On 3 September 2025, the European Commission unveiled the second part of its proposal for the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034, completing the vision first set out in July 2025.

This follow-up package covers areas including the internal market and customs, justice, Euratom and nuclear decommissioning, overseas territories, and the Pericles V programme. With this, the Commission concluded its draft MFF, amounting to nearly € 2,000 billion. The new framework aims to make the EU budget broader in scale, more efficiently structured, and strategically sharper in focus. Its overall architecture is shown below:

The central theme of the new MFF is competitiveness, supported in particular through the European Competitiveness Fund, which will address decarbonisation, digital transformation, and defence goals. In addition, the MFF 2028–2034 introduces a new and distinctive initiative for culture, media, and civil society: AgoraEU. This reflects the recognition that Europe’s competitiveness extends beyond economics and technology to also include cultural and social dimensions.

AgoraEU: an integrated programme for culture, media, and society

AgoraEU stands out as one of the key innovations in the new budget framework. It merges the EU’s main tools supporting culture, media, and citizenship under a single umbrella.

Its main aims are to:

• Promote Europe’s cultural and linguistic diversity and heritage;
• Strengthen the competitiveness of the cultural and creative sectors, especially in media and audiovisual industries;
• Uphold artistic and media freedom;
• Advance equality, civic participation, rights, and shared values.

The proposed budget for AgoraEU is around € 8.58 billion for 2028–2034, distributed across three strands:

• € 1.8 billion for Creative Europe – Culture
• € 3.2 billion for MEDIA+
• € 3.6 billion for CERV+

Purpose and wider context of the AgoraEU programme

According to the European Commission, AgoraEU aims to simplify and reinforce EU support for sectors that sustain democracy and social cohesion. At present, programmes like Creative Europe and Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) function separately, each with their own administrative systems. AgoraEU is intended to bring these initiatives together, reduce duplication, and encourage cooperation between cultural, media, and civic stakeholders.

Beyond streamlining, the programme also carries a symbolic message: Europe’s resilience is built on both its economic strength and its cultural vitality. By merging and expanding existing instruments, the Commission seeks to boost creative industries, safeguard media pluralism, and empower citizens’ engagement in European democracy.

Next steps

As part of the broader MFF proposal, AgoraEU will now enter negotiations between the Council of the EU (which requires unanimity) and the European Parliament, under the special legislative procedure set out in Article 312 TFEU. Once adopted, the programme is expected to take effect at the start of the new MFF cycle in 2028.

What you can do now

Although AgoraEU remains under discussion, current programmes continue to operate until the end of the 2021–2027 period. This makes it an ideal time to make full use of existing funding opportunities while preparing for the upcoming framework.

You can already:

• Request a final review of your CERV-2025 proposal — the call closes on 23 October 2025, making this the last chance for adjustments before submission.
• Seek support for your CREA-MEDIA-2026 application, aimed at the audiovisual sector and covering activities like content development, business innovation, and audience engagement.
• Explore the CulturEU online guide, which highlights 75 funding opportunities across 21 EU programmes relevant to the cultural sector, including Creative Europe.
• Look into local and national schemes that can complement or strengthen your future EU funding applications.

Our specialists can support you with proposal reviews, application preparation, and strategic funding advice, helping your organisation position itself effectively for both current opportunities and the forthcoming AgoraEU programme. Curious about your options? Take a look at our services or contact us via info@hezelburcht.com or call us on 088 495 20 00 to discuss your opportunities.

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