Creative Europe Programme 2021-2027
Investing in our culture is investing in our future
Dear President of the European Council,
Dear Member States representatives,
We are writing as a group of 90 organisations from across Europe’s cultural and creative sectors ahead of the European Council discussions on the future EU budget.
At this key juncture of the negotiations on a future EU Multi-Financial Framework (2021-2027), we call on you to support the European Parliament’s proposed budget for the Creative Europe Programme 2021-20271, the only EU framework Programme dedicated to cultural and creative sectors.
Today, Creative Europe represents a mere 0,15% of the overall EU Budget. This is by no means proportionate to our sectors’ contribution to the EU economy, which stands at €509bn in value added to GDP and over 12 million full-time jobs (7.5 % of the EU’s work force)*2.
Our culture and our talents support artistic freedom and media pluralism, which are crucial for maintaining open, inclusive and creative societies. Yet, culture is low on the EU’s political agenda, and these sectors remain structurally underfinanced. The financing gap for Europe’s cultural and creative SMEs alone is estimated to be somewhere between €8bn and €13bn3.
This is why we welcome the European Parliament’s proposal to increase the Creative Europe budget to €2.8bn. We call on the Council to support this much-needed boost to the future of Europe’s arts, culture and heritage, and the values they promote.
The contribution of Europe’s cultural and creative sectors to the social, economic and artistic development of Europe fully justifies the added value of EU investment in culture.
Our common values and our unique cultural diversity lie at the center of our collective European project and are the best ambassadors for the EU’s global influence in the world.
Investing in our culture is investing in our future. Let’s show a high level of ambition and shape a brighter future for Europe.
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- Proposal for a regulation establishing the Creative Europe programme (2021 to 2027) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1295/2013 (COM(2018) 366 final)
- European Parliament report on a coherent EU policy for cultural and creative industries (2016/2072(INI))
- European Commission Impact assessment accompanying the Proposal for a Regulation establishing the InvestEU Programme. SWD(2018) 314 final