Article 1 Subject matter
This Regulation establishes the Creative Europe Programme (the ‘Programme’) for the duration of the 2021-2027 MFF. It lays down the objectives of the Programme, the budget for the period from 2021 to 2027, the forms of Union funding and the rules for providing such funding.
Article 2 Definitions
For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions apply: (1) ‘cultural and creative sectors’ means all sectors: (a) whose activities, many of which have potential to generate innovation and jobs in particular from intellectual property: (i) are based on cultural values and artistic and other individual or collective creative expressions; and (ii) include the development, the creation, the production, the dissemination and the preservation of goods and services which embody cultural, artistic or other creative expressions, as well as related functions such as education or management; (b) irrespective of: (i) whether the activities of those sectors are market-oriented or non-market-oriented; (ii) the type of structure that carries out those activities; and (iii) how that structure is financed; those sectors include, inter alia, architecture, archives, libraries and museums, artistic crafts, audiovisual (including film, television, video games and multimedia), tangible and intangible cultural heritage, design (including fashion design), festivals, music, literature, performing arts (including theatre and dance), books and publishing, radio, and visual arts; (2) ‘legal entity’ means a natural person or a legal person which is created and recognised as such under national law, Union law or international law, which has legal personality and which may exercise rights and be subject to obligations when acting in its own name, or an entity which does not have legal personality as referred to in point (c) of Article 197(2) of the Financial Regulation; (3) ‘blending operation’ means actions supported by the Union budget, including within blending facilities pursuant to Article 2(6) of the Financial Regulation, that combine non-repayable forms of support and financial instruments from the Union budget with repayable forms of support from development or other public finance institutions, or from commercial finance institutions and investors.
Article 3 Programme objectives
1. The general objectives of the Programme are to: (a) safeguard, develop and promote European cultural and linguistic diversity and heritage; (b) increase the competitiveness and the economic potential of the cultural and creative sectors, in particular the audiovisual sector. 2. The Programme has the following specific objectives: (a) to enhance artistic and cultural cooperation at the European level in order to support the creation of European works and strengthen the economic, social and external dimension of and innovation and mobility in Europe’s cultural and creative sectors; (b) to promote competitiveness, scalability, cooperation, innovation and sustainability, including through mobility, in the European audiovisual sector; (c) to promote policy cooperation and innovative actions supporting all strands of the Programme and to promote a diverse, independent and pluralistic media environment, and media literacy, thereby fostering freedom of artistic expression, intercultural dialogue and social inclusion. 3. The Programme shall cover the following strands: (a) the Culture strand, which covers cultural and creative sectors with the exception of the audiovisual sector; (b) the Media strand, which covers the audiovisual sector; (c) the Cross-sectoral strand, which covers actions across all cultural and creative sectors. 4. Recognising the intrinsic and economic value of culture, the Programme objectives shall be pursued through actions with European added value. European added value shall be ensured, inter alia, through: (a) the transnational character of actions and activities, which complement regional, national, international and other Union programmes and policies, thereby promoting European common roots and cultural diversity; (b) cross-border cooperation, including through mobility, among organisations and professionals in the cultural and creative sectors, and the potential of such cooperation to address common challenges, including the digital shift, and to promote access to culture, active engagement of citizens and intercultural dialogue; (c) the economies of scale and growth and jobs which Union support fosters, creating a leverage effect for additional funds; (d) providing a more level playing field through actions with European added value under the Media strand that take into account the specificities of different countries, in particular regarding the production and distribution of content, access to content, the size and specificities of their markets and their cultural and linguistic diversity, in a way that broadens the participation of countries with different audiovisual capacities and strengthens collaboration between those countries. 5. The Programme objectives shall be pursued in a way that encourages inclusion, equality, diversity and participation, which, where appropriate, shall be achieved through specific incentives that: (a) ensure that people with disabilities, people belonging to minorities and people belonging to socially marginalised groups have access to the cultural and creative sectors and that encourage their active participation in those sectors, including in both the creative process and audience development; and (b) foster gender equality, in particular as a driver of creativity, economic growth and innovation.
Article 4 Programme actions
The Programme shall support actions that are in accordance with the priorities set out in Articles 5, 6 and 7 and the descriptions set out in Annex I.
Article 5 Culture strand
1. In line with the Programme objectives referred to in Article 3, the Culture strand shall have the following priorities: (a) to strengthen transnational cooperation and the cross-border dimension of the creation, circulation and visibility of European works and the mobility of operators in the cultural and creative sectors; (b) to increase access to and participation in culture and to increase audience engagement and improve audience development across Europe; (c) to promote societal resilience and to enhance social inclusion and intercultural dialogue through culture and cultural heritage; (d) to enhance the capacity of the European cultural and creative sectors, including the capacity of individuals working in those sectors, to nurture talent, to innovate, to prosper and to generate jobs and growth; (e) to strengthen European identity and values through cultural awareness, arts education and culture-based creativity in education; (f) to promote capacity-building within the European cultural and creative sectors, including grassroots organisations and micro-organisations, so that they are able to be active at the international level; (g) to contribute to the Union’s global strategy for international relations through culture. 2. The actions through which the priorities set out in paragraph 1 of this Article are to be pursued are set out in Section 1 of Annex I.
Article 6 Media strand
1. In line with the Programme objectives referred to in Article 3, the Media strand shall have the following priorities: (a) to nurture talent, competence and skills and to stimulate cross-border cooperation, mobility, and innovation in the creation and production of European audiovisual works, thereby encouraging collaboration across Member States with different audiovisual capacities; (b) to enhance the circulation, promotion, online distribution and theatrical distribution of European audiovisual works within the Union and internationally in the new digital environment, including through innovative business models; (c) to promote European audiovisual works, including heritage works, and to support the engagement and development of audiences of all ages, in particular young audiences, across Europe and beyond. 2. The priorities set out in paragraph 1 of this Article shall be addressed through support for the development, production, promotion, and dissemination of European works and support for access to those works, with the objective of reaching diverse audiences within Europe and beyond, thereby adapting to new market developments and accompanying the implementation of Directive 2010/13/EU. 3. The actions through which the priorities set out in paragraph 1 of this Article are to be pursued are set out in Section 2 of Annex I.
Article 7 Cross-sectoral strand
1. In line with the Programme objectives referred to in Article 3, the Cross-sectoral strand shall have the following priorities: (a) to support cross-sectoral transnational policy cooperation, including cooperation on the promotion of the role of culture in social inclusion and cooperation on artistic freedom, to promote the visibility of the Programme and to support the transferability of the results of the Programme; (b) to encourage innovative approaches to the creation, distribution and promotion of, and access to, content across cultural and creative sectors and other sectors, including by taking into account the digital shift, covering both market and non-market dimensions; (c) to promote cross-sectoral activities that aim at adjusting to the structural and technological changes faced by the media, including enhancing a free, diverse, and pluralistic media environment, quality journalism and media literacy, including in the digital environment; (d) to support the establishment of Programme desks in participating countries and the activities of Programme desks and to stimulate cross-border cooperation and the exchange of best practices within the cultural and creative sectors. 2. The actions through which the priorities set out in paragraph 1 of this Article are to be pursued are set out in Section 3 of Annex I.
Article 8 Budget
1. The financial envelope for the implementation of the Programme for the period from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2027 shall be EUR 1 842 000 000 in current prices. 2. As a result of the programme-specific adjustment provided for in Article 5 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093, the amount set out in paragraph 1 of this Article shall be increased by an additional allocation of EUR 600 000 000 in 2018 prices as specified in Annex II to that Regulation. 3. The indicative distribution of the amount set out in paragraph 1 of this Article shall be: (a) at least 33 % for the objective referred to in point (a) of Article 3(2) (Culture strand); (b) at least 58 % for the objective referred to in point (b) of Article 3(2) (Media strand); (c) up to 9 % for the objective referred to in point (c) of Article 3(2) (Cross- sectoral strand). 4. The indicative distribution of the amount set out in paragraph 2 of this Article shall be: (a) at least 33 % for the objective referred to in point (a) of Article 3(2) (Culture strand); (b) at least 58 % for the objective referred to in point (b) of Article 3(2) (Media strand); (c) up to 9 % for the objective referred to in point (c) of Article 3(2) (Cross-sectoral strand). 5. The amounts set out in paragraphs 1 and 2 may be used for technical and administrative assistance for the implementation of the Programme, such as preparatory, monitoring, control, audit and evaluation activities, including corporate information technology systems. 6. In addition to the amounts set out in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article, and in order to promote the international dimension of the Programme, additional financial contributions may be made available from a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument –Global Europe, amending and repealing Decision No 466/2014/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Regulation (EU) 2017/1601 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 480/2009, and from a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA III) to support actions that are implemented and managed in accordance with this Regulation. Such contributions shall be financed in accordance with the Regulations establishing those instruments. 7. Resources allocated to Member States under shared management may, at the request of the Member State concerned, be transferred to the Programme subject to the conditions set out in Article 26 of a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy (the ‘Common Provisions Regulation for 2021-2027’). The Commission shall implement those resources directly in accordance with point (a) of the first subparagraph of Article 62(1) of the Financial Regulation or indirectly in accordance with point (c) of that subparagraph. Those resources shall be used for the benefit of the Member State concerned. 8. Budgetary commitments for actions extending over more than one financial year may be broken down over several years into annual instalments. Those commitments shall not exceed 40 % of the amount set out in paragraph 1.
Article 9 Third countries associated to the Programme
1. The Programme shall be open to the participation of the following third countries, provided that they contribute financially to the Programme: (a) Members of the European Free Trade Association which are members of the European Economic Area, in accordance with the conditions laid down in the Agreement on the European Economic Area; (b) acceding countries, candidate countries and potential candidates, in accordance with the general principles and general terms and conditions for the participation of those countries in Union programmes established in the respective framework agreements and Association Council decisions or in similar agreements and in accordance with the specific conditions laid down in agreements between the Union and those countries; (c) European Neighbourhood Policy countries, in accordance with the general principles and general terms and conditions for the participation of those countries in Union programmes established in the respective framework agreements and Association Council decisions or in similar agreements and in accordance with the specific conditions laid down in agreements between the Union and those countries; (d) other third countries, in accordance with the conditions laid down in a specific agreement covering the participation of the third country to any Union programme, provided that the agreement: (i) ensures a fair balance as regards the contributions and benefits of the third country participating in the Union programmes; (ii) lays down the conditions of participation in the programmes, including the calculation of financial contributions to individual programmes, and their administrative costs; (iii) does not confer on the third country a decision-making power in respect of the Union programme; (iv) guarantees the rights of the Union to ensure sound financial management and to protect its financial interests. The contributions referred to in point (d)(ii) of the first subparagraph shall constitute assigned revenues in accordance with Article 21(5) of the Financial Regulation. 2. The participation of the countries referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article in the Media strand and Cross-sectoral strand shall be subject to the fulfilment of the conditions set out in Directive 2010/13/EU. 3. The agreements concluded with countries as referred to in point (c) of paragraph 1 may derogate from the obligations set out in paragraph 2 in duly justified cases. 4. Countries as referred to in points (a) and (b) of paragraph 1 of this Article that fully participated in the 2014-2020 Programme may fully participate in the Programme on a provisional basis if they can show that they have taken tangible steps to align their national law to Directive 2010/13/EU, as amended by Directive (EU) 2018/1808. 5. Countries as referred to in point (b) of paragraph 1 of this Article shall be allowed to continue to participate in the Programme beyond 31 December 2022 provided that they provide the Commission with evidence showing that they have fulfilled the conditions set out in Directive 2010/13/EU. 6. Access to the actions corresponding to the priority referred to in point (d) of Article 7(1) shall be ensured for countries that exceptionally participate in the Culture strand but do not fulfil the conditions for participating in the Media strand and Cross-sectoral strand under paragraph 2 of this Article.
Article 10 Other third countries
Where it is in the Union’s interest, the Programme may support cooperation with third countries other than those referred to in Article 9 with regard to actions financed through additional financial contributions from the external financing instruments in accordance with Article 8(6).
Article 11 Cooperation with international organisations and the European Audiovisual Observatory
1. Access to the Programme shall be open to international organisations that are active in the areas covered by the Programme, in accordance with the Financial Regulation. 2. The Union shall be a member of the Observatory for the duration of the Programme. The Union’s participation in the Observatory shall contribute to the achievement of the priorities of the Media strand. The Commission shall represent the Union in its dealings with the Observatory. The Media strand shall support the payment of the contribution fee for Union membership of the Observatory and data collection and analysis in the audiovisual sector.
Article 12 Data gathering on cultural and creative sectors
To strengthen the evidence base for the development of the cultural and creative sectors and to measure and analyse their contribution to Europe’s economy and society, the Commission shall gather appropriate data and information, making use of its own expertise and that of the Council of Europe, the OECD, Unesco and relevant research institutions, as appropriate. The Commission shall report regularly to the European Parliament and to the Council on the data gathered. The Commission shall share relevant findings on the data gathered with stakeholders.
Article 13 Forms of Union funding and methods of implementation
1. The Programme shall be implemented under direct management in accordance with the Financial Regulation or under indirect management with bodies as referred to in point (c) of Article 62 (1) of that Regulation. 2. The Programme may provide funding in any of the forms laid down in the Financial Regulation, in particular grants, prizes and procurement. The Programme may also provide financing in the form of financial instruments within blending operations. 3. Blending operations under the Programme shall be implemented in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/523 and Title X of the Financial Regulation. 4. Contributions to a mutual insurance mechanism may cover the risk associated with the recovery of funds due by recipients and shall be considered a sufficient guarantee under the Financial Regulation. Article 37 of Regulation (EU) 2021/695 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 25 ) shall apply. 5. Entities active in cultural and creative sectors that have received over 50 % of their annual revenue from public sources over the last two years shall be considered as having the necessary financial, professional and administrative capacity to carry out activities under the Programme. They shall not be required to present further documentation to demonstrate that capacity.
Article 14 Protection of the Union’s financial interests
Where a third country participates in the Programme by means of a decision adopted pursuant to an international agreement or on the basis of any other legal instrument, that third country shall grant the necessary rights and access required for the authorising officer responsible, OLAF and the Court of Auditors to comprehensively exercise their respective competences. In the case of OLAF, such rights shall include the right to carry out investigations, including on-the-spot checks and inspections, as provided for in Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013.
Article 15 Work programmes
1. The Programme shall be implemented through annual work programmes as referred to in Article 110 of the Financial Regulation. Annual work programmes shall give an indication of the amount allocated to each action and set out, where applicable, the overall amount reserved for blending operations. Annual work programmes shall also contain an indicative timetable for implementation. 2. The Commission shall adopt annual work programmes by means of implementing acts. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 24(2).
Article 16 Grants
1. Grants under the Programme shall be awarded and managed in accordance with Title VIII of the Financial Regulation. 2. In order to ensure that applications are properly evaluated, members of evaluation committees may be external experts. External experts shall have a professional background related to the field assessed and, where relevant, knowledge of the geographical area concerned by the application. 3. In accordance with point (a) of the second subparagraph of Article 193(2) of the Financial Regulation, and by way of derogation from Article 193(4) of that Regulation, in duly justified cases specified in the financing decision, activities supported under this Regulation and the underlying costs incurred in 2021 may be considered eligible as of 1 January 2021 even if those activities were implemented and those costs were incurred before the grant application was submitted. The grant agreements for the operating grants of the 2021 financial year may exceptionally be signed within six months of the start of the beneficiary’s financial year. 4. Where applicable, the Programme actions shall set out appropriate criteria to achieve gender equality.
Article 17 Eligible entities
1. The eligibility criteria set out in this Article shall apply in addition to the criteria set out in Article 197 of the Financial Regulation. 2. The following entities are eligible to participate in the Programme if they are active in cultural and creative sectors: (a) legal entities established in: (i) a Member State or an overseas country or territory linked to that Member State; (ii) a third country associated to the Programme; or (iii) a third country listed in the work programme, subject to the conditions set out in paragraphs 3 and 4; (b) legal entities created under Union law; (c) international organisations. 3. Legal entities active in the cultural and creative sectors established in a third country which is not associated to the Programme shall exceptionally be eligible to participate in the Programme where such participation is necessary for the achievement of the objectives of a given action. 4. Legal entities active in the cultural and creative sectors established in a third country which is not associated to the Programme shall in principle bear the cost of their participation. Where it is in the Union’s interest, additional contributions from the external financing instruments in accordance with Article 8(6) may cover the costs of the participation of such legal entities.
Article 18 Complementarity
The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, shall ensure the overall consistency and complementarity of the Programme with the relevant Union policies and programmes, in particular those relating to gender balance, education, in particular digital education and media literacy, youth and solidarity, employment and social inclusion, in particular for socially marginalised groups and minorities, research, technology and innovation, including social innovation, industry and enterprise, agriculture and rural development, environment and climate action, cohesion, regional and urban policy, sustainable tourism, State aid, mobility and international cooperation and development.
Article 19 Cumulative and alternative funding
1. An action that has received a contribution under the Programme may also receive a contribution from any other Union programme, including Funds under the Common Provisions Regulation for 2021-2027, provided that the contributions do not cover the same costs. The rules of the relevant Union programme shall apply to the corresponding contribution to the action. The cumulative financing shall not exceed the total eligible costs of the action, and the support from the different Union programmes may be calculated on a pro-rata basis. 2. A project may be awarded a Seal of Excellence label as defined in point (45) of Article 2 of the Common Provisions Regulation for 2021-2027 under the Programme where it complies with the following cumulative conditions: (a) it has been assessed in a call for proposals under the Programme; (b) it complies with the minimum quality requirements of that call for proposals; and (c) it cannot be financed under that call for proposals due to budgetary constraints. A project that has been awarded a Seal of Excellence label in accordance with the first subparagraph of this paragraph may receive support from the European Regional Development Fund or the European Social Fund Plus in accordance with Article 73(4) of the Common Provisions Regulation for 2021-2027.
Article 20 Monitoring and reporting
1. Qualitative and quantitative indicators to report on the progress of the Programme towards the achievement of the objectives laid down in Article 3 are set out in Annex II. 2. To ensure the effective assessment of the Programme’s progress towards the achievement of its objectives, the Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts, in accordance with Article 22, to develop the provisions for a monitoring and evaluation framework, including amendments to Annex II in order to review or supplement the indicators where necessary for monitoring and evaluation. 3. The performance reporting system shall ensure that data for monitoring the implementation and the results of the Programme are collected efficiently, effectively, and in a timely manner. 4. To that end, proportionate reporting requirements shall be imposed on recipients of Union funds and, where appropriate, on Member States.
Article 21 Evaluation
1. The Commission shall carry out evaluations based on the regular collection of data and consultation of stakeholders and beneficiaries, in a timely manner to feed into the decision-making process. 2. Once sufficient information about the implementation of the Programme is available but, in any event, no later than 31 December 2024, the Commission shall carry out an interim evaluation of the Programme, which shall be based, inter alia, on external and independent analyses. The Commission shall submit a report on the interim evaluation to the European Parliament and to the Council no later than six months after the interim evaluation has been carried out. 3. After 31 December 2027 but, in any event, no later than 31 December 2029, the Commission shall carry out a final evaluation of the Programme, which shall be based on external and independent expertise. The Commission shall submit a report on the final evaluation to the European Parliament and to the Council no later than six months after the final evaluation has been carried out. 4. The Commission shall communicate the conclusions of the evaluations referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3, together with its observations on those evaluations, to the European Parliament, to the Council, to the European Economic and Social Committee and to the Committee of the Regions. 5. The evaluation reporting system shall ensure that data for Programme evaluation are collected efficiently, effectively, in a timely manner and at the appropriate level of detail. The recipients of Union funds shall communicate such data and information to the Commission in a way that complies with other legal provisions. For example, personal data shall be made anonymous where necessary. To that end, proportionate reporting requirements shall be imposed on recipients of Union funds.
Article 22 Exercise of the delegation
1. The power to adopt delegated acts is conferred on the Commission subject to the conditions laid down in this Article. 2. The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Article 20 is conferred on the Commission for a period of seven years from 1 January 2021. 3. The delegation of power referred to in Article 20 may be revoked at any time by the European Parliament or by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force. 4. Before adopting a delegated act, the Commission shall consult experts designated by each Member State in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making. 5. As soon as it adopts a delegated act, the Commission shall notify it simultaneously to the European Parliament and to the Council. 6. A delegated act adopted pursuant to Article 20 shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the European Parliament or by the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council, or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or of the Council.
Article 23 Information, communication and publicity
1. The recipients of Union funds shall acknowledge the origin of those funds and ensure the visibility of the Union funding, in particular when promoting the actions and their results, by providing coherent, effective and proportionate targeted information to multiple audiences, including the media and the public, in particular the name of the Programme and, for actions funded under the Media strand, the Media logo, as set out in Annex III. 2. The Commission shall implement information and communication actions relating to the Programme, to actions taken pursuant to the Programme and to the results obtained. 3. Financial resources allocated to the Programme shall also contribute to the corporate communication of the political priorities of the Union, insofar as those priorities are related to the objectives referred to in Article 3.
Article 24 Committee procedure
1. The Commission shall be assisted by a committee (the ‘Creative Europe Committee’). That committee shall be a committee within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011. 2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 shall apply. 3. The Creative Europe Committee may meet in specific configurations to deal with concrete issues relating to the individual strands of the Programme.
Article 25 Repeal
Regulation (EU) No 1295/2013 is repealed with effect from 1 January 2021.
Article 26 Transitional provisions
1. This Regulation shall not affect the continuation of or modification of actions initiated pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 1295/2013, which shall continue to apply to those actions until their closure. 2. The financial envelope for the Programme may also cover the technical and administrative assistance expenses necessary to ensure the transition between the Programme and the measures adopted pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 1295/2013. 3. If necessary, appropriations may be entered in the Union budget beyond 2027 to cover the expenses for the assistance referred to in Article 8(5), to enable the management of actions not completed by 31 December 2027.
Article 27 Entry into force
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union . It shall apply from 1 January 2021.