The European Commission meets with the music industry at the World Music Expo (WOMEX) in Sevilla, Spain, on October 31st,2008, to discuss modalities to strengthen the capacities of the music sector in developing countries.

WOMEX is a world music expo held annually in different locations throughout Europe, and organised with the collaboration of the European Music Office (EMO). This international fair brings together professionals from the worlds of folk, roots, ethnic and traditional music and also includes concerts, conferences and documentary films.

The Commission will be exchanging views with music stakeholders on how to work together to strengthen the structures of the music industry in developing countries. There are three main themes:

1. Investing in culture for development
2. Creativity and innovation and
3. Intercultural dialogue

Culture in developing countries

The 2005 UNESCO Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions invites its Parties, including the European Community and the EU Member States, to reflect on ways to integrate culture better in development policies and reinforce the capacities of cultural industries in developing countries.

The European Commission reaffirmed this commitment in its policy statement of May 2007, which took the form of a Communication entitled a European Agenda for Culture in a globalising world. In this Communication, the Commission announced in particular its intention to set up an EU-Africa, Caribbean, Pacific (ACP) Fund, dedicated in particular to promoting the distribution of cultural goods and services from the ACP region both within the region and in the European Union. This programme is currently under discussion with ACP countries and the EU Member States.

On this basis, and as part of a general reflection on the way public-private partnerships can contribute to development cooperation and the reinforcement of viable and sustainable structures for cultural industries at local level, the European Commission is organising an outreach session at the WOMEX on 31 October. The relevant Commission services (DG Development, DG Education and Culture and the External Cooperation Office) wish to engage in an open dialogue with the professionals of the music sector and other interested parties gathered at the WOMEX to gather views and ideas on the way forward.