Recent updates from Culture Action Europe provide insight into how discussions around the two programmes are progressing.
AgoraEU
The Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) has adopted its opinion on the Parliament’s interim report on the MFF. The Parliament’s rapporteur Helder Sousa Silva (EPP, Portugal) is advocating for the following key points:
- €12 billion for AgoraEU in the next MFF
- A detailed budget structure with specific budget lines and sub‑lines for each strand (Culture, MEDIA+ and CERV+), including clearly defined spending items
- A clear separation of audiovisual and news/journalism support within the MEDIA+ strand
- Stronger recognition of education and culture within the European Competitiveness Fund and Horizon Europe, supported by dedicated earmarking and budget lines
- An extension of the digital fines mechanism, proposing that revenues from fines imposed on major technology companies support not only AgoraEU but also Erasmus+
The CULT Committee’s position sends a positive signal for the cultural sector. However, it remains an opinion, and the final say of the European Parliament will be decided by the Committee on Budgets (BUDG). A vote in BUDG is scheduled for 15 April, followed by a plenary vote in Strasbourg on 29 April. This report will define the Parliament’s overall position on the structure, principles and funding levels of the next MFF.
In this context, NEMO and over 500 European organisations recently signed a joint letter calling for a substantial increase in funding for AgoraEU. The signatories express strong support for the European Parliament’s ambition to reinforce the programme and urge EU institutions to keep AgoraEU a priority throughout negotiations on the next long‑term budget.
Horizon Europe
Discussions are also advancing around Horizon Europe, with a new draft opinion published by the Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) Committee. In the Commission’s proposal, Horizon Europe is structured around two main pillars:
- The Competitiveness Pillar, covering four policy windows:
- Clean transition and industrial decarbonisation
- Health, biotech, agriculture and the bioeconomy
- Digital leadership
- Defence and space - The Society Pillar, aimed at addressing societal challenges and supporting initiatives such as the New European Bauhaus
Culture is not explicitly embedded within either pillar. This has prompted advocacy from Culture Action Europe and the Artistic Research Alliance for a stronger and more visible cultural component under the Society Pillar. The CULT Committee’s opinion supports this proposal, going further by suggesting that 40% of the Society Pillar be allocated to culture, equivalent to approximately €3 billion.
