At the beginning of December, AEC co-signed a welcome letter to EU Commissioner Glenn Micallef, initiated by the European Music Council. Micallef took office on 1st December 2024 and is responsible for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport.
The letter, supported by 60 music organisations, calls for the establishment of an expert group for music, ensuring the sector’s diversity is fully reflected. Such an expert group should reflect upcoming measures such as the Culture Compass, the AI Strategy for the Culture and Creative Sectors, the negotiations for the future MFF, issues of remuneration and working conditions, access to cultural heritage and cultural activities as well as international cultural relations.
Highlighting music education’s role, the letter calls for access to music education for all from early childhood and throughout life. Further, recognising the value of music education by including the arts in the STEM approach and converting it to STEAM is an opportunity not to be missed.
Several new European Commissioners will influence Higher Music Education
Advocacy and communication for change is one of AEC’s main tasks and this includes, among other things, continuous dialogue with the European Commission on Higher Music Education, and the many associated issues, such as equal access to education, diversity, inclusion and equality, copyright protection and fair remuneration for our graduates. After hearings in the European Parliament, the Commissioners took office on 1st December.
Glenn Micallef is Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport. He is 35 years of age and from Malta. One of Micallef’s first tasks will be to develop a new Culture Compass to guide and harness the multiple dimensions of culture, with a focus on improving the working conditions of artists and cultural professionals. AEC will be active in the discussions on the content of what is perceived as the new European Union strategy for culture.
Roxana Mînzatu is Executive Vice President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness. She is 44 years of age and from Romania. Her field of responsibility includes guiding the work on the European Pillar of Social Rights, focusing on training and education, helping to build a Union of equality to create a fairer society and social model. Further she will guide the work on supporting young people and ensuring fairness between generations, through Erasmus+, better support for the mental health of the youth, and finally promoting culture.
Ekaterina Zaharieva is Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation. She is 49 years old and from Bulgaria. Her responsibilities include Horizon Europe and the development of several new initiatives such as a European Research Area Act and the establishment of a European AI Research Council. In general, her task is to drive the EU’s ambition to put research and innovation, science and technology at the centre of our economy, and the AEC will make sure to argue that the music industry together with other art forms is recognised as an important economic area.
The three above-mentioned Commissioners are the most important for the AEC, but it should not be overlooked that several other Commissioners have areas of responsibility that are also of interest to the AEC.
Thus, the Finnish Executive Vice President Henna Virkkunen is responsible for the future development of artificial intelligence in the EU and everything related to digitalization and economic development.
Another Executive Vice President Stéphane Séjourné from France will oversee that the EU’s intellectual property policy continues to reward innovation and creativity enforcing the current rules, as well as the development of a Single Digital Gateway for work, study and business opportunities in another EU country.
Finally, Irish Commissioner Michael McGrath, responsible for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, will have an important influence on the development of a Digital Fairness Act to tackle unethical techniques and commercial practices which will of course have importance when claiming fair remuneration for musicians from the digital streaming platforms.
It can be both a disadvantage and an advantage that relevant policy areas are spread across so many Commissioners and the coming year will show where the AEC can best exert its influence. It is also about good contacts with the different directorates that carry out analyses and draft policy proposals.
With a new European Commission and many new policies to be determined, the AEC has good opportunities to promote Higher Music Education and contribute to ensuring better conditions for our institutions and graduates.
