2026: Following up on MFF and Culture Compass

The two major advocacy themes for AEC in 2026 will undoubtedly be, first, the next phase of negotiations on the EU’s forthcoming long-term budget, the so-called MFF (Multiannual Financial Framework), and second, the implementation of the EU’s new Culture Compass.

The task here will be to secure the proposed increased funding for the key programmes AgoraEU (a merger between Creative Europe and CERV), Horizon and Erasmus+, and to ensure that the suggested centralisation and simplification measures do not have negative consequences for our sector.

Regarding the Culture Compass, AEC will be active on the concrete implementation, in particular matters related to artistic freedom, fair remuneration and artificial intelligence, including the protection of copyright.

Furthermore, AEC will follow the conclusion of the European Commission’s Music Moves Europe framework, a programme that ends in 2026. The series of ten meetings addressing a range of relevant themes for the music sector will come to an end, and a final report will present conclusions in the form of concrete action points for the future.

AEC continuously views its advocacy work through the lens of Higher Music Education and will therefore pursue policy agendas that have a direct impact on our sector. This includes, for example, the STEM/STEAM agenda, where we argue for stronger representation of artistic elements in European education systems; an emerging focus on the shortage of music teachers in primary schools and music schools in many parts of Europe; and developments related to the European Education Area, including the University Alliances and the European Degree Label.

Music education at a global level belongs to the advocacy activities of the AEC as well. In this context, AEC is engaged in the campaign to include culture as a stand-alone goal in the revision of the SDGs in 2030. AEC also closely follows developments in the MONDIACULT conferences hosted by UNESCO.

A large part of AEC’s advocacy work is carried out in cooperation with our partners in ELIA, Culture Action Europe, the European Music Council, PEARLE* and many others, and this collaboration is a prerequisite for achieving sufficient impact vis-à-vis political decision-makers. A good example of how AEC continuously expands its network is the Erasmus+ Coalition, which AEC joined in autumn 2025. This network is co-led by the Lifelong Learning Platform and the European Youth Forum. It comprises 81 EU-wide networks, with more than 6,200 member organisations representing networks, institutions and stakeholder coalitions at national, regional and local levels across Europe.

Our efforts to support and strengthen our advocacy work also take place internally. An updated communication strategy is currently under development, alongside a review of the AEC website and our social media platforms.

Finally, AEC will take the next steps in establishing a stronger structure for collaboration between the AEC and the membership involving the national associations of HMEIs in concrete advocacy campaigns, in 2026 specifically related to the EU long-term budget.

In this way, AEC looks forward to a year of major and important initiatives on key political agendas, with the clear aim of ensuring visibility, recognition and the best possible conditions for the development of the AEC membership.

A selection of the most important AEC advocacy activities in 2025

Statements

 

Conferences and meetings

  • Annual Policy Conversation, Brussels (Culture Action Europe)
  • AEC meeting with DG EAC Director Georg Häusler, Brussels, (European Commission)
  • Classical:Next, Berlin
  • Culture Action Europe, Annual Conference, Turin
  • EAS/ISME Annual Conference, Évora
  • European Folk Network Annual Conference, Manresa
  • European Forum for Music 2025 on Artistic Freedom, Brussels, (European Music Council)
  • European Cultural Heritage Summit, Brussels
  • European Music School Forum, Vic
  • MONDIACULT, Barcelona, (UNESCO)
  • Music Moves Europe dialogues, Tallinn, Tampere, (European Commission)
  • NASM 100th Annual Meeting, Chicago
  • Round Table hosted by European Music Council, Brussels
  • SEADOM Annual Conference, Bangkok
  • YMTE Annual Meeting, Berlin

Consultations and hearings

  • Culture Compass, European Commission, consultation
  • Erasmus Without Paper, European Commission, consultation
  • Framework Programme 10 (EU’s research and innovation funding programme), European Commission, consultation
  • Multiannual Financial Framework, European Commission, several consultations
  • Political guide document on STEM/STEAM, European Commission, consultation