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Education, Youth, Culture and Sports Council (Culture and sport), 28 November 2025
Main results
Culture, audiovisual and media
The strategic role of culture
Ministers approved conclusions on the strategic role of culture, cultural heritage and audiovisual works in upholding European values and democratic resilience.
Democracy does not endure on political structures alone. It is nurtured in our libraries, museums, cinemas, archives, and theatres – spaces where people learn to think critically, to empathise, and to belong. Today, we send a clear message: safeguarding culture and cultural heritage is essential to safeguarding democracy itself.
Jakob Engel-Schmidt, Danish Minister for Culture
The conclusions set out a comprehensive framework for protecting and promoting European values and democratic resilience through culture and cultural heritage, particularly in the context of geopolitical challenges.
In particular, they highlight the specific and essential role of culture and cultural diversity in fostering cohesion, a sense of community and civic engagement in European societies.
The Danish presidency approved presidency conclusions, with the support of 26 member states, on access to reliable news as part of the European Democracy Shield. The Shield, which was presented by the Commission on 12 November 2025, includes measures to protect free and independent media as a pillar of democratic systems in the EU.
The conclusions noted that although access to reliable news is fundamental to a functioning democracy, factors such as geopolitical challenges, algorithm-driven content and the rise of influencers could potentially undermine trust in journalism.
The importance of editorial responsibility in ensuring access to reliable news and adherence to journalistic standards was highlighted in particular, with a call for similar high standards to be applied to ‘new’ (mostly online) news sources.
Other topics covered included the need to ensure revenues and funding for news media, digital relevance of public service media and prominence of media services of general interest. The text also points to ways to strengthen media and digital literacy and the integration of media policy into overall policy goals.
The Danish presidency presented a progress report on the proposed regulation establishing the new AgoraEU programme for culture, media and civil society.
The proposal, which was published on 16 July 2025 in the context of the multiannual financial framework 2028-2034, brings together €8.6 billion in funding.
It aims to promote cultural and linguistic diversity and heritage, increase the competitiveness of the cultural and creative sectors, safeguard artistic and media freedom, and protect and promote equality, active citizenship, rights and values.
Over lunch, an informal debate took place on the topic of ‘Shaping the future of culture in the age of artificial intelligence’.
Any other business
During the meeting, ministers discussed other items including the Culture Compass for Europe, the informal meeting of culture ministers that took place in Copenhagen in November, and the European Democracy Shield.
Sport
Democracy and transparency in sport
Ministers held an exchange of views on how the EU and its member states could help international sports federations strengthen democracy, transparency and integrity in their governance structures.
They also discussed ways to defend and promote the democratic and social foundations of a European sport model in the face of breakaway leagues and the relocation of European competitions.
Ministers approved a resolution reviewing the representation of EU member states on the foundation board of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the coordination of member states’ EU positions prior to WADA meetings.
The aim of the review is to update the 2023 resolution to provide greater clarity on the process of establishing EU positions, as well as on the reporting mechanisms. The review also aims to revise the allocation of EU representatives’ seats on the WADA foundation board.
