Culture Action Europe reports that the EU's DG EAC will soon publish a Communication about the current status of the European Agenda for Culture. EU member states, the Open Method of Coordination working groups, and the Structured dialogue Platforms have been asked to provide input at different levels.
Following the publication of the Communication, the Parliament should publish a report, and the Council of Ministers will then adopt final policies as part of its work plan for the period 2011 -2013. A radical review of the three objectives of the European Agenda for Culture does not seem to be planned, but other EU initiatives will have impact on the arts and culture sector.
First and foremost, the Commission's ambition to tackle intellectual property rights is important to parts of the cultural sector, and secondly, efforts to focus on creativity and cultural diversity are continuously seen as important to Europe, although no special initiatives are planned to develop this potential in a direct way in the years to come. EU's cultural and creative industries therefore have to continue to develop argumentation for the importance of supporting a creative environment in Europe by facilitating the working conditions of culture professionals, and by facilitating a broader access to culture for all. A Green paper on cultural and creative industries will be presented during the European Forum on Cultural industries organised under the Spanish presidency patronage in Barcelona on 29 and 30 March. This long awaited political document could bring new opportunities for the sector, both in policy development and funding terms.
Finally, in the context of the 2010 EU Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion, opportunities to raise attention on the social and integration role of culture should appear, especially during the second semester of the Year, under the Belgian Presidency of the EU.
