We, the undersigned organisations from across Europe’s music sector, welcome the European Commission’s proposal to establish AgoraEU for 2028–2034 and its commitment to strengthen Europe’s cultural and creative sectors (CCS). With CCS contributing €354 billion in value added and employing 6.3% of the EU workforce, this investment is vital.1
The proposed €1.796 billion allocation to the Creative Europe – Culture strand (21% of AgoraEU) marks a positive step forward. However, it must be viewed as a baseline, not a ceiling. At a time when artistic freedom, fair working conditions, and cultural diversity are under increasing pressure, ambitious funding must be matched with strategic, sector-specific policy action. We welcome the inclusion of these issues as priorities in the proposal and believe they should remain central to the programme moving forward.
1 “Market Analysis of the Cultural and Creative Sectors in Europe: A Sector to Invest in”, European Investment Fund (EIF) (2021),