Towards a European strategy on culture and development: learning from the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement

This article examines the EU’s recent attempts to formulate a policy position on culture in its external relations, and in particular in the area of development cooperation. The paper focuses on the blueprint for this that was set out in the EU-CARIFORUM Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) completed in 2008. The content and record of implementation of the EPA’s cultural provisions are examined and situated within broader debates concerning the “instrumental” role of culture in development. Some of the lessons learned from the EPA are then used to draw out some critical reflections about the EU’s emerging strategy on culture and development.