EU/GATS/Cultural Diversity: Regions rally behind Jacques Chiracd

national | miscellaneous | news report Tuesday February 04, 2003 12:29 by Franz-Josef Stummann - Assembly of European Regions f.stummann at a-e-r dot org 20 Place des Halles,6700 Strasbourg 0033388220707

Regions against more power of EU-Commission in GATS-Negotiations

EU/GATS/Cultural Diversity: Regions rally behind Jacques Chirac Strasbourg,4/02/2003 -The Assembly of European Regions (AER) supports the recent proposal of French President Jacques Chirac, who argued for the adoption of an international Convention on Cultural Diversity. For the South-Tyrolean Minister Bruno Hosp, chairman of AER's Culture/Education Committee, the French initiative reiterates the demands of the 2002 Brixen Declaration of European Regional Ministers in charge of Culture and Education. "The Regions are totally opposed to submit culture, media and education to unlimited commercial interests and liberalisation as pursued by GATS." The Regions insist on exclusion of these sectors, predominantely public services, from the ongoing GATS-negotiations and are critical of the EU-Trade Commissioner when pressing the member states for more liberalisation offers and requests. The AER is also prepared to fight against attempts by the Commissioner Viviane Reding which would make culture more than a "matter of assistance" (domaine d'appui) of the European level.