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Trade barriers and limited human and financial capacities make access of cultural goods and services to markets in the global North more difficult for people in developing countries. Outside China and India, developing countries account for only 26% of world exports of cultural goods.
On 5 November 2019 in Bridgetown, Barbados, the world's first impact assessment for the Economic Partnership Agreement CARIFORUM-EU was presented. The study on "Culture in CARIFORUM - Economic Partnership Agreement of the European Union - Rebalancing trade flows between Europe and the Caribbean" analyses the impact of the Protocol on Cultural Cooperation under the EPA, an existing North-South regional trade agreement on cultural trade between the Caribbean and the European Union in the last decade.
The publication of this study is supported by the UNESCO Ashberg Programme for Artists and Cultural Workers and the UNESCO Diversity for Cultural Expressions. The study shows that many opportunities arising from the provisions of the EU-CARIFORUM EPAs have not been fully exploited and that the Protocol on cultural cooperation has not yet been fully activated, in particular in relation to the mobility of artists to the EU and productions in the audiovisual sector.
Participants and panelists included representatives from across the Caribbean, the creative scene, government representatives, cultural and trade experts and representatives from the European Union. Participating institutions included CARICOM/CARIFORUM, the Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States, the Caribbean Export Development Agency, the Caribbean Development Bank, the CARIFORUM-EU EPA Implementation Unit, Trade Policy Manager, European Union Delegation in Barbados.
Danielle Cliché, Secretary of the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Promotion and Protection of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, explained the interest in the study. "We all know the economic, social and cultural benefits of promoting culture and creativity. In carrying out this research, we wanted to know how we could change the current status quo. We need to invest in changing the lives of people from the cultural and creative industries in developing countries and around the world for sustainable development.".
The two researchers from the Impact study, Mira Burri and Keith Nurse, attended the launch. They presented the key findings. Mira Burri explained that there are still many challenges to overcome - from both sides. "There is still a long way to go before equal trade can be achieved. We haven’t seen much progress yet in the implementation of the Economic Trade Agreement, as in the EU’s agreement in giving market access to Caribbean entertainment services, also to persons with a contemporary entry to Caribbean countries is still lacking. One of our recommendations includes the creation of a specific implementing body from the EU to take care and monitor the implementation of the EPA to overcome these gaps” Keith Nurse agrees and adds, “With the speed of the technological advancement in these sectors, the Caribbean seems to be pushed behind, as they cannot keep up. Caribbean institutions need a higher level of coordination and cooperation” Further he calls out for Caribbean development finance in the cultural and creative industry. “We cant wait for EUROPE to finance our capacities. We cannot build up our industry on grants. That is not going to make a difference.”
Following the launch of the study, a sub-regional workshop of the interactive discussion series Create|2030 of the UNESCO Convention 2005 on "Advancing preference treatment for culture" took place in Bridgetown from 6 to 7 November. This training, which was organised as part of the Aschberg Programme, was led by international cultural trade experts. The participants discussed ways to mobilize the CARIFORUM countries to call for fairer cultural trade and to hold EU Member States accountable for the Protocol and the principle of preferential treatment, Article 16 of the 2005 Convention on Preferential Treatment for Developing Countries. Among the main topics were the digital environment, which was discussed as one of the greatest challenges and potentials of the 21st century.
The provision on preferential treatment for developing countries (Article 16) is considered one of the most binding and powerful of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005). The aim of the preferential measures is to promote mobility and exchange between Member States.
Download the study here in English, French and Spanish