Our reaction to the European Commission’s proposal of the EU’s future budget

The European Commission has released its proposal for the European Union’s future budget (2021-2027).

IETM fully endorses EC’s willingness to maintain Creative Europe as a separate funding programme, even though it is suggested to reduce the number of programmes by more than a third. We also welcome the proposed budgetary increase of Creative Europe from € 1.4 billion (2014-2020) to €1.8 billion (2021-2027).  Furthermore, we support the EC’s recognition of culture’s role in empowering  citizens, promoting fundamental rights and values, fostering democratic participation, and sustaining open, inclusive and creative societies.

However, the proposed budget increase is regrettably insufficient to help culture and the arts to thrive and deliver a true added value for a strong, inclusive and prosperous Europe. Consequently, we support the plea of 66 other European organisations from across the cultural and creative sectors to strengthen the future Creative Europe with a double budget increase.  

It has been proven that culture has a positive impact across a range of other fields - from health and well-being, to innovation, economic prosperity, external relations, social cohesion, education, and the promotion of democratic principles. In light of this, the EU institutions and the Member States should open up other funding programmes for culture, thus giving the cultural sector the strength to contribute to other policy objectives. Therefore, we argue that at least 1% of the next MFF must be allocated to culture across all policy fields and funding programmes.