Council Resolution

of 19 December 2002

on interactive media content in Europe

(2003/C 13/04)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

1. NOTES the extensive use of interactive media especially among the younger generations whose everyday life, conditions and education are increasingly influenced by computers, Internet and mobile communication services.

2. NOTES that the skills required in the information society are changing from passive reception of knowledge to active exploration and problem solving.

3. NOTES that interactive media can play an important role for individual enlightenment, innovation in the public and private sector and cultural diversity. The cultural and linguistic diversity in Europe can and should manifest itself in the interactive media content of the future for the benefit of the continued development of cultures in Europe.

4. NOTES that creative interactive media content at both a European and a global level constitute an important and growing market.

5. RECALLS the strategic goal set by the European Council in Lisbon on 23 and 24 March 2000 that the European Union should "become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion".

6. RECALLS that the Council on several occasions has stressed the importance of the creative industries - most recently the Council Resolution of 25 June 2002 on a new work plan on European cooperation in the field of culture(1) includes as priority topics encouragement to the development of cultural and creative industries in the Community and development and promotion of mobility of persons and circulation of works in the cultural sector.

7. WELCOMES the relevant studies and activities already under way in the Community as well as at Member State level.

8. STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE in the light of the development of the knowledge society and the development of cultural and creative industries to ensure quality in the content for the new media by combining artistic freedom, creativity, innovation as well as cultural and linguistic diversity. This is a cultural and audiovisual policy challenge that can also be viewed in connection with an industrial policy objective of promoting innovation and securing European businesses a fair share of the market for interactive media content.

9. STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE of consumer protection and youth protection in this context as well as the need to promote access of all citizens to interactive media.

10. CONSIDERS that because interactive media content is a growth sector with wide-ranging cultural and media policy perspectives but still largely at an initial stage when it comes to investments and revenues, there is a need for a stronger focus within both public and private sectors on such content as a new cultural, audiovisual and business phenomenon.

11. RECOGNISES that the European interactive media content industries have a large development potential, contain a high proportion of small and medium sized companies and need to attract finance to underpin their potential.

12. RECOGNISES the importance of public service broadcasters for the development of interactive media content.

13. CONSIDERS that in order to combine cultural diversity and a coherent and integrated European market for interactive cultural content it would be advantageous to focus inter alia on:

- frameworks for transnational European networks of professionals contributing to the diffusion of successes, experiences and development of competence within the interactive media content industries in Europe,

- availability and adequacy of financing for the development of creative interactive media content in order to strengthen the market position of European interactive media content producers,

- distribution and marketing of European interactive media content.

14. INVITES Member States and the Commission, according to their respective competences, to:

- collect information and experience as well as monitor the development of interactive media content production,

- consider if on the basis of national experiences and actions there is need for initiatives to exchange good practice about the cultural, economic and social dimension of interactive media content,

- consider how interactive media content industries could benefit from enhanced possibilities to network in order to promote competence development,

- consider if interactive content poses specific challenges for existing national or Community actions within development, distribution and marketing,

- consider how interactive media content should be used for promoting and disseminating the cultural and linguistic diversity of Europe,

- consider how the interests of consumers, in particular of young people, are to be taken into account.

15. INVITES the Commission to consider the cultural, linguistic and economic challenges that interactive media content poses at European level and to assess if there is need for adjusted, supplementary or new Community actions to ensure the cultural diversity and the economic development of the sector.

(1) OJ C 162, 6.7.2002, p. 5.