM and the EU. Its Protocol on Cultural Cooperation was unique to trade agreements when it was adopted. As Parliamentarians, we have several times stressed the importance of the cultural industries, including education, sport, national heritage activities, training and exchanges, which are an asset to the CARIFORUM region and to the EU. This is one of the single largest growth areas with respect to export earnings, especially at a time when there has been significant reduction in traditional revenue streams. We have seen the EPA as being of critical importance to the CARIFORUM region’s strategy of further promotingand commercialising the creative and sports sectors, andhave stressed the importance of implementing the Protocol on Cultural Cooperation, as a way of bringing the two regions closer to each other. In our recommendations from the Second Joint Parliamentary Committee Meeting, we suggested that different actions and measures be considered to further the implementation of the Protocol, such as twinning projects between creative cities in both regions and the establishment of a CARIFORUM-EU Platform for the Culture and Creative Industries. Further action on these and other aspects is still needed for the Protocol to reach its full potential. We therefore look forward to increased cooperation andmore action in the coming years, and urge all parties to the agreement to increase their efforts in this regard. Bolesław Piecha Member of Parliament, Chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation to the Joint CARIFORUM EU Parliamentary Committee

While the EU has a sophisticated institutional network, its competences are not exclusive in all areas and many issues, in particular in the field of culture and national security, are still within the competence of the individual EU Member States. This naturally complicates EPA implementation processes, where coordination between the different EUMember States is needed; it may also lead to (sometimes substantial) differences between EU Member States and thus make it difficult for CARIFORUMpartners, often strugglingwith capacity constraints, to understand this complex regulatory environment and to navigate it properly for their own benefit. As will be discussed, this matter is by no means trivial and many of the difficulties in making good use of the existing EPA cultural provisions relate to either visa or co-production funding issues, which fall under the authority of the EU Member States.

30 Culture in the CARIFORUM-EU EPA