In a resolution adopted by a very large majority during a plenary session (501 votes against 51), MEPs have requested a doubling of the budget allocated to the Creative Europe programme over the period 2021-2027. This would allow for a total of 2.8 billion euros as opposed to the 1.4 billion currently in place. Parliament also proposes to siphon off at least 58% of this sum for the MEDIA arm of the programme, 33% for Culture and up to 9% for cross-sector activities, with the latter covering funds for Creative Europe desks, as well as new actions via-à-vis the news media sector.

At the end of December, European ministers had reached a partial agreement on the content of the next Creative Europe programme, but they hadn’t taken budgetary considerations into account, as these are dependent on the outcome of current talks taking place on the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), which may conclude in the autumn.

This hasn’t prevented MEPs from ratifying the report written by their Italian colleague, Silvia Costa (S&D), or from adopting a negotiating position on the aims and actions of this culturally supportive programme. They inserted a new article which makes explicit reference to the “European added value” of the actions and activities endorsed by Creative Europe; this added value can namely be understood in terms of the transnational nature of these actions and activities, the cooperation which takes place between cultural and creative actors, the economies of scale which are thereby permitted and the leverage effect of European funds. Agreements with non-member countries involved in the programme should also be facilitated by way of speedier procedures, while the participation of new countries will be actively encouraged.

For ministers, supporting the transnational and international distribution of films and television programmes should remain a major focus for the MEDIA arm of the programme, principally by way of networks composed of cinemas, festivals and European Video On-Demand operators. A collaboration agreement, for example, should be signed between The European Film Academy and the European Parliament’s LUX Prize, in collaboration with Europa Cinemas. The paper also encourages support for initiatives which target international audiences, which enhance audiovisual heritage and which encourage media literacy. Finally, ministers are insisting that “any form of financial support agreed in the name of the new InvestEU programme should be in line with the aims and criteria of the Guarantee Facility which is designed to benefit cultural and creative sectors, and should take into account the specificity of this sector".