Moving towards a new policy for the music sector at EU level

Moving towards a new policy for the music sector at EU level

Primavera Pro, the conference for music professionals at Primavera Sound Barcelona, was once again the hub to follow up the discussions on ‘Music Moves Europe’. Launched by the European Commission together with more than 50 music stakeholders, this initiative consisted in a series of meetings organised to discuss the potential of a funding programme dedicated to the music sector at the European level.

This June 2^nd 2017, a panel put up by the Liveurope platform gathered key figures involved in the process to continue the conversation and reflect collectively on the next steps ahead for the future of the European music industry.

A crucial and urging topic today, as echoed by the words of one of the speakers, Spanish MEP Javi Lopez who asserted: ‘in this complicated political context, Europe needs music as much as music needs Europe'.

Targeting the relevant actors in the value chain

'The idea is not to protect a weak sector but to boost a sector that is already flourishing' said Matthieu Philibert of IMPALA to specify what is at stake here for the music sector.

Sophie Goossens, lawyer and digital media expert, underlined: ‘one of the problems of the music sector lies in its fragmentation.  Elaborating a tailor-made funding programme would unleash the untapped potential of SMEs and startups.’

Audrey Guerre, coordinator of Live DMA also said: ‘inequalities, structuration and professionalization of the live music sector should be addressed in every corner of Europe’, tackling other major issues that were mentioned as part of the Music Moves Europe working group.

A programme dedicated to the sector that could materialise by 2021

‘These discussions pushed us to consider how the European Parliament could trigger a favorable momentum for a EU music policy, firstly with a preparatory action to pave the way for 2021.’ declared Javi Lopez.

‘Passing a preparatory action could be a first step to test the tools and instruments to choose within an in-built music programme’ added Barbara Gessler, Head of Unit for the culture programme of Creative Europe at the European Commission.

Fabien Miclet, coordinator of Liveurope concluded this panel by highlighting the achievements accomplished so far and the new priorities to take into consideration: ‘this dialogue must also include the Member States, whose role will be crucial to elaborate a potential music programme’.