Amid rising CCS initiatives on AgoraEU, 21 music organisations welcome the proposed AgoraEU programme, consider a baseline the proposed funding increase and call for a coherent policy strategy for music, including music-specific funding, a European Music Observatory and fair conditions in the digital and AI era.
By Creatives Unite NewsroomWednesday 24 September - Music sector organisations signed a joint letter to the European Commission to "Call for a comprehensive policy strategy and an ambitious budget for Europe’s music sector within AgoraEU".
Music representatives welcome the establishment of AgoraEU and the proposed increased allocation to the Creative Europe – Culture strand, reaching €1.796 billion.
They highlight that this increase must be considered as a “baseline” and not a “ceiling”, especially under the growing pressure on artistic freedom, working conditions of artists and cultural diversity, which are welcomed as priorities of the new programme.
They stress the music’s importance as “one of Europe’s most accessible and influential cultural forms, of “an intrinsic value, a social and democratic impact and an economic dimension, as it employs over 1.3 million people across the EU.
They regret that, "unlike in the previous framework", the proposed programme does not include "an explicit reference to music nor dedicated measures or follow-up to the Music Moves Europe (MME) initiative".
They call for AgoraEU to deliver funding and a coherent policy strategy that reflects music’s economic, social, and cultural importance, including
- Dedicated calls and programmes tailored to music’s specific needs;
- A European Music Observatory to support evidence-based policymaking;
- Ethical and fair principles guiding digital transformation and AI adoption.
This initiative comes in the context of CCS representatives getting organised ahead of the negotations on the proposed AgoraEU programme.
Yesterday, the future of cultural funding in the next EU budget was discussed at a high level roundtable in the European Parliament, participants including CULT Committee chair Ms Nela Riehl, CULT rapporteur Mr Hannes Heide, and a representative of the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU 2025.
Concerns on the proposed AgoraEU were also jointly raised by Independent European producers at the side of the San Sebastian film festival.
Find the letter here
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