Applications can now be made to the International fund for cultural diversity.
All relevant information and documents can be found on the 2005 Convention site
Over the last few months, the French coalition for cultural diversity, together with other professionals of the audiovisual industry, has been strongly mobilized against the automatic attachment of a Cultural Cooperation Protocol to the trade agreements presently negotiated by the EU.
The French coalition has been invited to participate to a working group set up by the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and directed by P. Sellal, ex Ambassador of France to the EU, on the treatment of audiovisual products in trade agreements.
This working group, composed of professionals and representatives of various French administration services, wrote a document mapping out a global strategy for the treatment of the cultural sector in economic and/or trade agreements between the EU and third countries. This document entitled “Communication by France : For a new European Union cultural external strategy” will be sent to the relevant services at the European Commission, the European Parliament and the present and future EU presidencies as well as our European partners.
On the occasion of their last meeting in Paris, on October 23rd 2009, the European coalitions for cultural diversity have issued a set of Resolutions calling for concrete actions for the implementation of the UNESCO Convention so as to insure the protection and promotion of culture on national as well as international levels. They alert all States parties to the UNESCO Convention, as well as the countries which have not ratified it yet, on the evolution of international trade negotiations which may prove be detrimental to the cultural sectors.
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