On the invitation of MEP Christian Ehler, EU Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, Ekaterina Zaharieva, met with EIT Culture & Creativity and the EIT – European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) for a strategic breakfast meeting at the European Parliament. The session brought together around 25 partners of EIT Culture & Creativity and focused on strengthening the role of the Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries (#CCSI) in the upcoming Multi-Annual Financial Framework (#MFF) 2028–2034.
Opening the exchange, MEP Christian Ehler highlighted the often-overlooked importance of culture and creativity in the daily lives of European citizens and consumers. He illustrated the broader societal and economic impact of CCSI by pointing to iconic figures such as Coco Chanel, whose influence spanned both women’s rights and European leadership in global fashion.
Stefan Dobrev, Chair of the EIT Governing Board, emphasised the unique positioning of EIT Culture & Creativity: “As the newest EIT KIC, EIT Culture& Creativity has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to contribute to shaping the next MFF for the cultural and creative sectors and industries from the outset and strengthen Europe’s competitiveness and resilience”. He pointed to synergies with Commission priorities, such as the EIT Community New European Bauhaus.
Anette Schaefer, CEO of EIT Culture & Creativity, underlined the initiative’s long-term strategic impact, particularly in Audiovisual Media, Architecture, Culturalheritage, Fashion, and Gaming : “In 2025, we are supporting around 70 startups, and we are ready to unlock the full potential of the Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries in alignment with the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy,” Schäfer stated.
Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva encouraged the sector’s innovators to proactively engage with DG Research & Innovation and leverage existing EU instruments. She stressed the importance of enhancing research and innovation capacities among SMEs and solo entrepreneurs in the CCSI while recognising that not every company needs an internal R&D unit. She praised EIT Culture & Creativity’s collaborative innovation model as ideally suited to the sector’s diverse and granular nature.
Partners of EIT Culture & Creativity highlighted how collaborative innovation, core to the EIT Knowledge Triangle of education, research, and business, transforms what is often seen as a weakness in CCSI, its fragmentation, into a strength. Through cross-sectoral collaboration, the EIT Culture & Creativity community is building a truly open, interconnected innovation ecosystem, unlocking new connections and unmatched opportunities across Europe.
