We at BEDA want to highlight that the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) are a vital sector that contribute significantly to the European economy.
Representing approximately 3.95% of EU value added and employing around 8 million people, the CCIs ecosystem is a powerhouse of innovation and growth. Notably, over 99.9% of these firms are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), underlining our sector’s dynamic and entrepreneurial spirit.
Within this dynamic ecosystem, designer power plays a crucial role as the very “engine” of this industry.
BEDA, representing the voice of European design, presents this call to action to the European Commission, the re-elected and newly elected Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and the European design network.
Europe’s challenges require the brightest minds in design to develop solutions that enhance well-being and security, making design integral to solving critical issues from physical spaces to digital innovations. Embracing design methodologies in policymaking, exemplified by the New European Bauhaus movement, demonstrates how design can effectively address societal and regional challenges. Our aim is to position design as a strategic imperative for a prosperous, sustainable, and inclusive Europe.
Putting Our Position into Practice: Partnering with BEDA on EU Calls
Our Position Paper also guides which EU-funded projects BEDA joins. If you are preparing a proposal and would like BEDA on board, please contact us early, ideally about six months before the submission deadline.
We assess every request against the criteria below.
What We Look For
- Alignment with our advocacy goals. The project’s scope and topics are central to the goals set out in our Position Paper.
- Member involvement. A BEDA member is the lead or a partner, because we aim to strengthen our member base.
- Real BEDA expertise. The project draws substantially on the knowledge of our Expert Group (G42), Board Members and Member Organisations.
- Lasting pan-European relationships. The project extends our reach through international partnerships, for example in cultural diplomacy.
What We Consider Case by Case
- Communication and dissemination roles. These are calls that ask BEDA to act as a dissemination or communication partner or lead.
- Network deployment. These are calls that ask BEDA to act as a multiplier through our member network.
What We Generally Decline
- Competing with our members. BEDA takes part only in calls where no member has said it intends to contribute.
- Co-financing obligations, for example 20%. As a non-profit funded by membership fees, BEDA considers these only when the call contributes substantially to the goals in our Position Paper.
To discuss a call, email office [at] beda [dot] org.