More than 600 organizations have urged EU leaders to protect the AgoraEU funding envelope during European Council talks in Brussels. The appeal challenges a proposed 30 percent cut put forward by the Irish Presidency for the 2028–2034 budget framework.
As EU leaders gathered in Brussels for the European Council on 15–16 October, an open letter signed by more than 600 groups called on them to preserve a robust budget for AgoraEU. The proposed European Union programme is designed to support culture, media, and democratic values under the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework.
The Irish Presidency Proposal and Budget Cuts
The coalition of signatories — led by the Future of Europe Cohort, the European Federation of Journalists, Civil Society Europe, and Culture Action Europe — is urging Member States to maintain at least the European Commission’s proposed envelope of €8.58 billion in current prices.
While the overall MFF would be reduced by about 8 percent under the proposal, the open letter argues that the AgoraEU reduction yields negligible savings of roughly 0.2 percent of the total budget. The groups contend that this creates disproportionate damage to cultural cooperation, independent journalism, and civic infrastructure.
Structure and Purpose of the AgoraEU Programme
AgoraEU is intended to consolidate and expand existing support under a single framework to simplify access to funding.
- The cultural strand of Creative Europe
- A strengthened MEDIA+ strand covering the audiovisual sector and independent journalism
- A CERV+ strand focused on citizens, equality, rights, values, and democratic participation
The European Commission originally presented the framework as a means to reinforce cultural cooperation, media freedom, and democratic resilience during a period of rising geopolitical tensions, disinformation, and declining institutional trust. Under Article 11 of the Treaty of the European Union, funding for civil society organizations has historically supported participatory democracy, with direct support granted under the CERV Programme.
Civil Society Warnings on Democratic Resilience
Organizations spanning Europe argue that the funding supports the fundamental infrastructure connecting citizens through independent journalism, vibrant cultural spaces, and local associations as communities feel increasingly divided.
The Center for Democracy and Technology has called on the EU to defend Agora and invest in Europe’s collective future.
The participating groups emphasize that Europe’s digital sovereignty agenda requires more than technology investment. Civil society organizations defending fundamental rights in the digital space provide democratic oversight and accumulated expertise to align Europe’s digital ambitions with its projected values.
Eurostat data cited in the advocacy letters notes that cultural employment—including journalism and broadcasting—stood at 8.9 million people in 2025, or 4.3 percent of total EU employment. Proponents assert that cutting these funds undermines local information ecosystems in news deserts and weakens tools needed to combat hybrid threats and maintain social cohesion.
Ongoing Negotiations at the European Council
The open letter places the programme squarely on the agenda as leaders address the long-term budget alongside energy prices, support for Ukraine, and hybrid threats. The final shape of AgoraEU remains subject to settlement as Multiannual Financial Framework negotiations continue.
