Creative Europe to receive substantial budget increase under EC proposals

The European Commission (EC) has proposed double the budget for Agoraeu, a potential initiative that includes the Creative Europe programme from 2027 onwards.

As the European Commission issued it in the Multi-Year Financial Framework (MFF) on Wednesday, July 16, the proposed budget allocated 8.6 billion euros ($10 billion) to Agoraeu, a new program that merges with the Creative Europe and Citizens, Equality, Rights and Value Programme (CERV).

This represents the total total of over 3.94 billion euros in the current budgets of Creative Europe (2.44 billion euros) and CERV (1.5 billion euros).

This was the first proposal by the Commission, and will enter into a negotiation process between the European Parliament, which currently represents the governments of the EU member states, and the Council of the European Union.

Negotiations are expected to begin this fall and are expected to continue from 2026 to 2027.

The cultural chain, which accounts for 33% of Creative Europe, has received a 123% increase from 85.5 million euros in Creative Europe from 2021 to 2027, up from 1.8 billion euros to 123% at the committee’s proposal.

Mediastrand, which is at 58% of Creative Europe, has received a 126% increase from 1.4 billion to 3.2 billion euros. Meanwhile, the committee’s proposal does not have a 9% crossing.

The Agoraeu program has three strands. Creative Europe – Cultural Chain. Media+Strand; Democracy, Citizens, Equality, Rights, Values (formerly CERV).

FIAD response

The International Association of Film Distributors and Publishers (FIAD) welcomed the proposed increase in budgets, but the statement expressed concern that the merger of Creative Europe and CERV could lead to “diluted focus from the film and audiovisual ecosystem.”

“The Media Strand within the Creative Europe Program helped film distributors support their efforts to connect European films with a diverse audience,” said Robert Heslop, FIAD Executive Director. “We call on EU policymakers to maintain a strong, concentrated media+strand within the future Agoraeu programme that will increase the competitiveness of theatrical distribution and promote cultural diversity.”

The FIAD statement also asks lawmakers to increase the share of the proposed budget for Media+.

A letter signed in May by 16 organisations representing the entire film industry sector, said it was possible to strengthen media initiatives “only by maintaining it as a clear program.”