Policy Statement: The European Commission’s response to the resolution of the European Parliament on the EU framework for the social and professional situation of artists

Policy Statement

The European Commission’s response to the resolution of the European Parliament on the EU framework for the social and professional situation of artists

We applaud the current Commission for prioritising the improvement of working conditions in the cultural and creative sectors (CCSs). We see a timely opportunity to address this matter comprehensively by developing a new strategic framework for culture and integrating social conditionality thoughtfully into the EU's future funding programmes. To sustain Europe's vibrant and diverse cultural sectors, we advocate for well-informed, bold, and innovative measures.

The European Parliament called for the establishment of a European framework for artists’ working conditions through two own-initiative reports by its Members issued in 2020 and 2021, as well as in the resolution adopted by the Parliament in November 2023. Earlier this year, the European Commission sent its response to the Parliament's resolution.

We welcome the current Commission's intention to maintain the issue of working conditions in CCSs as part of its agenda. Particularly, we stress the importance of:

1. Reinforcing the social conditionality in the next cycle of Union programmes

The European Commission emphasised that it ‘will consider reinforcing the social conditionality in the next cycle of Union programmes’. The groundwork for transitioning the EU’s funding programmes for culture towards social conditionality should start promptly, well in advance of the onset of negotiations for the new Multiannual Financial Framework. These preparatory activities may encompass research initiatives, pilot projects within the EU to assess fair remuneration and innovative social conditionality models, pan-European sectoral dialogues, and awareness-raising initiatives like conferences and workshops. Leveraging existing cross-border initiatives aimed at promoting fair practices in transnational contexts, such as Perform Europe, alongside some Creative Europe platforms and projects, can offer valuable insights and guidance during this preparatory phase.

2. Undertaking an inclusive process of shaping the new strategic framework for culture

We support the Commission's intention to incorporate the issue of working conditions in CCSs into the development of the new strategic framework for culture. This topic has been absent from the New European Agenda for Culture. We urge the Commission to ensure that the design of the new strategic framework for culture is as open and inclusive as possible, involving extensive consultation with a diverse array of cultural sector stakeholders who represent the interests of CCSs at the EU level.

Read the full statement together with IETM, Circostrada, EDN and EFA.