Over the last few decades, the culture and creative industries have become a major economic force. At the beginning of the German EU Presidency in 2007, the German Federal Government placed the issue of culture and creative industries on the agenda of the informal meeting of the European Ministers of Culture in Berlin.
In Germany the creative industries achieved a gross value added equivalent to 2.6% in the Gross Domestic Product. In 2004 turnovers grew by 4.4% compared to the previous year; this is three times higher than the overall growth rate of all economic sectors in Germany. In November 2006, the report “Economy of Culture in Europe”, commissioned by the EU Commission, was presented. According to this report, the gross value added of the creative industries in Europe amounted to 2.6% of the GDP in 2003. From 2002 to 2004, employment grew by 1.85%, while total employment across the EU decreased. Therefore the creative industries are one of the driving forces of the European economy, with a potential to contribute significantly towards reaching the goal of the Lisbon Agenda to make Europe “the most competitive and dynamic knowledgebased economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion.”
This booklet on the culture industries tradition in Germany focuses on two issues: on the one hand, it aims at providing a definition of the concept of “culture industries” as it is understood in the German discussion, and on the other it facilitates comparisons of the German culture industries with European and international developments. The design sector with its particularly dynamic development is highlighted in a special chapter. The booklet also provides an inventory of the culture industries reports issued in the various federal states and cities of Germany between 1992 and 2007. Last but not least, it is evidence for the cultural diversity of Germany in the culture industries sector as well – one of the major objectives of the German Commission for UNESCO. The players in the culture economy – from individual artists to international publishing houses – create more than just economic value. They create a valuable contribution towards the cultural diversity of society.

http://www.unesco.de/fileadmin/medien/Dokumente/Bibliothek/culture_and_creative_industries.pdf