Commission launches strategy to boost creative growth and jobs

The European Commission adopts a strategy to unlock the full potential of the cultural and creative sectors to boost jobs and growth in the EU.

The cultural and creative sectors, which include companies and other organisations active in architecture, artistic crafts, cultural heritage, design, festivals, film and television, music, performing and visual arts, archives and libraries, publishing and radio, already account for up to between 3.3 % and 4.5% of the EU GDP and employ between 7 and 8 million people. But they face major challenges stemming from the digital shift and globalisation, as well as from a high fragmentation of markets along cultural and linguistic lines. Access to finance remains a major difficulty.

The Commission's new strategy aims to increase the competitiveness and export potential of these sectors, as well as to maximise their spill over benefits for other areas such as ICT and innovation. The Commission is calling for a range of actions to promote the right conditions for the cultural and creative sectors to flourish, involving all actors from the local level up to the regional, national and European levels. These actions focus on skills development, access to finance, promotion of new business models, audience development, access to international markets and improved links to other sectors.

The strategy, outlined in a document entitled 'Promoting cultural and creative sectors for growth and jobs in the EU', envisages a series of policy initiatives and the promotion of a modern regulatory environment. The Commission also wants to encourage stronger partnerships between different policies, in particular culture, education, industry, economic affairs, tourism, urban and regional development, and territorial planning. It also plans to mobilise EU funding to increase support for the sectors, notably through the proposed €1.8 billion 'Creative Europe' programme for 2014-2020 and through Cohesion Policy funds.