Strengthening the Creative Industries for Development in ... - unctad

34 PART 3. CREATIVE INDUSTRIES POLICY REVIEW
between SADC and the EU. Mozambique has preferential trade agreements allowing duty-free access
to the EU markets, as mentioned above.
Mozambique also has a preferential trade agreement through the United States AGOA, which gives
preferential access to United States markets for several products including textiles and clothing. The
AGOA includes special treatment for some cultural goods going to the United States, exempting them
from import taxes under certain conditions. It is not reciprocal. 85
Mozambique is part of the EBAS, a grant fund that operates on a cost-sharing basis to encourage
businesses’ and intermediary organizations’ (trade associations, chambers of commerce, etc.) finance
expansion projects. The objective of EBAS is to reinforce the competitiveness of ACP enterprises. To
achieve this, EBAS strives to promote the market for business consulting services by encouraging
private enterprises and business associations to procure the services of outside professional consultants
or service providers to improve their business performance. It provides up to 50 per cent of the costs of
services facilitating an increase in competitiveness.
(i) International agreements in the area of culture: Mozambique has ratified the UNESCO Convention
on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972).
It has begun the ratification process for the Means of Prohibiting the Illicit Import, Export, and
Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (1970), the Convention for the Safeguarding of the
Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003) and the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the
Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005).
The ratification of these conventions is important for the development of creative industries in the
country.
(ii) Memberships in international organizations: In 1996, Mozambique became a founding member
and the first President of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries and maintains close ties
with all lusophone states.
Mozambique is a member of the Non-Aligned Movement and ranks among the moderate members of
the African Bloc in the United Nations and other international organizations.
In 1994, the government became a full member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, in part
to broaden its base of international support but also to please the country’s sizeable Muslim
population.
Mozambique has observer status with the Commonwealth States and in the Organization
Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF).
(iii) Membership in WIPO treaties: WIPO Convention since December 1996; Paris Convention
(Industrial Property) since July 1998; PCT (patents) since May 2000; Madrid Agreement (International
Registration of Marks) since October 1998); Madrid Protocol (International Registration of Marks)
since October 1998; Nice Agreement (International Classification of Goods and Services) since
January 2002.
According to the PEEC, Mozambique is planning on ratifying the Universal Copyright Convention
(1971).
3.7.3 EXPORT PROMOTION
In terms of export promotion the government created the Institute for the Promotion of Exports
(IPEX), which functions under the auspice of the MIC. IPEX is currently working on a national export
strategy for the EU and is currently involved in a capacity-building programme “to train IPEX staff in
85 National Directorate of Trade, MIC, Maputo, 9 September 2008.