European Parliament adopts resolution on EU framework for the social and professional situation of artists and workers in the cultural and creative sectors

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On 21 November 2023, the European Parliament adopted a resolution with recommendations to the Commission on an EU framework for the social and professional situation of artists and workers in the cultural and creative sectors (2023/2051(INL)).

Drafted by co-rapporteurs Domènec Ruiz Devesa (S&D, Spain) and Antonius Manders (EPP, the Netherlands), this request for legislative proposal was examined through a joint procedure involving the Culture & Education and the Employment and Social Affairs committees before its adoption in plenary by 433 votes in favour to 100 against and 99 abstentions.

The resolution “calls for an EU framework, combining legislative and non-legislative tools, to improve social and professional conditions and create a fair and equal situation for all EU artists and cultural professionals”, based on a rather damning assessment of the working conditions of artists, authors and workers in the cultural and creative sectors which lack decent work, decent pay standards and social protection. The EU Commission is due to reply to the Parliament’s request in three months following the resolution adoption.

FERA welcomes the European Parliament’s acknowledgement of the precarious situation of creators and all professionals across the different cultural and creative sectors, which chimes with the findings of the 2019 FERA FSE study on the remuneration of audiovisual authors. The resolution calls on Member States and the EU Commission to tackle a wide range of issues from remuneration for work and authors’ rights, lack of access to social benefits or collective representation to artistic freedom and generative AI, and outlines several proposals including the introduction of social conditionality in support programmes for the cultural and creative sectors. We look forward to the response from the EU Commission on the various recommendations put forward.

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To go further:

~ European Parliament press release “Status of the artist: better working conditions for artists and cultural workers”
~ European Parliament resolution of 21 November 2023 with recommendations to the Commission on an EU framework for the social and professional situation of artists and workers in the cultural and creative sectors