Europe's culture and cultural heritage are fundamental to EU values and identity, providing space for discussion, engagement and debate. Culture also fosters a European sense of belonging and social cohesion, strengthens communities, and drives innovation and economic competitiveness. The New European Agenda for Culture, which has provided a framework for EU cultural policy since 2018, is replaced by the new Culture Compass for Europe, published by the Commission on 12 November 2025. Considered to be the most ambitious EU strategic framework for culture to date, it is overarching and coherent, placing culture, as promised, at the very heart of the European project and identity. It also emphases the importance of culture for individuals, communities and the EU. The new Culture Compass for Europe is built on four pillars: European values and cultural rights; conditions for artists and cultural professionals and how culture supports people; cultural sectors; and international cultural relations. It describes what is already in place and proposes 20 flagship actions. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP Read more