Culture Action Europe is highlighting the cultural and creative sectors (CCS) as pivotal to enhancing the European Union’s innovation and competitiveness. This comes in light of Mario Draghi, former President of the European Central Bank (2011-2019) and Prime Minister of Italy (2021-2022), preparing a report on the future of European competitiveness to define strategic priorities for the 2024-2029 policy cycle.
In an open letter addressed to Dr Draghi, Culture Action Europe emphasises the significant impact of CCS on the EU economy, its global image and innovation. The sectors account for 3.8% of total EU employment and contribute about 4% to the EU GDP. Cultural and creative sectors also enhance labour productivity and drive technological advancements across other industries, all while maintaining a low environmental footprint.
Research from the European Parliamentary Research Service suggests that each euro invested in the EU’s support for the cultural and creative sectors could yield up to €11 of GDP. Based on this, Culture Action Europe is calling for an increase in EU funding for CCS to 2% of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) budget. This increase to approximately €24 billion could potentially generate an additional €266 billion in GDP, or €38 billion annually.
In its open letter, Culture Action Europe supports advancing the Capital Markets Union and enhancing the single market for services. We reiterate the importance of fair remuneration for artists and CCS professionals and advocate for digital and AI policies tailored to the unique needs of the cultural sector. Lastly, Culture Action Europe urges the implementation of the European Parliament’s recommendations concerning the working conditions of artists and the support for the EU music and book sectors.
Read CAE’s open letter to Mario Draghi here.