Creative Europe 2027: €402 million in its final year, €61 million for cooperation projects

On 22 September 2026, the European Commission announced that Creative Europe will have a budget of €402 million in 2027. It is the last year of the current programme. For publishers, cultural organisations and creative industry businesses in Romania, two calls matter most: the one for the circulation of European literary works, expected to be published in autumn 2026, and the one for European cooperation projects, worth €61 million and announced for the first quarter of 2027. Neither is open yet, and the submission deadlines have not been announced.

In brief

• Programme: Creative Europe 2021–2027, the 2027 work programme
• Authority: European Commission (DG EAC); the calls are managed by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA)
• Beneficiaries: organisations in the cultural and creative sectors, including publishers; individuals cannot apply
• Total budget 2027: €402 million
• European cooperation projects: €61 million, with the call announced for the first quarter of 2027
• Circulation of European literary works: the call is announced for autumn 2026
• Status: announced; the guides, deadlines and forms have not yet been published

What has been announced for 2027?

According to the Commission, 2027 is the last year of the current programme, before the new budget cycle brings its successor, AgoraEU. In 2027, Creative Europe has four priorities: green initiatives, the digital transition, inclusion and gender equality, and the role of culture in the EU's international relations.

As before, the funds are split across three strands:

• Culture: European cooperation projects (€61 million), the circulation of European literary works and new actions: an EU prize for the performing arts and a "Music Moves Europe" call focused on technological innovation, including the creation and use of digital and artificial intelligence tools;
• MEDIA: support for cross-border audiovisual production, for strengthening the industry and for reaching audiences. New measures include support for film distribution in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine, and EU–Korea audiovisual co-productions;
• Cross-sectoral strand: transnational policy cooperation, Creative Innovation Labs and actions for press freedom, such as journalism partnerships and media literacy.

Who can apply to the literary translation call?

The "Circulation of European literary works" call funds the translation, publication, distribution and promotion of European works of fiction. According to the Commission, organisations active in the publishing and book sector can apply, alone or in a consortium of at least two eligible organisations. Individuals, including freelance translators, cannot apply in their own name.

The conditions of the 2026 call can serve as a guide, although the 2027 guide may change them:

• the 2026 call was published on 15 October 2025 and had a submission deadline of 29 January 2026;
• the budget was €5 million, for approximately 40 projects;
• there were three categories: small projects (at least 5 translations), medium projects (at least 11 translations) and large projects (at least 21 translations, for consortia only);
• the emphasis was on works written in less widely translated languages.

The budget, deadline and maximum grant value for 2027 have not yet been announced.

How do European cooperation projects work?

Cooperation projects can be of three types: small-scale (at least 3 partners from 3 eligible countries), medium-scale (at least 5 partners from 5 countries) and large-scale (at least 10 partners from 10 countries). All may last up to 48 months. Organisations active in the cultural and creative sectors can apply; individuals cannot.

As a guide, the 2026 call was published on 5 March 2026, had a budget of approximately €60 million and a deadline of 5 May 2026, and the Commission estimated that it would support around 150 projects. For 2027, the Commission announces €61 million and publication in the first quarter. The exact deadline and the co-financing rate will appear in the call documents, on the Funding & Tenders portal.

What this means for your business

Our recommendation: because 2027 is the last year of the programme, it is wise to prepare in good time. Usually only a few months pass between the publication of the call and the submission deadline, so successful projects are built before the launch.

• Publishers can already choose the European fiction titles they want to translate, negotiate copyright and agree a timetable with translators. If you want a large project, start looking for consortium partners now.
• Cultural organisations, NGOs and creative businesses targeting the cooperation call need partners from several countries. The most common mistake is a partnership formed in a hurry, without a clear role for each partner.
• Town halls and local cultural institutions (theatres, museums, libraries) can join cooperation projects as partners, if they are active in the cultural sector.
• Do not rely on last year's conditions: project budgets, co-financing and criteria are confirmed only by the 2027 guide.

Creative Europe is a programme managed directly from Brussels. Applications are written in English and compete at European level, so the quality of the partnership and the European dimension of the project matter a great deal. If you are not sure which programme suits you, you can take the eligibility check.

Frequently asked questions

Is any Creative Europe 2027 call open now?

No. On 22 September 2026, the Commission only announced the 2027 programme. The literary translation call is announced for autumn 2026, and the European cooperation call for the first quarter of 2027. The deadlines have not yet been communicated.

Can a publisher from Romania apply?

Yes. Organisations in the publishing and book sector from the countries participating in Creative Europe can apply alone or in a consortium with at least one other eligible organisation. Individuals cannot apply.

How much does a European cooperation project receive?

The maximum grant value and the co-financing rate for 2027 have not yet been announced. They will appear in the call documents. For now, only the total budget of the action is known: €61 million.

What comes after 2027?

The Commission says that 2027 is the last year of the current programme, before the new budget cycle, in which the programme will be succeeded by AgoraEU. The rules of the new programme have not yet been set.

Official sources

• European Commission – Creative Europe in 2027: one last year before the new budget cycle (22.09.2026)
• European Commission – Circulation of European literary works
• European Commission – 2026 literary translation call
• European Commission – European cooperation projects
• European Commission – 2026 European cooperation call

Information checked on 27 September 2026. Conditions may be amended by the managing authority — check the guide in force before submitting.