07/06/2013 - On June 14th, the Ministers of Commerce of the EU will decide the fate of Europe's audiovisual and cultural industries

Even though heavyweights of the American cinema industry Steven Spielberg and Harvey Weinstein gave their official support in Cannes to the defence of cultural exception, and while the European Parliament voted massively in favour of the exclusion of audiovisual and cultural services from trade negotiations to take place between Europe and the United States (read the article and editorial) and the European filmmakers' petition "The cultural exception is non-negotiable!" has now been signed by more than 6,700 people, a Sword of Damocles still hangs over the result of the debates, and the deadline is drawing dangerously near.

On June 14th, the 27 Ministers of Commerce in the European Union will have to define the precise content of the negotiation mandate with the United States. Paris is threatening to use its right to veto at this stage, but the European Commissioner for Commerce, Karel de Guch, is still turning a deaf ear to the unanimous arguments of professionals from the cinema and television industries, and the very firm stance adopted by members of the European Parliament, the elected representatives from all the countries of the Old Continent.

In this last straight line to the finish, the debate is currently reaching new levels in several countries (especially in Poland, Italy and Germany), as people become conscious of the major long-term risk of the total eradication of Europe's cultural industries if audiovisual and cultural services are not excluded from the negotiations for a free-trade agreement between Europe and the United States.

A delegation led by French actress Bérénice Bejo (Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival), Polish producer Dariusz Jablonski and directors Cristian Mungiu, Daniele Luchetti, Lucas Belvaux and Radu Mihaileanu, will discuss this topic with Members of the European Parliament on June 11th in Strasbourg and will be received by the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso.

(Translated from French)