Leading European film and TV bodies have called on the EU to ringfence at least €2.83bn to support the film and audiovisual sector under its proposed AgoraEU programme.
Seventeen organisations representing European producers, festivals, sales agents, directors, distributors, cinemas and writers have today published a joint statement calling for greater funding clarity and clearer objectives for the new AgoraEU programme. (See below for the full list of signatories)
AgoraEU is set to replace the Creative Europe programme for the seven-year period from 2028-36, but its funding scope is much wider and it is unclear how much financial support will be allocated to film and TV.
AgoraEU’s proposed Media+ strand, which effectively replaces the Creative Europe Media programme, will support the EU’s struggling news media on top of its traditional backing for film and audiovisual content.
As a result, many within European film and TV worry that financial support will be diluted without a clear budget line for the sector.
The joint statement calls for at least 33% of the AgoraEU’s proposed €8.6bn budget to be focused on film and audiovisual, equivalent to €2.83bn in total.
The joint statement highlights “the pivotal role” played by the Creative Europe Media Programme, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, in supporting European culture.
“The AgoraEU Programme must build on the proven success of Creative Europe Media and its consistent and meaningful objectives, not retreat from it,” says the statement.
It says AgoraEU’s film and audiovisual strand must be clearly distinct from news media in budgetary and operational terms with an ”identifiable, secured and ring-fenced envelope”.
The statement also calls on the European Commission to “engage in regular, transparent and structured dialogue” about the programme with European film and TV representatives, the European Parliament and member states.
Elsewhere, the letter stresses that support for production and development should be targeted at independent production companies as per the Creative Europe Media programme.
The European Commission first put forward its proposals for the AgoraEU programme in July 2025.
Since then, the European Parliament and the European Council have both begun examining the proposal, with a Parliamentary report expected this month.
Negotiations between the European Parliament, Council and Commission are expected to follow into next year to define the final structure of the programme, with a final agreement expected by end 2027, ahead of its planned launch in 2028.
Signatories to the joint statement on AgoraEU programme
- ATC – Audiovisual Training Coalition
- CEE Animation – Central and Eastern Europe Animation
- CEPI – European Audiovisual Production Association
- CICAE – International Confederation of Arthouse Cinemas
- Collective of Film Festivals
- EPC – The European Producers Club
- Eurocinema – Association de Producteurs de Cinéma et de Télévision
- Europa Distribution – International Association of Independent Film Publishers and Distributors
- Europa International – Association of European Film Sales Agents
- FAME – Film and Audiovisual Markets in Europe
- FERA – Federation of European Screen Directors
- FIAD – International Federation of Film Distributors’ and Publishers’ Associations
- FIAPF – International Federation of Film Producers Associations
- FSE – Federation of Screenwriters in Europe
- IVF – International Video Federation
- UNIC – International Union of Cinemas
- SAA – Society of Audiovisual Authors
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