The funding earmarked for the future EU support programme, AgoraEU, could turn out to be significantly lower than originally planned. The umbrella organisation for the film industry (SPIO) is therefore calling for the proposed cuts to be withdrawn and for funding for film and audiovisual media to be safeguarded.

For the period 2028 to 2034, the European Commission had proposed around 8.58 billion euros for AgoraEU. According to a negotiating proposal from the Irish Presidency, the total budget could fall to six billion euros. This would represent a cut of around 30 per cent. The final funding allocation for the programme has yet to be decided.

One of the aims of AgoraEU is to replace the existing Creative Europe MEDIA funding programme. SPIO is calling for at least 3.5 billion euros to be earmarked within the new programme for a separate funding stream for film and audiovisual media.

The association highlights the importance of European funding for co-productions, cross-border film distribution and the international distribution of European works. According to SPIO, a cut in funding could make it more difficult to finance such projects. National funding bodies would not be able to fully compensate for any shortfalls.

The negotiations on the EU budget for 2028 to 2034 will therefore also determine the financial framework within which European film productions will be supported in future.