Culture and development cooperation

TFEU classifies development cooperation as “shared parallel competence”: this means that the EU conducts an autonomous policy, which neither prevents the Member States from exercising their competences nor makes the EU policy merely “complementary” to those of the Member States. The EU has an extensive practice of development cooperation with third countries, and is, together with its Member States, the first provider of official development assistance globally. Reduction and the eradication of poverty is the primary objective of the EU's development cooperation policy.

Culture has been an integral part of the EU vision of development cooperation104 and its overall commitment to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Following the ratification of the Convention, the EU vision on culture and development has been reinforced with an explicit recognition of the contribution of culture to MDGs, a position reflected in the outcome document of the 2010 MDG summit with regard to the contribution of culture to sustainable human, social and economic development.105

The EU’s approach to culture in development cooperation is articulated around the following objectives: integration of cultural aspects into development cooperation policies and programmes in partner countries and regions; support for culture, including cultural heritage and cultural industries, as a vector for growth in connection with tourism development, exports and trade, urban development, and education; help creating an enabling environment for the cultural and creative sectors in partner countries and enhancing exchanges between cultural professionals of the EU and of partner countries; promote peace, intercultural dialogue, respect for human rights and the emergence of an active civil society; encourage partner countries to include culture in their own poverty reduction strategies and national development plans.