The European Parliament has put forward plans for a dedicated music strand in the EU’s next culture funding programme, a move welcomed by independent sector trade body IMPALA as it calls for a significantly larger earmarked budget.
The draft report, authored by MEP Rapporteurs Emma Rafowicz and Alice Kuhnke, outlines the future AgoraEU programme, which will replace the current Creative Europe framework from 2028. It proposes a specific music strand to “address structural imbalances throughout the entire (music) value chain,” citing the sector’s economic, social and cultural importance.
Long-standing sector request
Helen Smith, IMPALA’s Executive Chair, said: “We welcome the ambition shown by the European Parliament for culture, and in our case specifically for music. An ambitious budget for culture is an investment for the future. As far as music is concerned, a dedicated music strand is a long-running ask of the sector.”
Smith added that the current proposed budget for music is a good starting point but needs to increase to achieve the sector’s potential. “It’s not just about the overall amounts, which are still relatively small in the broader scheme of the overall EU budget, but also about introducing a coordinated sectorial approach to boost Europe’s music ecosystem.”
Budget allocation under scrutiny
The European Parliament has separately called for an increased overall budget for AgoraEU. The new report proposes allocating just under half of the programme’s financial envelope to the Culture, Music and Media strands, with a minimum 15% of that portion reserved for the Music strand. IMPALA views this allocation as insufficient given the challenges facing the sector.
Addressing market imbalances
Smith thanked the rapporteurs for their analysis, noting the report’s focus on strengthening sustainability, competitiveness and independence. It seeks to tackle market concentration, the power of digital platforms and challenges posed by AI, while also highlighting discoverability of European works, access to finance for independent and SME music businesses, and cross-cutting priorities such as equity, diversity, inclusion and sustainability.
“The report’s proposal for a European Music Observatory is also timely and aligned with the industry’s priorities: this is something the European music sector has been seeking for years now as there is a clear need for public mapping of key indicators,” Smith said.
Next steps and industry alignment
Smith noted that the report’s focus on independence and Europe’s sovereignty reaches similar conclusions to IMPALA’s recently published action plan for a European industrial policy for culture. The organisation now looks to discuss the report with the European Parliament and the Council to ensure the AgoraEU programme helps unlock the potential of Europe’s cultural ecosystem, with music receiving a share of the overall budget commensurate with its growth potential and challenges.
“Using ongoing EU budget discussions to match ambition for culture with financing is one of the key recommendations of our industrial policy action plan. We would also like to see a greater focus of the report on strengthening structures that bring scale and investment in artists and new music, and on helping independent companies grow,” Smith concluded.
IMPALA, founded in 2000, represents over 6,000 independent music companies across Europe. Its members, which include small, micro and medium businesses and self-releasing artists, produce more than 80% of all new releases and account for 80% of the sector’s jobs.
