Brussels, 17/09/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission recently adopted a communication entitled "Towards an international instrument on cultural diversity". The Commission considers that such an standardising instrument that aims to preserve and promote cultural diversity would be needed in order to consolidate certain cultural rights (in the sense of a universal declaration of human rights and the universal declaration on cultural diversity of UNESCO), gain commitments for the parties to international co-operation, create a forum for debate on cultural policies and establish global monitoring of this situation for cultural diversity in the world". The commission believes that such an instrument could held with the following objectives: promotion of cultural diversity, contribute to dialogue between the cultures, help understanding and mutual respect, develop international co-operation in the cultural area in order to increase trade in cultural goods and services, including those from developing countries, support the development of policies and cultural instruments at national, regional, and international levels; provide a debating body for members to discuss cultural policies, increase knowledge in this area and exchange good practices; establish a framework for monitoring cultural diversity in the world; elaborate and define indicators and international standards in the area of cultural diversity and prepare an annual report on the state of cultural diversity.