EU signs first culture declaration as sector jobs hit 8.9m
The EU has signed its first-ever cultural policy declaration as the sector's workforce grows to 8.9 million, though the non-binding text lacks the power to mandate new funding or protections against AI and platform monopolies.
The Council of the European Union, the European Parliament and the European Commission have signed "Europe for Culture - Culture for Europe", the bloc's first-ever declaration on cultural policy. The document outlines 12 principles to guide future policy, including demands for artists to work without censorship and for cultural workers to receive better pay and social protection.
The political agreement arrives as the cultural workforce expands. According to 2025 Eurostat figures, 8.9 million people now work in the EU's cultural sector, accounting for 4.3% of total bloc employment. This represents a 0.5 percentage point increase from 2024, spanning roles such as artists, musicians and actors.
This labour pool is distinctly highly skilled. Most cultural workers hold at least a bachelor’s degree, while 31.3% have completed secondary school and 6.7% possess up to lower secondary education. Nearly half of the sector's employees are aged between 30 and 49.
Employment distribution, however, varies significantly across member states. In 17 of the 27 EU countries, cultural jobs account for between 4% and 5% of total employment. The Netherlands leads with 5.7%, followed by Estonia at 5.3% and Malta at 5.1%. Conversely, Romania has the lowest share at 1.8%, with Slovakia at 3.3% and Ireland at 3.4%.
Despite this steady employment growth, the industry faces severe structural threats. The Council noted the sector must navigate geopolitical tensions, climate change, the digital transition, social inequality and a mental health crisis.
Mafalda Dâmaso, a researcher at the European University Institute specialising in EU cultural policy, highlighted the immediate economic dangers. She pointed to artificial intelligence disrupting the cultural value chain, the financial sustainability of the sector, and the dominance of major platforms.
"The sector faces a combination of complex challenges that speak to all political groups and Member States, even if their impact is differentiated across the Union," Dâmaso said. "This goes from AI, which challenges the cultural and creative value chain, the sustainability of the sector, and the livelihood of cultural workers, to the growing market share and power of platforms, which endanger cultural diversity, or even to the growing use of the sector to propagate anti-democratic disinformation."
Yet, the declaration is not legally binding. It cannot force national governments to increase spending on the arts or cultural industries, meaning its practical impact will depend entirely on how individual member states choose to respond.
