MEPs debate and vote the next ‘Creative Europe’ programme (2021 to 2027). The new programme will invest 2.2 billion euro in the cultural and creative sectors, recognising the importance of culture and helping the sector recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Extracts from the debate and the vote and statement by Massimiliano SMERIGLIO (S&D, IT), rapporteur.

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SMERIGLIO, Massimiliano (S&D, IT)

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Creative Europe Programme: extracts from the debate and the vote and statement by Massimiliano SMERIGLIO (S&D, IT), rapporteur

Title: Creative Europe Programme: extracts from the debate, the vote and statement by Massimiliano SMERIGLIO (S&amp;D, IT)

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Massimiliano SMERIGLIO (S&amp;D, IT), Rapporteur, The Europe we want, needs to be able to invest in beauty, desire and on the power of a great narration. Books, songs, works of art, creativity, are for that. Their purpose is to amaze us, to take our breath away and make us feel part of a story that is bigger than our own individual existence. That's the purpose of culture.

SOUNDBITE (French), Mariya GABRIEL, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Creative Europe needs to be seen within the panoply of European programmes, not only the Horizon Europe programme has to benefiting culture creation. Because one thing is certain, culture has its place, it has a role to play in the relaunch of our economies and our societies. That is the essence of our action.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Tomasz FRANKOWSKI (EPP, PL), After a number of years, we have reached an agreement which is very important, and it's a signal for the whole cultural and creative sector. It's the largest support programme for creators and artists with the largest budget. Never in its history has the European Union spent so much on culture as it will spend in the coming seven years.

SOUNDBITE (German), Sabine VERHEYEN (EPP, DE), I think that this programme shows the cultural and creative sectors that we stand firmly by their sides. And the cultural policy is at the heart of what Europe does. As Jean Monnet said, when he would start again with rebuilding Europe, he would start with culture. And I think we should do that to.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Massimiliano SMERIGLIO (S&amp;D, IT), Rapporteur, The programme obviously resumes working from the division of three major areas, the largest is the media sector. The 58% of the budget will go on this subprogram, then culture and then the cross-sectorial strands, which was strengthened from the point of view of the goals that must bring home in the coming years.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Massimiliano SMERIGLIO (S&amp;D, IT), It was a path of two years of difficult negotiations with the Council, with the Commission. It was a rough path, also because of the pandemic, and therefore the most complicated work wasn't done on presence. But in the end we are satisfied, also because 2.5 billion are an important signal of counter-trend. Is the first time that the European Parliament reverses the trend and invests in the cultural system. Culture takes cares of the soul, but it is also a productive system.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Massimiliano SMERIGLIO (S&amp;D, IT), Rapporteur, There are transversal goals. First the social inclusion, the attention to all fragility, both as spectators and also as protagonists of these events. The issue of the ecological footprint, so to pay attention to how we build products, processes and events. And then the theme which we have very close to heart, that one of gender equality. There is also an ongoing discussion on this. For us the autonomy, the gender equality and the possibility for women to express themselves best within Creative Europe are essential aspects.

The report was adopted as a whole by taking over the position of the Council. The result of the vote on Annex II: the MEDIA strand 590 in favour, 101 against, 5 abstentions. Annex II Cross-sectoral strand: 674 in favour 6 against 16 abstentions. (2 shots)