Light and Shadow

With sales of € 654 billion in 2003 (compared to € 271 billion in the automotive industry in Europe), the cultural and creative sector is seen as being a new growth industry in the European Union. Between 1999 and 2003, sales grew by 8.1% on average for the whole of Europe (EU 30). But the sales growth of the cultural and creative sector in Germany is below the European average at just 4.9% (for comparison: UK 6.6%, France 6.7%, Spain 10.5%, Sweden 7.8%).

Comparing industries, the European cultural and creative sector contributes 2.6% to Europe's gross domestic product, this already being more than that of the property sector (2.1%) or the chemical industry (2.5%). Also when referred to the share of the gross domestic product, Germany's cultural and creative sector is again below the European average, at 2.5%. In contrast, this study indicates that a share of 3.4% is achieved in France, 3.2% in Norway, 3.1% in Denmark and Finland, and 3.0% in the UK.

In terms of the absolute magnitude of employment and sales (€ 126 billion) in 2003, however, Germany was one of the leaders in Europe, almost on a level with the UK (€ 132 billion).

Based on a comparison of the operating margins in the cultural and creative sector, Germany is not only below the EU-wide average but, according to this EU report, has also been recording dwindling margins for years. The average operating margin across the EU is 9.2% of sales. Countries like the Netherlands achieve 9.4%, France 10.8%, but Germany only 8.7%. Moreover, the operating margin of the cultural and creative sector in Germany was still as high as 9.6% of sales in 2000. In short, Germany has one of the largest cultural and creative sectors in Europe, alongside the UK, but its growth and earning power are lagging behind. The weak earning power of the individual small and medium-sized players in the creative sector would first have to be improved, in order to then arrive at more growth.

Bernd Fesel is director of the "Office for Cultural Policies and Culture Industries" in Bonn and was one of the organisers of the conference "Culture Creative Industries in Europe. Coherent Policies in a Global World" in Berlin on 3/4 May.