Diversity of cultural expressions and preferential treatment

From 22 to 23 June 2017, in cooperation with Laval University (Quebec, Canada) and its UNESCO Chair on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, the UNESCO Secretariat for the 2005 Convention will organize in Montreal (Canada) a first meeting of international experts to discuss the overall implementation strategy of the new Aschberg programme for artists and cultural professionals.

The aim of the new programme is to strengthen capacities for the implementation of preferential treatment measures as expressed in the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (Articles 16 and 21). 

Preferential treatment policies and measures are understood as those that promote the mobility of artists and cultural professionals and improve market access for cultural goods and services from the global South through various policies and programmes as well as specific international cooperation and trade agreements.

Bearing in mind the reiterated demands from Parties to the Convention for longer-term capacity development assistance, this meeting will serve to discuss: the preparation of a training module on preferential treatment; modalities for future technical assistance support; and the design of impact studies of three major trade agreements concluded between the EU and the Cariforum (2008), China and New-Zealand (2008), the EU and the Republic of Korea (2010).

In advance of this meeting, UNESCO is publishing within its new “Policy and Research” series a study on “Culture in Treaties and Agreements”. Implementing the 2005 Convention in Bilateral and Regional Trade Agreements”.