Council Decision of 18 May 2006 on the conclusion of the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2006/515/EC)

Article 14 Cooperation for development

Parties shall endeavour to support cooperation for sustainable development and poverty reduction, especially in relation to the specific needs of developing countries, in order to foster the emergence of a dynamic cultural sector by, inter alia, the following means:

(a)

the strengthening of the cultural industries in developing countries through:

(i)

creating and strengthening cultural production and distribution capacities in developing countries;

(ii)

facilitating wider access to the global market and international distribution networks for their cultural activities, goods and services;

(iii)

enabling the emergence of viable local and regional markets;

(iv)

adopting, where possible, appropriate measures in developed countries with a view to facilitating access to their territory for the cultural activities, goods and services of developing countries;

(v)

providing support for creative work and facilitating the mobility, to the extent possible, of artists from the developing world;

(vi)

encouraging appropriate collaboration between developed and developing countries in the areas, inter alia, of music and film;

(b)

capacity-building through the exchange of information, experience and expertise, as well as the training of human resources in developing countries, in the public and private sector relating to, inter alia, strategic and management capacities, policy development and implementation, promotion and distribution of cultural expressions, small-, medium- and micro-enterprise development, the use of technology, and skills development and transfer;

(c)

technology transfer through the introduction of appropriate incentive measures for the transfer of technology and know-how, especially in the areas of cultural industries and enterprises;

(d)

financial support through:

(i)

the establishment of an International Fund for Cultural Diversity as provided in Article 18;

(ii)

the provision of official development assistance, as appropriate, including technical assistance, to stimulate and support creativity;

(iii)

other forms of financial assistance such as low interest loans, grants and other funding mechanisms.