The Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (cdce), adopted in 2005 and entered into force in 2007, wants an international mechanism to regulate the interface “trade-culture”. It turns out that the construction of the cdce does not stop with the ratification of the treaty, since the cdce should be confronted to the reality through the application of provisions, the compliance with requirements, as well as the existence of means allowing its concretization. Assuming that there is a gap between the standards prescribed by international instruments and their concrete results, we offer a cartography of the issue “trade-culture” devoted to the legal and political issues of the cdce’s implementation. We examine the changes caused by the cdce within the practices of those involved.