Creative industries need more protection for intellectual property and less red tape, Tessa Jowell, the culture secretary, said at the mid October Creative Economy Conference, a gathering of European media and creative business leaders and associations.
The European Union's entertainment and media market will be worth about EU350bn (£238bn) by 2008, according to PwC, the professional services firm. But the government fears this growth is being threatened by increased piracy and bureaucracy.
"A strong and fair intellectual property regime is absolutely fundamental to a thriving, creative economy," said Ms Jowell.
She also called for a reduction in regulatory barriers and a simplification of laws to reduce the burden on creative industries, which are supported by smaller companies.
As the European Commission and EU governments discuss the revision of the Television Without Frontiers Directive, that governs European broadcasting, Ms Jowell wants to preserve the light-touch regulation of new media. "We know that we need new regulations to reflect the fact that TV services are now being delivered via the net and mobile phones. But we don't want to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut," she said.
A Liverpool conference in September to debate the extension of EU broadcasting rules to cover the internet highlighted the alarm felt by high-technology and creative businesses about the threat of a regulatory creep from Brussels.
Ms Jowell's speech comes as the government aims to position the Department for Culture, Media and Sportas more focused on economy and business.
The DCMS says it has increased the resources spent on economists who focus on strategy for creative businesses. It aims to lobby other departments, such as the Treasury, on behalf of the UK's music, film, design, television and publishing industries.
Meanwhile, representatives of creative industries have been calling for greater support. They have been urging the government to improve protection for intellectual property. Some industries, such as film, are lobbying for better tax breaks.
