Music is key to Europe’s cultural diversity

The European Commission considers the music sector vital to safeguarding Europe’s cultural diversity and to strengthening its competitiveness. Music is the universal language of humankind and holds a unique, creative and cohesive power for both society and the individual. It also has great economic importance. The music sector is the third largest employer within the cultural and creative industries in the EU. Based on small and medium businesses, the European music sector is very dynamic and innovative and it has an important growth potential.

Why is this support needed?

Under the digital shift and increased competition from global players, the music sector is in constant transformation. Over the past decade, this has led to fundamental changes in the way music is created, produced, distributed and monetised. This situation has created opportunities as well as challenges at all levels of the music value chain, for instance the repartition of revenue and the fair remuneration of artists in this new digital environment or the need to develop more digital and business skills for artists.

Support is needed to help the sector and its branches to become more competitive in the global market and to address obstacles for Europe’s rich musical offer and its numerous emerging talents to cross borders. The beneficial role of music in societal and economic terms is not yet fully exploited in European and national policymaking. This is also because reliable and comparable data on the sector, its functions and its performance is lacking.

In early 2020, the coronavirus-crisis hit the sector particularly hard leading to new important challenges for the sustainability of the whole music ecosystem. It has also brought underlying structural challenges to the forefront. The recovery of ecosystems like music will ultimately help the recovery of the EU as a whole.

Music Moves Europe – main objectives

The European Commission supports the sector within an integrated approach called 'Music Moves Europe'.

Music Moves Europe (MME) aims at promoting a sustainable European music ecosystem and supporting the sector’s main assets: diversity, competitiveness and innovation. Strategically, the initiative is aligned with and will contribute to achieving the EU’s overall political priorities.

Specific objectives are to

• promote creativity and innovation
• safeguard and expand the diversity of European music
• help the sector adapt to and benefit from digitisation
• support the sector in becoming more sustainable