Updates on the MFF negotiations
The negotiations on the EU’s next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034 continue at full speed, and for AEC and its members, the negotiations are of central importance because they will define the future scale, structure and priorities of programmes such as Erasmus+, Horizon Europe and the proposed AgoraEU programme, which brings together support for culture, media and civic values. AEC continues to follow the negotiations closely and to advocate for a strong, visible and adequately funded place for culture and higher music education within the EU budget.
A key concern remains that simplification of EU programmes should not lead to reduced visibility for the specific needs of the cultural and creative sectors. In the coming months, the positions of the European Parliament and the Council will shape the basis for interinstitutional negotiations. AEC is now actively working together with European partners to ensure that our needs and concerns are well known also at the national levels.
Reports on AgoraEU from European Parliament and the European Council
AgoraEU is one of the most important files for the cultural sector in the next MFF. The European Commission proposal would combine and build on the current Creative Europe programme and the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme, bringing together EU support for culture, media and EU values. In the European Parliament, the file is being led by the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) and the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE).
The Parliament has already highlighted questions relating to artistic freedom, artists’ working conditions, environmental sustainability, traditional and minority languages, cooperation with third countries and fair distribution of the programme budget. The emerging Parliamentary approach appears likely to significantly redesign the AgoraEU architecture and to increase the proposed overall budget from the Commission’s €8.6 billion to a possible €10.72 billion.
The Council of the EU adopted a partial general approach on AgoraEU on 12 May 2026. This position covers key elements of the programme but excludes financial and horizontal issues, which remain part of the broader MFF negotiations. The Council maintains the Commission’s three-strand architecture and confirms that AgoraEU should support both culture, media and civil society.
The Council text reintroduces a definition of cultural and creative sectors and provides for targeted actions for sectors such as music, book publishing and libraries. It also gives more emphasis to the dual nature of culture, recognising both its intrinsic and artistic value and its economic contribution to growth, innovation and competitiveness. The Council position also refers to the ethical, sustainable and responsible use of AI and stresses that human creativity remains irreplaceable.
From AEC’s perspective, the Council’s position provides a familiar and relatively stable structure, but further work is needed. There is a need for clearer funding lines, stronger attention to fair working conditions, a dedicated objective for artistic freedom and artists at risk, and the possible use of digital fines to strengthen AgoraEU.
