Open letter by ECSA received an official response

The letter by the European Composer and Songwritter Alliance calls for strong and systemic support measures for the cultural sector and is supported by the IMZ.

The letter, which called for investing in Europe’s next generation by investing in culture, was released by ECSA and signed by 94 organisations such as the EMC, IFPI, UNIC and the IMZ.

According to the Commission’s own estimates, some parts of the cultural sector – which accounts for €509bn in value added to GDP and over 12 million full-time jobs – are expected to lose up to 80% of their turnover in the 2nd quarter of 2020.

The letter called on Member States and the European Parliament to push for a substantial increase of the Creative Europe budget and fully supported the European Parliament’s proposal for a budget of €2.8bn.

In addition, it demanded that the European Commission guarantees that the entire sector benefits appropriately from the recovery plan’s various instruments.

The response from the European Commission recognised the importance of a vibrant cultural scene for Europe's growth as a Union of values. In addition, it indicated that Commissioners Gabriel and Breton have established specific platforms for dialogue with the organisations involved in the letter, with dedicated task forces and other networks to explore how the EU can best support culture.

The recovery strategy of the EU includes the Next Generation EU recovery instrument, and a revamped Multiannual Financial Framework. Instruments in this package could support the Creative Europe programme, the Digital Europe programme, investEU and REACT-EU, among others.

You can read the full letter released by ECSA below.