What do you see as the priorities of the CULT committee in this mandate?
CULT is one of the committees that has close ties to the daily life of citizens, so the fields we work in are often highly debated and have a sense of urgency to many people. We are responsible for education, media, youth, the cultural sector and sports. When it comes to education, we are prioritising work that aims at closing the gaps of unequal access to education and educational mobility in Europe. There is still a large educational and skills deficit, including digital and civic skills, and socio-economic and demographic indicators in particular determine access to education – this we want to tackle. For culture we are concerned about shrinking spaces for creatives and the curtailment of creative freedom in some regions of the Union, as well as less and less public funding. The Culture Compass, which will touch on different audiovisual industries, such as the European film industry, is our next big project here. As for media and media freedom, a lot has been achieved in the last mandate, but we are working now on strengthening the implementation of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) and the Audiovisual and Media Services Directive (AVMSD) in the coming years.
You are clearly passionate about digital literacy. What do you want to see from the European Commission in this regard? What did you learn from the recent CULT committee hearing on enhancing digital literacy?
Yes, I am very passionate about this topic. Maybe that’s because I used to be a teacher. Thankfully we have seen some first proposals on improving digital literacy from the Commission under the Union of Skills. These have been promising but now they need to be followed up by action. We need to take this issue seriously and prioritise digital literacy as a question of democratic stability and security. There is no time to waste. The EU also needs to take money into its hands to support member states and educators in improving digital skills.
We are concerned about shrinking spaces for creatives and the curtailment of creative freedom in some regions of the Union
What concerns do you see emerging from the use of AI in the creative arts and what actions do you think are needed to address them, especially in areas like copyright?
There are a lot of concerns I have recently discussed with actors, writers and artists: is it still art if AI made it? If so, who holds the copyright? How will we pay for it? And of course, many fear that AI might replace them at some point. AI can already imitate human actors and be misused to let them voice opinions that are not their own. This also touches on freedom of expression – or in this case, the freedom to not express yourself in a certain way. Right now, Europe has the best answers to these challenges. With the Digital Services Act and the AI Act we are leading through regulation. I recently visited Hollywood, and spoke to many there who see Europe as a role model. Without our regulations, the big tech companies wouldn’t be moving at all. Everyone knows that AI is part of our cultural future and that we will have to use it creatively.
What is your view of the state of the AVMSD? What expectations do you have from the European Commission’s current evaluation of the impact of the directive? Are you sympathetic to an argument that more obligations are needed to support European works?
The AVMSD is a great basis and guideline to make sure that on the one hand platforms, broadcasters and channels that disseminate audiovisual works follow the same rules and standards all over Europe, and on the other hand the diversity of audio-visual works and products in Europe is properly safeguarded and supported. With the increase in screen time among kids and adults, as well as the growing political and social influence that digital content is gaining, we need frameworks, such as the AVMSD but also the DSA, to make sure the European media space does not become drastically more unsafe, violent or exploitative.
A common rules framework is not supposed to be a burden on producers or broadcasters, but it is precisely a tool to make sure European works can thrive and develop, while being accessible and safe for consumers. In my view the AVMSD is a tool for plurality. This means media plurality in more general terms but also the plurality of stories that can be told and the diverse realities that can be depicted. We are supporting works beyond solely their global market competitiveness. So yes, I would agree that this should in principle be helpful for European works.
While many in the audiovisual sector aren’t happy with many aspects of the AVMSD, some have expressed concerns that it is too early to revise it. (The deadline for the most recent change was 2020 and currently five member states have still not implemented it.) What is your response to this concern?
That is an absolutely valid concern. Yes the world has changed and the directive might not touch on every phenomenon that we encounter in the media space today. But even if we are counting 15 years since its inception now, we are still in the early stages of implementation of the directive in some member states. These adaptations do take time for the creators, production companies, digital platforms and broadcasters that need to adapt the way they work, prioritise and invest. We need to avoid jumping back and forth when legislating for the sector and there needs to be some plannability and stability as well. We have a great collection of legislation in the EU now – taking into account the Digital Services Act, the AI Act and the Data Act for instance. This is the basis on which we can build a robust media environment. What we need is streamlined implementation of the existing legislation to connect seamlessly and create an effective network – this can also be a question of monitoring the implementation properly. But as of now we should really consider whether reopening the directive is the correct move.
Quickfire:
What was the last book you read?
I’ve just finished Afropean by Johny Pitts. Now I’m reading Anne Appelbaum – at least if I can find the time. I take the time, every evening.
Dogs or cats?
Definitely dogs, although I don’t have one myself.
A movie or show you’d recommend?
‘Flow’, a brilliant animation film that won the 2025 European LUX Audience Award. And I’m not saying this because I had the honour to present this award, but because it’s a truly touching story for both children and adults.
What song would you like played at your funeral?
A weird question that deserves a slightly weird answer: ‘Haste to the wedding’, because I want people to dance.
Where did you most recently go on holiday?
To Oostkapelle in the Netherlands. I love the coast!
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