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Reply to Recommendation | Doc. 13066 | 19 December 2012
Protection of and access to the audiovisual cultural heritage
1. The Committee of
Ministers has taken note of Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation
2001 (2012) on “Protection of and access to the audiovisual cultural
heritage”. It has brought it to the attention of the governments
of member States and transmitted it to the Steering Committee for
Culture, Heritage and Landscape (CDCPP) and the Steering Committee
on Media and Information Society (CDMSI) for information and possible
comments.
2. It recognises the importance of protecting the audiovisual
cultural heritage, which forms an integral part of Europe’s cultural
heritage and, as far as possible, its public accessibility, in particular
for educational and research purposes. It is aware that the new
forms of digital media provide the necessary technological means, but
that there are financial and legal constraints in respect of their
implementation which need to be overcome.
3. The Committee of Ministers welcomes the interest of the Assembly
in the European Convention for the Protection of the Audiovisual
Heritage and the Additional Protocol thereto, and takes note of
its proposal that a second protocol be drafted. However, it believes
that wider ratification by member States of the existing instruments
should be sought before the drafting of a second protocol can be
considered. It encourages States which have not yet done so to envisage
the possibility of signing or ratifying these instruments.
4. The Committee of Ministers gives particular attention to access
by people with disabilities to the audiovisual heritage. It would
draw attention to the objectives of the 2006-2015 Council of Europe
Action Plan for people with disabilities, 
which
seek to promote the rights and full participation of people with
disabilities in society and improve their quality of life. Among
other things, these objectives and actions relate to participation in
cultural life and access by people with disabilities to information
and communication. From 2013, the Committee of Experts on the Rights
of People with Disabilities (CS‑RPD), under the authority of the
European Committee for Social Cohesion (CDCS), will look more closely
at the issue of the participation of people with disabilities in
cultural life. Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 2001 (2012) will provide a useful element for reflection here.
which
seek to promote the rights and full participation of people with
disabilities in society and improve their quality of life. Among
other things, these objectives and actions relate to participation in
cultural life and access by people with disabilities to information
and communication. From 2013, the Committee of Experts on the Rights
of People with Disabilities (CS‑RPD), under the authority of the
European Committee for Social Cohesion (CDCS), will look more closely
at the issue of the participation of people with disabilities in
cultural life. Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 2001 (2012) will provide a useful element for reflection here.5. Lastly, the Committee of Ministers welcomes the co-operation
between the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the Council of
Europe, one of the focuses of which could involve the audio-visual
heritage and, in particular, the protection and accessibility of
audio-visual material held by public service broadcasters in Europe.