Culture and education at the heart of recovery: MEPs discuss priorities of French presidency  

The French Minister for Culture Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin on Wednesday pointed out three directions: 1) strengthening the inter-cultural exchanges, via intra-EU mobility for artists and cultural workers, with a special focus on promoting multilingualism with the help of digital tools; 2) consolidating EU artistic and cultural sovereignity via new EU strategy that would include improving the access by cultural and creative industries to the EU support and facilitating EU cultural export. She promised to work towards creating a European fund for supporting independent and investigative journalists. As 3) she highlighted ensuring access for all to EU cultural life, in order to nourish feeling of belonging.

MEPs, on their part, asked how the EU cultural and linguistic diversity will be safeguarded in the digital age while calling for measures to combat disctrimination and reproduction of racial stereotypes in art. Many asked for the presidency to convince EU countries to earmark 2% in their national recovery plans for culture, which only a few of them have done so far. Some called for a stronger political will to advance the unsatisfactory implementation of the EU's Audiovisual Media Services Directive in the Member States.

They asked the minister about EU measures in videogames sector, plans for restitution of looted artworks to former colonies, as well as requested specific deadlines and sources of finance for the EU journalism support fund. Listen to the replies by the minister and further concerns highlighted bu MEPs here.

Synergies in education and services and listening to young people

French Minister for the Higher Education, Research and Innovation Frédérique Vidal outlined the French presidency priorities in education: creating synergies between higher education, research, innovation and services, with the aim of generating growth and ensuring digital and green transition; advancing the “European Universities” initiative with concrete proposals for joint staff recruitment and common structures for research. She mentioned plans of setting up an independent committee for European history and European academy for intellectuals of various disciplines that would work on ways of strengthening the European identity in education.

Members of EP committee on Culture and Education called on the minister to also prioritize ensuring EU-wide automatic recognition of below-university level diplomas and qualifications. They asked the minister to ensure access to Erasmus+ funding for most disadvantaged students, and urgently prioritize digital skills and digital education.

Both the minister and MEPs agreed on the importance of listening to European young people, given the context of the ongoing European Year of Youth. Listen to the full debate here.