October 17, 2024

The EU Commissioner-designate hearings are underway, spotlighting the people who will steer the work inside the European Commission and put in place the political priorities of the new Von Der Leyen’s  presidency. MCA eyes are especially on Glenn Micallef (Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture, and Sport), Ekaterina Zaharieva (Start-ups, Research, and Innovation) and Henna Virkkunen (Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy), each assigned portfolios that touch on areas crucial for cultural heritage and the digital transition. Here is an overview of the political priorities and decisions at stake by MCA.

As per every new Commission’s term, designated commissioners must go through hearings with the referring committees in European Parliament: this time, the meetings are schedule for the week of October 4.

We covered in a previous article how the last European elections could impact the cultural and digital sector.

This evaluative process allows the European Parliament to gauge the suitability of the designated commissioners. For cultural and innovation professionals, the stakes are high in terms of funding to their activities and improvement of their working conditions and reach. Micallef, Zaharieva and Virkkunen have mandates that encompass in different ways research, innovation, youth, digital and cultural policy.

The outcomes of these hearings will show civil society how these three individuals determine to balance modernization with sustainability and fairness in the cultural sector, making this a pivotal moment for stakeholders in these fields.

The Mission Letters: Priorities for Culture, Heritage, Research, Digital and Innovation

The mission letters is the “job description” for the Commissioner, in which the President of the European Commission outlines the priorities and the objectives for that specific portfolio.

 

Glenn Micallef, with a proposed portfolio named “Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture, and Sport“, will focus on strengthening the cultural sector while addressing youth engagement and intergenerational issues. His mission letter outlines plans for a new strategic framework for culture, “Culture Compass,” aimed at integrating culture into the EU’s broader policy goals. Micallef will also prioritize improving working conditions within the cultural sector, building on previous initiatives. Notably, he is tasked with developing an AI strategy for cultural and creative industries, which could empower these sectors in a rapidly digitizing world. Accessibility to cultural heritage, especially for young people, is another key point in Micallef’s agenda, with discussions surrounding potential European cultural passes for youth. His Directorate General of reference will be DG EAC (Education, Youth, Sport and Culture)

He will also oversee the Youth Policy Dialogues, intended to amplify young voices across Europe: they are expected to happen in the first 100 days of this new Commission’s new mandate. Culture Action Europe covered Micaleff’s mission letter in depth in this article: in these lines, CAE shows concern due to the lack of specific funding details for Creative Europe within his mission letter, as broader budget restructuring under the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) looms.

 

Ekaterina Zaharieva, designated for “Start-ups, Research, and Innovation“, will oversee initiatives to bolster Europe’s innovation and research landscapes. Her mission letter underscores the importance of the European Research Area, the European Innovation Council, and proposes a European Artificial Intelligence Research Council. These entities aim to drive innovation within the EU while ensuring sustainable and inclusive practices in different fields where research is present. Zaharieva’s focus will also be on Horizon Europe and the New European Bauhaus, connecting to her objective of “reinforcing international research and innovation cooperation”. Her Directorate-General of reference will be DG RTD (Innovation and Reasearch), with the Joint Research Centre.

Zaharieva’s portfolio is arguably business-oriented, with the creation of a taskforce on startups aiming to support her work: she is specifically asked to simplify access to funding especially for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The natural inclusion of Horizon Europe and NEB in her portfolio creates new pathways of collaboration between the SMEs and cultural and cultural heritage institutions. As highlighted in the single market report by Enrico Letta, one of the main challenges for Research & Innovation in Europe is to reduce the fragmentation of the European research area to allow for the free circulation of knowledge and researchers – these two funding schemes could be the privileged tool to close this gap.

 

The appointment of Henna Virkkunen as Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy will have significant implications for MCA’s sectors of reference. Virkkunen’s portfolio is one of the most prominent in the Commission, hence the role of Vice-President: the Commission clearly wants to put a lot of chip in the domain of technology and security, both internal and at the borders. This means a specific focus on fight against organised crime and trafficking: having in the same portfolio technology and fight against trafficking means that projects and initiatives focusing on cultural heritage protection in this domain will receive a specific attention –  in the framework of ANCHISE (Horizon Europe), MCA is advocating for a European Competence Centre integrating expertise from social sciences, politics, technology and economics in order to fight against illicit trafficking of cultural goods. Virkkunen will also have to steer toward the objectives of the Europe’s 2030 Digital Decade and set up the European AI Research council with Commissioner-designate Zaharieva.

She is also asked to develop a European Union Data Strategy and an EU Cloud & AI Development Act : this is particularly important in relation to initiative like the Common European Data Space for Cultural Heritage (DS4CH) and the European Collaborative Cloud initiative (ECHOES), both central to the digital transformation of cultural heritage across Europe. Copyright protection in the digital realm is vaguely present in her mission letter and mention the need to face “new challenges raised by technological developments”.

 

Where are they coming from?

Glenn Micallef brings a robust background in EU affairs. Previously the head of the Secretariat for Malta’s Prime Minister, Micallef has also experience in the cultural heritage field, having held the President position of the St. John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation. 

Ekaterina Zaharieva, experienced politician from Bulgaria, has an extensive background in justice, foreign affairs, and regional development. As a former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice, she brings experience in legislative reform and European integration. Her legal background provides a foundation for navigating complex policy landscapes, particularly around research ethics and intellectual property, which are essential for fostering innovation.

Henna Virkkunen, a Finnish politician and European Parliament member (EPP) since 2014, has served on key committees, including Industry, Research and Energy, and Transport. She has focused on technology and cybersecurity, contributing to the Digital Services Act and Cyber-Resilience Act. Previously, she held ministerial roles in Finland’s government and holds degrees from the University of Jyväskylä.

Hearing Questions: Cultural Policy, Horizon Europe, AI and Creative Europe

The hearings will bring to light the committees’ interests in ensuring that both commissioners address pressing challenges and opportunities in cultural heritage and innovation. The meeting are responsability of one or two committees, with the possibility of other committees to participate and submit questions. The questions are publically available weeks prior the hearings.

Micallef’s hearing – November 4th

The questions that Glenn Micallef will face are coming mainly from the CULT committee. Regarding culture and cultural heritage, Micallef is asked how he plans to safeguard Europe’s cultural diversity, ensure artistic freedom, and promote cultural collaboration. The emphasis is on maintaining funding for Creative Europe and on ensuring it remains a priority amidst budget constraints. He will be also asked about improving accessibility and inclusion to culture, including proposals to make cultural sites more accessible to young people, possibly through initiatives like cultural passes. Culture Action Europe, in response to this document, outlines 3 pivotal question that should be asked during this hearing.

Zaharieva’s hearing – November 5th

Ekaterina Zaharieva’s questions (coming mainly from the Industry, Research and Energy committee) focus on enhancing research funding and maximizing the impact of Horizon Europe. She will be asked about her vision for the European Research Area, European Research Council, and how she would support increased budgets for Horizon Europe. Other questions are on how she is planning to simplify funding processes and boosting SME participation to foster public-private partnerships. The New European Bauhaus will be explored in its cross-disciplinary nature – blending art, culture, and technology. Additionally, she will be queried about researchers’ conditions, aiming to create a cohesive research ecosystem that promotes academic freedom and inclusivity.

Virkkunen’s hearing – November 12

Henna Virkkunen’s portfolio includes priorities around illicit trafficking and organized crime: she will be asked to detail her strategies for tackling these issues within the EU. The Data Act and Cloud Act are also prominent, with questions on how she plans to implement these regulations to enhance data sharing and cloud services while safeguarding privacy and security. Questions on priorities for the Digital Decade further underscore Virkkunen’s role in ensuring Europe meets its digital transformation goals. This is particularly evident around infrastructure and AI leadership. From the Committee of Legal Affairs,

She is tasked with a complex balancing act: promoting tech sovereignty and competitiveness while addressing ethical challenges and supporting regulatory coherence across digital policies, which will be crucial for Europe’s digital future.

As the hearings will take place, cultural heritage and digital professionals have a vested interest in the designated commissioners’ visions. Micallef’s focus on cultural policy and Virkkunen’s and Zaharieva’s commitment to digital innovation could shape the EU’s cultural and technological landscape. An in-depth analysis of the hearings will provide further insights into their approaches and priorities.

Stay tuned for a detailed evaluation by the MCA on these unfolding developments!