The Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions and EU external trade policy: Protocols on Cultural Cooperation

Jan LoisenFlemish Research Centre on International Policy (Steunpunt Buitenlands Beleid)

Studies on Media, Information and Telecommunication (IBBT-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel)

Topic

Protocols on cultural cooperation• New practice to implement the 2005 UNESCO Convention

EU-CARIFORUM (2008) EU-Korea (2009)

• Interesting testcase• Many questions and criticisms

Why such different appraisals?• Focus on EU-Korea protocol• Literature review, document analysis and expert interviews

Toward a European strategy of mainstreaming culture

European Agenda for culture• Central role UNESCO Convention• New cultural pillar of global governance• New and more pro-active role of the EU

Conclusions on the promotion of cultural diversity• Draw up a strategy for incorporating culture consistently and

systematically in external relations…• … with due regard for complementarity between the EU and MS

Article 167(4) TFEU: cultural mainstreaming obligation Article 207 TFEU: EU trade policy Unanimity for trade in cultural and audiovisual services when cultural

diversity is at risk?

Culture in EU external trade policy and the WTO

Little concrete impact•EU position in WTO robust•Slow progress Doha Round•Beginning implementation UNESCO Convention

Ratifications Fleshing out articles

•Learning process•Long oppositional history•One instrument – no panacea

Capacity building + empowerment•Agenda-setting•Legitimizing function•Tool, incl. toward other partners

• Refrain from commitments• In negotiations• In disputes

•Debate

UNESCO Convention: a counterbalance to the WTO?

UNESCO Convention: a counterbalance to bilateral/regional developments?

Bilateral developments

Source: Wunsch-Vincent, S. & Hold, A. (2010), Trade rules for the digital age – re-engineerded version, forthcoming.

Protocols on cultural cooperation

Rationale and goals• Implementation of the UNESCO Convention• Ratification by third parties – alliance building• Facilitation of exchanges – a modular approach• Provisions regarding the audiovisual sector

Criticisms• Parallel trade and culture negotiations• Spirit of the UNESCO Convention• Co-production provisions and preliminary study• The model

Rationale and goals (1)

Implementation of the UNESCO Convention• Urgency to act: swift implementation after entry into force

Article 16 CCD (Preferential treatment for developing countries) Article 20 CCD (Relationship to other treaties)

• UNESCO Convention replicates cultural mainstreaming

Ratification by third parties: alliance building• Tool to encourage third parties to ratify the UNESCO Convention• In light of bilateral and regional efforts toward culture,

audiovisual services and e-commerce by other countries

Rationale and goals (2)

Facilitation of exchanges on a case per case basis• Complementary to existing cultural / audiovisual programmes• Safeguard partner’s capacity to develop cultural diversity policy• A modular approach to allow for differentiation in cooperation

In case of developing countries (Art. 16 CCD): preferential treatment In case of developed countries (Arts 12 & 20 CCD): reciprocity

Provisions regarding the audiovisual sector• Implementation of Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMS)

‘European works’ (audiovisual co-production) Member States retain capacity to develop public cultural policies

• Protocol framework disconnected from trade and market access provisions in bilateral trade agreements

Criticisms (1)

Parallel trade and culture negotiations• Trade perspective is predominant

Trade Policy Committee discussions DG Trade takes the lead Bargaining chip?

• Insufficient communication and coordination

Spirit of the Convention• Reintegration of culture in a trade context• Market access provisions?• Excessive focus on audiovisual

Criticisms (2)

Co-production and absence of preliminary study• Preferential treatment• No preliminary study of effects: ‘leap into the dark’• Precedent counterproductive for cultural diversity

Which model for future cultural cooperation?• Minor adaptation of the CARIFORUM model• Reconstruction of EU-Korea protocol development process

• EU-CARIFORUM – Draft EU-Korea protocols• Draft EU-Korea – Final EU-Korea protocols

EU-Korea protocol development process

Source: Germann and multidisciplinary research team, 2010, p. 194

Strengths and weaknesses

Strengths• Leadership• Start of concrete implementation• Initiation of reflection and debate• Improvement of contents and safeguards• Legitimization and example to non EU-context

Weaknesses• Concept of mainstreaming culture needs clarification• Limited prior study – leap into the dark• Definition and measurement• Lack of transparency and faltering communication• Silent stakeholders – diminished interest?

Opportunities and threats

Opportunities• Build on debate and reflection• Articulation of mainstreaming and safeguarding culture• Improving coordination procedures and platforms• Alternative for third parties• Capacity building and empowerment

Threats• Pervasive strained relationship cultural and trade objectives• Capacity to speak with one voice• Confusion, awkward division of competences, friction• Limited scope• Mismatch long term political – short term economic objectives

Recommendations

Strengthening the UNESCO Convention• Prior ratification• Unit for cultural diversity

Evidence-based policies for tailored cultural cooperation• Invest in study , definition and measurement• Shared responsibilities• Cultural diversity barometer

Reflection and debate in a transparent environment• Multi-stakeholder debate

Implementation Arts 9, 11, 19 CCD European Parliament Civil society dialogue

• Transparency

Thank you for your attention!

• Steunpunt Buitenlands Beleid (FRCIP): www.ua.ac.be/vsbb

• Studies on Media, Information and Telecommunication (IBBT-SMIT):www.smit.vub.ac.be

• jan.loisen@vub.ac.be

• Further information: Loisen, Jan. Culturele samenwerkingsprotocollen van de Europese Unie met derde landen. Stand

van zaken en uitdagingen voor Vlaanderen. Rapport. Antwerpen, Steunpunt Buitenlands Beleid, 2010, 69 p. Protocols on cultural cooperation between the EU and third countries. Status Quaestionis and challenges for Flanders. Available at www.ua.ac.be/vsbb

Loisen Jan & Caroline Pauwels. Study Paper 3c: Protocols on Cultural Cooperation. In: Germann Avocats and multidisciplinary Research Team. Implementing the UNESCO Convention of 2005 in the European Union (Long Version), 2010, 26 p. Available at www.diversitystudy.eu

Loisen, Jan & Ferdi De Ville. The EU-Korea protocol on cultural cooperation: towards cultural diversity or cultural deficit? Submitted to the International Journal of Communication