The relationship of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions to trade agreements may not have been officially on the agenda for the December meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee, but it nevertheless surfaced as a major source of discussion before the meeting had come to a close.

The European Union has been a strong supporter of the UNESCO Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions from the very beginning of the campaign to put in place an international agreement that recognizes the distinctive nature of cultural goods and services and affirms the right of states to apply policies and other measures to support their domestic cultural sectors.

The International Federation of Actors (FIA) and the International Federation of Musicians (FIM) each held their XIXth Congresses during the month of October, and both used the occasion as an opportunity to reaffirm their engagement to promote the broader ratification and effective implementation of the UNESCO Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions.