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The Romanian Art Labour Market and the European Union Security

Mihail-Cristian Lotreanu

The paper will consider some outcomes of this subject in the Art labour market as an application of economics to the arts and related to the relation between economic activities/institutions and the efforts to realise the society's aesthetic needs.

Remembering that 1998 is the anniversary of 50 years from the Universal Dealaration of the Human Rights, we will focus on the difficult conciliation between security concerns of the EU Member States for their "Internal Market" and professional artists' rights and freedoms (their mobility and the one of their works).*

The analysis will reflect the so-called "Schengen paradox", identifiable in the following observations:

1. Contrary to what one could have expected, levelling of national borders through elimination of border controls appears to lead not to a relaxation, but to a reinforcement of State control, notably over individuals.
2. While the objective of ridding the EU area of border controls was intended as a gesture, pressed by the Eurocracy, to bring Europe closer to its so called citizens - the evidence is that Schengen scheme implies a loss in the democratic standards and the human rights commitments of contracting States.

Let us mention that not only part of the Schengen provisions may represent regression on the democratic standards and traditions of signatory States but later correction attempts failed too (an explanation for this is the EU Member States' necessity to shelter themselves from the immigration's pressures on the labour market).

The result is a rebound on the spectrum of a new "Festung Europa"/"Fortress Europe" for professional creative persons (our precise area of interest).

Those who are acquainted with the most important rights and freedoms that are to be observed by the members of the Council of Europe (namely the free circulation of goods, capitals, services and individuals) could ask:

1. Will the Romanian professional artists be able to reach the above mentioned rights not only as an ordinary individual but mainly as a creator?
2. Which is the extent of influence of the newly built "Fortress Europe" on the Art labour market in Romania?

As it could be expected, especially because now Romania is lobbying for becoming an EU member, those issues are of interest not only for politicians or ordinary people, but also for the Romanian professional artists and cultural operators in the field, as well as for art sellers or art buyers.

Mihail-Cristian Lotreanu

* The European Council of Artists (ECA) and its Romanian member, the National Alliance of Creators' Unions of Romania (ANUC) are interested in sharing the results of this research.

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