European Creative Industries Alliance

European efforts are coming together in order to stimulate the cultural and creative industries. There is currently a window of opportunity for influencing politicians and launching new initiatives on the European level.  One reason is the preparatory work for Europe’s strategy 2020, in which ‘culture’ is a pillar.

The Green Paper (”Unlocking the potential of cultural and creative industries”) is one tool for developing ideas and identifying initiatives, but this is only a beginning. Early this year, 4-5 February 2010, experts on the cultural and creative industries gathered in Amsterdam to discuss European strategies for the creative industries*. The workshop was organized by the European Commission’s Enterprise and Industry Directorate‑General.

The major idea on the agenda was the initiative from the European Commission to establish a platform on European level for the creative industries, ”European Creative Industries Alliance” (ECIA). A platform that should help to better exploit the innovation potential of the creative industries both within individual countries and across borders. A counterweight to the fragmentation of the sector by providing a strategic overview of the creative industries in Europe.

The outcome of the workshop was ”The Amsterdam Declaration” which discuss the possible scope and policy objectives for ECIA. According to the declaration the main focus for ECIA should be the interaction of the creative industries with other industries. In that way, it is said in the declaration, creativity and innovation are facilitated more broadly. Another focus area for ECIA, that is pointed out in the declaration, is the development of better policies and instruments for strengthening the creative industries.

During this week’s conference European Cultural & Creative Industries Summit 2010in Brussels, Reinhard Buescher, executive for Innovation at DG Enteprise and Industry, talked about ECIA’s development since the first presentation in February (see picture below; sorry for the bad quality). Buescher ascertained he had probably not been invited to a conference like this three years ago, and he would have had nothing to bring to the table. Now he was bringing a platform aimed at 100 million Euros. Although only 7.5 million of those will come directly from the Commission and the rest will be mobilised in public and private captial. ”European actitivities should not burn money, but add value”, Buescher stressed.

He also told the audience that they will look for 8-9 partners that will execute the work within different themes, such as research, investments and clusters. The Creative Industries Alliance was presented to the member states the day after the conference.

*For a more extensive summary of the workshop see this article in The magazine of Enterprise policy.