The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has adopted unanimously its opinion on the proposed AgoraEU programme, placing culture, democracy and European values at the heart of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). Drafted by rapporteur Csaba Borboly (RO/EPP), Vice-President of Harghita County Council, the opinion welcomes the European Commission’s holistic approach while calling for strong territorial governance, simplified access and dedicated support for local communities, media and cultural heritage.
Rapporteur Csaba Borboly (RO/EPP), Vice-President of Harghita County Council:
“AgoraEU sends Europe back to where it has always truly lived: in local communities, in minority cultures and in rural creative workshops. For Harghita and Covasna, this opinion carries a clear message: villages, craftspeople, minority NGOs and young creators belong at the heart of European cultural funding. We have secured stronger recognition for ethnic, national and linguistic minorities, simpler access for smaller beneficiaries, and territorial monitoring to close the gap between cities and rural areas. Europe’s unity begins where diversity is not merely declared but lived — and AgoraEU must now keep that promise.”
The opinion underlines that AgoraEU should become a cornerstone of the next MFF, reflecting the European Union’s shared values and democratic foundations. The CoR therefore stresses that the programme must be adequately funded to fulfil this ambition. At the same time, it warns that the consolidation of Creative Europe and CERV+ should not dilute the specific objectives of their individual strands — culture, media, citizens’ engagement, equality and rights — each of which must retain its own identity and purpose.
The opinion also insists that local and regional authorities must be recognised as key implementing partners, given their essential role in providing the spaces where democracy is lived, practised and renewed. The opinion further regrets the absence of an indicative list of eligible measures and actions in the Commission proposal, stressing that such clarity is necessary to ensure transparency and allow beneficiaries to prepare and participate effectively.
To improve accessibility and implementation, the opinion calls for simplified grant procedures, including two-step application systems and cascade grants, as well as reduced co-financing requirements that should not exceed 10% of eligible project costs. It also recommends the establishment of AgoraEU contact points at national and, where appropriate, regional level. In addition, the CoR highlights the need to address the responsible use of artificial intelligence in the cultural and creative sectors as a cross-cutting priority of the programme.
Particular emphasis is placed on territorial cohesion and equal access to funding opportunities. The opinion calls for dedicated support for local and regional media production and public service broadcasting, especially in rural areas at risk of becoming “media deserts”. It also advocates explicit recognition of cultural heritage protection as a standalone priority supported by dedicated funding.
The adopted opinion stresses that strengthening citizens’ participation in democracy at EU level is essential for resilient European societies. AgoraEU should therefore be implemented in close partnership with Member States and, crucially, with local and regional authorities, in full respect of the principles of partnership, multilevel governance and subsidiarity throughout the programme cycle.
The rapporteur was also critical of the fact that the proposed AgoraEU programme does not foresee dedicated funding actions for town-twinning and networks of towns, despite their long-standing importance for citizen engagement and European exchange.
