Nov 23, 2005

Joint declaration Unesco Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of culture-Nov2005

The European social partners in the sector ëlive performanceí jointly declare that:
1. This Convention must be respected in the negotiations of the WTO on the GATS; the cultural exception doctrine in particular on non-commercial cultural activities, goods and services must be included in the GATS, as was initially intended and stated at the entry into force of the GATS in 1995.
2. Other treaties must respect the provisions in the Unesco Convention on Cultural Diversity and the sovereignty of States with regard to the domestic cultural policy and the public funding of the arts.
3. Parties should ratify the Convention as soon as possible, thereby recognising the conciliation procedure in the case of settlement of disputes (art. 25).
4. The European Commission must adopt as soon as possible a proposal for Council decision.
5. The Ministers responsible for culture should approve a Council decision on ratifying the Convention within the EU Member States.
6. States, whether or not party to Unesco, should accede to the Convention and adopt measures and policies to protect and promote the diversity of cultural expressions within their territory.

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