Creative Europe Forum: Creative Europe Programme and EaP-EU Co-operation Model

Creative Europe Forum:
Creative Europe Programme and EaP-EU Co-operation Model
STATEMENT
On Armenia’s Full Accession to the Creative Europe Programme
July 14, 2017
On behalf of more than 60 participants, Creative Europe Forum highly appreciates the European Union “Creative Europe” Programme which comprises of two major sub-programmes – Culture and Media. Within the framework of “Creative Europe” the EU provides substantial funds to contribute to the enhancement of participant countries’ cultures (total budget of the Programme for the EU and the EaP countries for 2014-2020 period is 1.46 billion EUR).
Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova from EaP region have already joined the Programme in 2015 – and this gave an impetus to development of creative industries in these countries. This should have served an example to Armenia authorities. In November 2015 a special Statement on Armenia’s joining the Creative Europe Programme has been adopted by the EaP CSF Armenian National Platform which was addressed to Armenian authorities and which contained an insistent call for an immediate adhesion to the Programme. However, despite this fact Armenia neither in 2016 nor in 2017 acceded to the Programme – and it had a negative effect on the development of the creative sector in the country.

Though, according to the statement of an official representative of the Ministry of Culture of RA made during the Forum – Armenia will accede to the Creative Europe Programme early in 2018 under the Culture sub-programme. However, this does not fully reflect expectations and needs of professional creative organizations in the country – in such situation they are left without access to the considerable sources of financing.

In such specific situation it considers absolutely evident and highly important that Armenia should become a full participant in both sub-programmes of the “Creative Europe” Programme.

Creative Europe Forum’s participants urge the Armenian government listen to the demands of creative non-governmental organizations and creative industry professionals to ensure all the necessary conditions for Armenia’s full participation in the Creative Europe Programme under the both components (Culture and Media) so that Armenian organizations operating in the field of culture could apply for the upcoming grant competition expected in the beginning of 2018. The successful projects will not only provide fresh momentum to the development of culture and media culture in Armenia, but also create new opportunities for a mutually beneficial cooperation between the EU and the relevant organizations of the Eastern Partnership Countries.
Creative Europe Forum
July 14, 2017
Yerevan
   This project is funded by the European Union.               

Creative Europe Forum took place on 12-14 July 2017 in Yerevan in the frames of the 14^th Golden Apricot International Film Festival. The main aim of the 3-day Forum was to advocate the full accession of the EaP countries to the Creative Europe Programme and enhance EaP-EU transnational CCIs co-operation and production. The participants of the Forum were official representatives from European institutions, the Ministry of Culture of Armenia, Creative Europe Programme as well as industry professionals. Creative Europe Forum had over 60 participants from more than 15 countries, including Poland, Bulgaria, Germany, Czech Republic, Netherlands as well as countries from the Eastern Partnership region.

The CREATIVE EUROPE FORUM Project is realized with the support of the EaP CSF RE-GRANTING 2017 scheme (www.eap-csf.eu) and in partnership with International Foundation LEA (Georgia) and International Public Organization “Internews” (Ukraine).