Freedom of expression is at the heart of European democracy – and at the heart of our creative and media industries. What we read, watch and hear stimulates open debate in democratic societies. Creative content promotes social inclusion and a growing understanding between different communities, cultures and interest groups. It also promotes literacy, and contributes to the diversity of languages and cultures in Europe.
Creative and media sectors are vital contributors to the European Digital Single Market investing in, producing and disseminating creative professional content that informs, educates and entertains Europe’s citizens. Our content also brings joy to consumers, who can access the material they want, in the form they desire.
According to the 2013 Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM) and the European Patent Office (EPO) Report on the contribution of IPR to European economy and employment, IP-intensive industries contribute 26% of EU employment and 39% of GDP; within this, the core copyright-intensive industries generate 7 million jobs, contribute approximately €509 billion to the economy and produce a healthy trade surplus.
Yet the impact of the creative sectors goes far beyond economic. They enrich our everyday lives, help to balance us and provide the information we need to make democracy work. They build bridges between people across Europe, trigger innovation and boost Europe’s capacity to compete globally.
Some facts and stats:
- 91 million national, regional and local newspapers are sold each day in Europe
- 135,000 full-time jobs are provided by the book industry
- The annual turnover of the European TV market is more than €84.4 billion
- In 2011, over €3.5 billion was spent on discovering, developing and promoting musical talent
- Virtually all Science Technology and Medical journalist are now available online. Researchers download almost 2.5 billion full text articles every year.
- Click here for more facts and figures