What the EU does
Culture brings a positive contribution to Europe’s society, its economy and international relations. While each EU country has its own cultural policies, the European Commission plays an important supporting role to help EU countries address common challenges and support the cultural and creative sectors. Currently the Commission is developing a more strategic approach to cultural policy, ensuring that culture is woven into policy making across the board, and that more Europeans have access to culture.
To make this happen and to guide and harness the multiple dimensions of culture, the Commission has put forward in 2025 an overarching strategic framework, the Culture Compass for Europe. It replaced the 2018 New European Agenda for Culture.
Facts about cultural policy
Areas of action
Creativity-driven industries shaping culture, identity, innovation, and economic growth
Flagship funding programme supporting the culture and audiovisual sectors
Policies and programmes enhancing Europe’s cultural heritage
Putting culture at the heart of European cities
EU support to the digital transformation of the audiovisual and media sector
Key achievements
- Since 1985, more than 70 cities have been designated as European Capitals of Culture, fostering cultural exchange and mutual understanding among European citizens. The initiative has led to urban regeneration, increased tourism, and a strengthened sense of European identity.
- The European Union has been a significant supporter of the film industry through the MEDIA strand of its Creative Europe programme, which funds the development, distribution, and promotion of European films. This has led to numerous EU-supported films achieving critical acclaim at the Oscars, Festival de Cannes and other prominent film festivals.
- MEDIA supported over 1 100 cinemas in 34 countries, reaching 65 million viewers annually, thereby increasing the accessibility of European films to diverse audiences.
- Digital technologies have provided new opportunities to preserve and reuse cultural content, making it accessible to all audiences. The Europeana digital platform enables people to explore a wealth of cultural heritage from more than 4 000 museums, galleries, libraries and archives across Europe.
- Culture Moves Europe is the EU’s most extensive cultural mobility initiative. With a €25 million budget spanning from 2025 to 2028, so far it supports around 7 000 artists, cultural professionals, and host organisations across all 40 Creative Europe countries, offering two types of grants: individual mobility and artist residencies.
In focus
On 19 June, European institutions reaffirmed their commitment to making culture a key part of EU policies by signing a joint declaration “Europe for Culture, Culture for Europe”. The declaration sets out twelve guiding principles that aim to strengthen culture across the EU. These include supporting artists, making culture more accessible, celebrating Europe’s cultural and linguistic diversity, and protecting its cultural diversity.
This page was last reviewed on 2 July 2026