Vassiliou and Barnier urge Ministers to back drive for digitisation of Europe's heritage
The challenge of making Europe's cultural heritage more accessible on-line and ensuring copyright rules are respected will be among the issues addressed when Androulla Vassiliou and Michel Barnier, Commissioner for Internal Market and Services, join Ministers for Culture and Audiovisual Policy at their informal meeting in Wroclaw, Poland, on 9 September.
Members of the Commission's expert group on digitisation will explain their recommendations , which include making Europeana, Europe's digital library, thecentral reference point for cultural heritage and calling on EU governments to do more to encourage public-private partnerships to drive digitisation and generate jobs. "Preservation of cultural heritage for future generations should be an imperative for every society," said Commissioner Vassiliou before the meeting. "New digital technologies facilitate not only the preservation of books, films, pictures, photographs and music but can also make them easily and instantly accessible."
Commissioner Barnier will highlight the need for an appropriate copyright framework for the digital era, and encourage all stakeholders to respond to the recently launched Green Paper on online distribution of audiovisual works. Commissioner Vassiliou will also draw attention to the Commission's proposal for a new "Creative Europe" funding programme in 2014-2020 to support Europe's fast growing cultural and creative sectors.The informal meeting will take place in parallel with the European Culture Congress, which will bring together over 300 artists and intellectuals from worldwide.
Digital agenda - call for Europe's heritage online to be put online for a "new renaissance"
