ECCD press release: TISA Agreement: the ECCD Support the European Parliament's Recommendations

The European Coalitions for Cultural Diversity welcome the adoption, on 3 February, of Vivian Reding’s report by the European Parliament, which makes recommendations to the European Commission, notably to preserve cultural diversity as part of the negotiations of the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA).

Specifically, they thank Rapporteur Viviane Reding for her commitment and welcome the good cooperation between the various political groups.

In light of the stakes of such an agreement on services with the other 22 World Trade Organization (WTO) members, these recommendations, adopted by a large majority (532 votes in favour, 131 against, 36 abstentions), are to be welcomed. They send a strong signal to the European Commission, which is currently negotiating this agreement.

In this respect, the ECCD congratulate MEPs for referring specifically to the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

Accordingly, MEPs adopted very positive measures:

• supporting the inclusion of a binding horizontal clause, aimed at preserving the right for European, national and local authorities to implement or maintain any policy in favour of creation and culture;
• requesting the clear exclusion of audiovisual services from the trade negotiations;
• calling for the protection of the contracting parties’ cultural models;
• rejecting the application of standstill and ratchet clauses (which freeze the degree of regulation and prevent any reversal or change in regulation) to cultural services;
• willingness to establish a link between the taxation of digital companies and their real economic activities.

The ECCD now calls on the European Commission to fully take into account these recommendations. The European Coalitions will reserve their position to make sure that no commitment in this agreement jeopardizes cultural diversity and the policies that support it.