The EU Council's Cultural Affairs Committee is scheduled to meet on 3 July 2026 in Brussels to adopt its agenda, receive updates from the Presidency and the European Commission, and conduct a final evaluation of the EU Work Plan for Culture 2023-2026, followed by a presentation of the new EU Work Plan for Culture 2027-2030. The meeting will also hear a report from the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) group of member states' experts on governance of the EU strategic approach to international cultural relations.
The meeting, set for 10:00 in the LEX Building, will begin with the adoption of the agenda and information from the Presidency and Commission. The Commission will then present the final evaluation of the current culture work plan, which covers the period 2023-2026. Subsequently, the Presidency will introduce the new work plan for 2027-2030, detailed in document 11043/26 yet to be issued. The OMC group's report, based on document 8947/23, will be presented by its co-chairs, offering expert recommendations on how to govern the EU's strategic approach to international cultural relations.
The meeting marks a transition between the outgoing and incoming multi-annual work plans for culture, which set priorities for EU cooperation in cultural policy. The evaluation of the 2023-2026 plan will assess achievements and challenges, while the new plan will outline objectives and actions for 2027-2030. The OMC report adds a dimension of international cultural relations, aiming to improve coordination among member states and EU institutions.
Stakeholders affected include EU cultural institutions and operators, national cultural ministries, and civil society organisations active in cultural cooperation. The new work plan will shape funding priorities and collaborative projects, potentially influencing the cultural sector's access to EU programmes. The OMC recommendations could lead to more coherent EU external cultural action, affecting how the EU engages with non-EU countries in cultural diplomacy.
No prior coverage of this meeting or related documents exists in the available record. The meeting is a procedural step in the EU's cultural policy cycle, with the new work plan expected to guide EU cultural cooperation for the following four years. Institutional follow-up will involve adoption of the work plan by the Council, likely later in 2026, and subsequent implementation by the Commission and member states.