European Music Managers Alliance MTÜ
EMMA
Supporting managers and artists across Europe.
ID: 316285896475-72
Lobbying Activity
24 Nov 2025
We at European Music Managers Alliance write to express our strong support for the ambitions of AgoraEU, the proposed long-term EU budget for 20282034, and to urge the Commission to ensure that Europes music sector receives dedicated representation and a safeguarded budget line within this framework. The proposed allocation to the Creative Europe Culture strand is a welcome and necessary foundation. Yet it must be recognised as a minimum baseline, not a ceiling. In safeguarding cultural diversity, artistic freedom, and fair working conditions, investment in music is an investment in the very essence of Europes shared identity. Music is one of Europes most accessible and unifying cultural expressions. It employs more than 1.3 million Europeans, drives innovation and exports, and sustains an ecosystem that spans creators, performers, professionals, producers, publishers, venues, festivals, educators, researchers, and digital entrepreneurs. Beyond its economic footprint, music fosters inclusion, civic participation, community building and cross-border understanding - values that lie at the heart of the European project. Despite this vital role, music remains underrepresented in EU policy and funding structures. Unlike the previous Multi-annual Financial Framework, the current AgoraEU proposal does not include a specific reference to music or continuity for the successful Music Moves Europe initiative. This omission risks erasing years of evidence-building, stakeholder dialogue, and momentum achieved through the actions of 20182026 and the ongoing MME programme. We believe AgoraEU presents a historic opportunity to embed music as a strategic policy area, ensuring coherence across culture, innovation, education, digital transformation, and international cooperation. To achieve this, we encourage the Commission to: Establish dedicated calls and funding lines for music under the Creative Europe Culture strand, recognising its diverse ecosystem. Create a European Music Observatory to underpin evidence-based policymaking, data collection, and monitoring of social, cultural, and economic impact. Ensure ethical and fair frameworks for digital transition and AI, safeguarding creators rights and equitable remuneration. Integrate music into broader EU priorities such as sustainability, cohesion, youth, and global cultural diplomacy. The Creative Europe budget must remain ring-fenced and protected from any downward revision. Musics allocation should not be viewed as discretionary spending but as a cornerstone of Europes cultural resilience and democratic vitality. The 1.796 billion foreseen for the Culture strand represents a necessary minimum to maintain and expand the EUs cultural leadership; any reduction would undermine both artistic innovation and Europes global influence. Europes music community stands ready to collaborate closely with the Commission, Parliament, and Member States to translate political commitments into lasting impact. At such a pivotal moment AgoraEU must deliver not only resources but a coherent policy vision - one that recognises musics role in employment, education, inclusion, and European values. By reinforcing musics presence in AgoraEU, the Commission will strengthen citizens engagement, regional development, and Europes cultural sovereignty in a rapidly changing world. We urge you to ensure that music remains visible, valued, and vitally supported in the final AgoraEU budget. Let this programme stand as a testament to the EUs belief that culture, and especially music, is not a luxury, but the heartbeat of Europes future. Please find attached the shared letter from Music sector platforms and networks.
Read full responseResponse to A Culture Compass for Europe
16 May 2025
Competitiveness It is vital to act now to ensure Europe remains culturally competitive. We see fewer European artists breaking through on the global stage. To reverse this trend, the EU must invest in strategic, targeted, and impactful funding, while simplifying policy and regulation to boost competitiveness. Key Actions: 1 Work with other countries to eliminate arduous admin requirements such as ATA Carnet requests for all. 2 Harmonise withholding tax across the EU, drawing on best practices from the Netherlands, Denmark and Ireland. (See attached policy paper) 3 Empower culture as a strategic sector, comparable to models in countries such as South Korea and Canada, through robust public investment on an EU level: a) Allocate at least 2% of the MFF 20282034 to culture via a strong, standalone Creative Europe Programme. b) Establish a European Music Observatory for reliable data to inform policy and support evidence-based decision-making. c) Explicitly address culture in future EU trade agreements to safeguard artistic exchange, rights and IP. Harmonisation Europe needs consistent, fair and transparent legislation that is effectively and uniformly implemented, particularly in the digital era. Key Actions: 1. Continue developing robust policy to protect copyright and ensure full and harmonised implementation of the EU Copyright Directive, for example: a) Harmonise implementation of Article 20 and 21 across member states to ensure all artists can renegotiate outdated contracts. b) Ensure thorough implementation of the AI Act, including guarantee of explicit artist consent for the use of their work in AI-generated outputs. Mandate full transparency from rights holders-regarding such use, through harmonised implementation of Article 19. 2. Ensure all member states uphold shared EU principles and values in cultural policy making. 3. Develop an EU-level data collection framework to support informed and equitable cultural policy creation. 4. Work to improve visa processes within and outside of the EU for all cultural professionals. 5. Establish mechanisms for pre-legislative policy testing to assess potential impacts on the CCIs. Sustainability The long-term viability of the cultural sector depends on fair remuneration for all cultural workers, structural support and accessible funding. Key Actions: 1. Legislate to prevent exploitative practices that harm cultural workers. For example: a) Legislate a minimum 30% digital royalty share from Master Rights owners to featured artists, aligning with the EU Copyright Directive (Art. 20). b) Legislate a standardised approach to metadata and royalty distribution, ensuring that PROs, CMOs, and DSPs operate transparently and efficiently. c) Legislate to ensure fair remuneration for all cultural work, preventing exploitative practices by external sectors. 2. Redesign funding calls to be accessible, inclusive, and long-term in scope, simplify application processes and recognition of in-kind contributions. 3. Secure dedicated, ring-fenced EU funding streams for culture. 4. Integrate mental health services and wellbeing support into cultural policy frameworks. Dialogue and Governance A strong cultural policy requires consistent engagement and democratic values to thrive across all levels of governance. Key Actions: 1. Establish a permanent structured dialogue between the EU and the Culture Sector for policy creation, collaboration and accountability. 2. Uphold freedom of artistic expression, introduce clear sanctions for countries who prevent artistic freedom. 3. Integrate the value of culture into core EU strategic narratives and policy, recognise its role in democracy, diplomacy, and innovation as well as economy. 4. Prioritise the EU in being an investment friendly market for music industry start ups and those supporting the grassroots of music. 5. Develop a multi-level governance framework for cultural policy that connects EU institutions, national governments, and local authorities.
Read full responseMeeting with Desislava Dimitrova (Cabinet of Commissioner Glenn Micallef)
27 Feb 2025 · Introductory meeting