Culture Action Europe’s meeting with Commissioner Micallef

On 20 March, Culture Action Europe had a one-on-one meeting with Commissioner Micallef, who was very cooperative and open to dialogue.

Inspired by CAE’s State of Culture report, the Commissioner expressed interest in creating a similar initiative across Member States to collect compatible cultural data in the EU.

We also discussed the situation with the MFF. Micallef seems committed to fighting for a decent Creative Europe’s budget in the next MFF alongside the sector. He repeatedly stressed the importance of the cultural sector coming together and mobilising with a strong, unified voice.

We were pleased to hear that Commissioner Micallef is already in discussions with Commissioner McGrath—responsible for democracy, justice, the rule of law and consumer protection—about the potential recognition of culture within the European Democracy Shield. This is particularly relevant in light of Culture Action Europe’s recent letter to the European Commission where we position culture as part of the EU’s security, defense, and preparedness agenda. Acknowledging culture in the European Democracy Shield, which is meant to protect Europe from information manipulation and foreign interference, was one of our recommendations.

Micallef is also eager to involve the cultural sector in the Intergenerational Fairness Strategy, which will address not only youth but also other groups, including children and senior citizens. His cabinet is exploring potential ideas for flagship projects or initiatives that lie at the intersection of culture and intergenerational fairness, to be incorporated into the strategy. You can submit your initial ideas here.

Finally, the Commissioner promised to closely examine the issues surrounding the AI Act’s implementation and will discuss them with Henna Virkkunen, who is responsible for Tech Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy.