Europa Nostra joins 200+ organisations in calling on EU Member States to reverse the proposed cuts to Creative Europe’s 2027 budget
Europa Nostra has joined more than 200 cultural organisations across Europe in calling on EU Member States to reverse the proposed cuts to Creative Europe’s 2027 budget. The open letter, initiated and coordinated by Culture Action Europe, responds to the Council’s suggestion to reduce the funding the Creative Europe Programme can commit to projects in 2027 by €31.6 million.
The cuts would affect every strand:
– €7.8 million from Culture
– €23.2 million from MEDIA
– €0.6 million from the Cross-sectoral strand
Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council Meeting, 11-12 May 2026, Brussels. Copyright: European Union
This is the fourth budget year in the current seven-year cycle in which the Council has proposed cuts to Creative Europe, and they are at odds with the EU’s own commitments. In June 2026, the Presidents of the Council, the Parliament and the Commission signed the Joint Declaration “Europe for Culture – Culture for Europe”, committing to ensuring the independence of cultural institutions, artistic freedom and the sustainability of the cultural and creative sectors. The 2027 budget is an immediate opportunity to put those commitments into practice.
We urge Member States to restore the European Commission’s proposed €417.35 million budget for Creative Europe, and we support the European Parliament’s Culture and Education Committee proposal to add €15 million above the Commission’s draft budget.
2027 is the final year of the current programme, and negotiations on its proposed successor, AgoraEU, will shape EU support from 2028 onwards. Protecting Creative Europe now goes hand in hand with securing a strong AgoraEU programme and a visible, well-funded place for culture within it. The EU institutions have until 16 November 2026 to reach an agreement.
