On the sidelines of the European Council today in Brussels, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, as the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, and the presidents of the European Parliament and the European Commission signed a joint declaration entitled “Europe for Culture, Culture for Europe”. The declaration sets out their shared political commitment to protecting, promoting and supporting culture in Europe.
In their joint declaration, the three EU institutions reaffirm the EU’s role in protecting cultural and linguistic diversity and integrating cultural considerations across all EU policies, while respecting national competencies.
The institutions set out their commitment to placing culture at the heart of the European project by protecting and promoting artistic freedom, cultural diversity, inclusion and fair conditions for artists. Furthermore, they pledge to support the cultural and creative sectors by encouraging funding, innovation and capacity building, as well as by promoting Europe’s role as a global cultural and creative leader.
According to Eurostat, in 2024, 7.9 million people were employed in the cultural sector across the EU, a figure representing 3.8% of total employment in the EU (by comparison, agriculture accounted for 3.9% of the EU workforce in 2023, while ICT professionals accounted for 5% in 2024). One in three people was self-employed, while precarious employment was and still is the norm in most countries.
The joint declaration acknowledges the immense benefits that Europe’s cultural and creative sectors provide in terms of fostering a shared European identity, underpinning core EU values such as freedom, equality and respect for human rights, and boosting the EU’s competitiveness.
In 2023, the EU’s 2.1 million cultural enterprises generated approximately 202 billion euros in value added and 524 billion euros in turnover. In 2024, the EU exported cultural goods worth 31.5 billion euros to countries outside the Union, including books, works of art, musical instruments, and recorded media. Beyond their direct economic value, cultural and creative activities make European cities and regions more attractive, support tourism and innovation, and help European stories, languages, and ideas to reach audiences around the world.
“Our culture is at the core of our identity. As well as being a source of Europe’s economic and geopolitical strength," said Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, in a written statement.
"By supporting creative minds, protecting artistic freedom and strengthening our cultural and linguistic diversity, we are investing not only in one of Europe's greatest strengths but also in the millions of people whose talent, innovation and creativity help our societies and economies flourish.” Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, said in a statement
"At a time of geopolitical uncertainty and rapid technological change, investing in artists, cultural heritage and creativity is also an investment in democracy, freedom and the values that bind Europe together," Nikos Christodoulides, President of the Republic of Cyprus, said in a similar vein and stressed that by signing this declaration, the EU is sending a message that culture must be fully integrated into European policymaking as a strategic priority.
The signatories recognise the key role that culture plays in addressing contemporary challenges, including geopolitical tensions, climate change, the digital transition, social inequality and the mental health crisis. They highlight, moreover, the contribution of the cultural and creative sectors to economic growth, innovation, territorial cohesion and environmental sustainability.
The commitments laid down in the declaration are organised around twelve overarching principles. Some of the principles focus on support for artists and cultural professionals and include pledges to protect artistic freedom of expression, promote fair pay and decent working conditions while respecting the role and autonomy of the social partners, and foster an ethical, human-centric and rights-based approach to the use of artificial intelligence.
The declaration also seeks to promote the EU’s cultural and linguistic diversity. Moreover, the three institutions commit to protecting Europe’s cultural heritage, including by using digital technologies to foster its preservation.
“A society that invests in culture invests in democracy, in peace and in resilience," said European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef. "This political commitment must now lead to practical progress: fairer conditions for artists and cultural professionals, wider access to culture and stronger cultural communities across Europe", he added. Micallef has every reason to be happy as he has been pushing the agenda since his appointment in office. The Culture Compass is the Commission’s first major strategic framework for culture since the 2018 New European Agenda for Culture. It connects artistic freedom, cultural rights and support for cultural professionals with wider European priorities, including democracy, resilience and cohesion.
The Joint Declaration is the first deliverable of the Culture Compass. Further actions include a structured dialogue with cultural stakeholders, a Youth Cultural Ambassadors network, an AI strategy for the cultural and creative sectors, and an EU Artists Charter, proposed in consultation with social partners, among other things. For the 2028–2034 EU budget, the Commission is also proposing to double the EU budget for culture and to simplify support for culture through the Creative Europe–Culture strand of the proposed AgoraEU programme.
