Brussels, 15/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the Commission presented a study on the economic impact of the culture sector in Europe, which showed that culture contributes 2.6% of the EU's GNI and employs at least 5.8 million. Commissioner Jan Figel (who presented the study to Monday's "Education" Council) said that the study showed that the "the EU's arts and culture are a dynamic economic and social driver for achieving more growth, and more and better jobs", and that they should be an integral part of the Lisbon Agenda. The turnover of the cultural sector stood at a level in excess of 654 billion EUR in 2003. The study, which will be used to feed into the debates of the Spring European Council of 2007, also contains recommendations aiming to unleash the "Lisbon potential" of the culture economy. In 2007, the Commission will publish a communication on the role of culture. For more information, please see: http: //ec.europa.eu/culture/eac/sources_info/studies/economy_en.html. (ym)