Europe puts culture at the heart of its future

Culture is much more than just art and heritage. According to a joint European declaration, based on the European Commission’s Culture Compass for Europe, culture is an essential part of European identity, democracy and society. The European Parliament, the EU Member States and the European Commission are jointly committed to embedding culture more firmly in EU policy.

Freedom and diversity as a foundation

The declaration prioritises artistic freedom as a cornerstone of democracy: artists and cultural professionals must be protected against censorship and interference. Furthermore, the EU aims to nurture its rich cultural and linguistic diversity, including by making European content more accessible in all official languages, particularly online.

Access for all

Everyone must be able to participate in culture, with particular attention paid to young people, people with disabilities, marginalised groups and residents of rural or remote areas. Investments in cultural infrastructure must also help to eliminate regional inequalities.

Fair working conditions

Artists and cultural professionals are entitled to fair pay, social protection, further training and mobility. Attention is also given to their mental wellbeing and collective bargaining rights, as well as to gender equality within the sector.

Culture, education and health

The declaration emphasises the link between culture, arts education and lifelong learning, and highlights the positive effects of cultural participation on health and well-being.

Artificial intelligence

The EU wants a human-centred, ethical approach to AI in the cultural sector: protection of intellectual property rights, transparency regarding AI-generated content, and support for creators during the digital transition.

Heritage, climate and territorial development

Cultural heritage links the past and the future and must be protected, including against, for example, the trade in stolen artefacts and the consequences of climate change. Culture is also seen as a lever for regional development, sustainable cultural tourism and tackling depopulation in peripheral areas.

In practice

Finally, the EU institutions are committed to the structural ‘mainstreaming’ of culture in EU policy and funding, improved data on culture, and regular monitoring of the progress of this declaration.