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Public
FTAA.TNC/w/195
September 23, 2003
Original: English
FTAA – TRADE NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE
CANADA
PAPER ON CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN THE FTAA NEGOTIATIONS
This note draws attention to multilateral
efforts, in the Americas and in international fora such as UNESCO, to
promote the importance of preserving cultural diversity and to develop a
binding international instrument in this regard. Canada encourages FTAA
countries to ensure that the undertakings and outcomes of the FTAA
negotiations are fully consistent with such objectives.
Canada’s July 2001 proposal for the FTAA preamble included the following
paragraph on cultural diversity:
“RECOGNIZING that countries must maintain the ability to preserve, develop
and implement their cultural policies for the purpose of strengthening
cultural diversity, given the essential role that cultural goods and
services play in the identity and diversity of society and the lives of
individuals.” (FTAA.tci/w/04)
This approach to cultural diversity in the FTAA negotiations is supported
by the formal position adopted by countries of the hemisphere on previous
occasions:
-
In the 2001 Québec City Summit of the Americas Plan of Action, Leaders
considered that:
“…the cultural diversity that characterizes the region of the Americas is
a source of great richness for our societies. Respect for and value of our
diversity must be a cohesive factor that strengthens the social fabric and
the development of our nations.”
- In July 2002, member states of the Organization of American States
addressed the importance of cultural diversity at the First Inter-American
Meeting of Ministers of Culture and Highest Appropriate Authorities, held
in Colombia. The Cartagena de Indias Ministerial Declaration and Plan of
Action recognized:
“... the need for greater Inter-American cooperation to maximize the
benefits of globalization and mitigate its negative effects on the
preservation and promotion of cultural diversity in the Americas.”
Furthermore, the UNESCO
Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity,
adopted by UNESCO members in November 2001, formally acknowledges
important principles of relevance to countries of the Americas: In
particular:
“Article 8 - Cultural goods and services: commodities of a unique kind
In the face of present-day economic and technological change, opening up
vast prospects for creation and innovation, particular attention must be
paid to the diversity of the supply of creative work, to due recognition
of the rights of authors and artists and to the specificity of cultural
goods and services which, as vectors of identity, values and meaning, must
not be treated as mere commodities or consumer goods.”
Currently, there is a multilateral effort to develop in UNESCO a binding
instrument that would establish clear rules to enable countries to
maintain policies that promote cultural diversity and accommodate the
particular characteristics and social importance of cultural content,
while respecting the rules governing the international trading system.
Canada invites all FTAA countries to actively involve themselves in that
process.
In this context, Canada encourages all FTAA countries to ensure that their
formally acknowledged interest in the preservation and promotion of
cultural diversity is reflected in the undertakings and outcomes of FTAA
negotiations. Pending the development of a new binding instrument on
cultural diversity, and the determination of its linkages with the
disciplines of trade agreements, Canada believes the most effective way to
reflect those concerns is through a cultural exemption for the FTAA.
_________________________
This document is being re-issued as a Public document upon request of the
Government of Canada. The original date of this document is April 4, 2003. |
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