COVID-19 and the cultural sector

Subject: COVID-19 and the cultural sector

Over the last decade, the severe lack of financial investment, neglect, the reduction and downgrading of services, centralisation and the bureaucratic grouping of institutions and commercialisation, also as a result of EU requirements, have destroyed and damaged the cultural panorama, a public service, in a number of Member States. The impact of the coronavirus outbreak on this sector, one that is essential for the public during lockdown, is immeasurable. Almost all employees have been left unprotected, without any job security, and the lack of shows and cultural events means that they have no source of income.

In our view, social assistance is urgently needed to save both people and organisations of all sizes, to maintain human capital for culture and to protect and safeguard both installations and the best technicians available.

Can the Commission say:

1. Is emergency social assistance being considered, in the form of grants for the cultural and artistic sector, to reverse the tremendous difficulties that the sector is currently facing?

2. What is the Commission’s view of the impact of EU requirements (budgetary and other) on the development of the cultural sector in Member States, specifically in terms of the creation of jobs with rights, and what lessons can be drawn for the future?

Answer given by Ms Gabriel on behalf of the European Commission

(18 August 2020)

As an immediate reaction to the crisis, the Commission put forward the Corona Response Investment Initiative s (1), allowing Member States to reallocate cohesion funding to priority areas, and the temporary Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency (2) to protect employees and self-employed against unemployment and income losses. It also adopted the Temporary Framework for State Aid measures (3) to support the economy. Member States can use these instruments also for the cultural and creative sectors.

To counter the long-term economic and social damage brought by the coronavirus pandemic, considerable investment across all economic sectors is needed. The Commission has therefore put forward a major recovery plan composed of Next Generation EU and a revamped multiannual financial framework. Several instruments of this package can support the cultural and creative sectors, once adopted: the Creative Europe programme (4), the Digital Europe programme (5), the reinforced InvestEU (6) and the Recovery and Resilience Facility (7), the future cohesion policy funds and REACT-EU (8) and the new Solvency Support Instrument (9). The last two would be made available already in 2020.

The overall EU employment policy aims at promoting quality jobs through a set of comprehensive labour market policies including the right to labour market training and support combined with the right to modern and adequate social protection including unemployment benefits. In the context of the Council Work Plan for Culture 2019-2022, the Commission cooperates with Member States to address the status and working conditions of artists and cultural professionals. A study on this topic is being finalised and an EU Member States’ expert group is due to start in 2021.

⋅1∙ Regulation (EU) 2020/460 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 March 2020 amending Regulations (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013 and

(EU) No 508/2014 as regards specific measures to mobilise investments in the healthcare systems of Member States and in other sectors of their economies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak (Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative). ⋅2∙ Council Regulation (EU) 2020/672 of 19 May 2020 on the establishment of a European instrument for temporary support to mitigate unemployment risks in an

emergency (SURE) following the COVID-19 outbreak.

⋅3∙ Communication from the Commission Temporary Framework for state aid measures to support the economy in the current COVID-19 outbreak 2020/C 91 I/01.

⋅4∙ Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Creative Europe programme (2021 to 2027) and repealing Regulation (EU)

No 1295/2013, COM(2018) 366 final.

⋅5∙ Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Digital Europe programme for the period 2021-2027 COM(2018) 434.

⋅6∙ Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the InvestEU Programme COM(2018) 439.

⋅7∙ Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Recovery and Resilience Facility COM(2020) 408.

⋅8∙ Proposal for a regulation amending Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 as regards exceptional additional resources and implementing arrangements under the

Investment for growth and jobs goal to provide assistance for fostering crisis repair in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and preparing a green, digital and resilient recovery of the economy (REACT-EU) COM(2020) 451.

⋅9∙ Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2015/1017 as regards creation of a Solvency Support Instrument

COM(2020) 404.