This Week in Arts & Culture — Brussels (#12, 2026)
EU adopts Designs Regulation 2026/715; CULT opinion on Horizon Europe 2028-34 stresses arts, culture, creative industries; no Parliament or Council activity.
March 29, 2026 to April 04, 2026
EU adopts Designs Regulation 2026/715; CULT opinion on Horizon Europe 2028-34 stresses arts, culture, creative industries; no Parliament or Council activity.
📋 In This Week's Newsletter
• ⚖️ EU Legislation
• ✒️ EP Committee Work
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week
EU Legislation (Official Journal)
Regulation (EU) 2026/715 on European Union Designs enters into force
Regulation (EU) 2026/715 of the European Parliament and of the Council, adopted on 11 March 2026 and published in OJ L on 30 March 2026 (CELEX: 32026R0715), codifies and updates the legal protection of designs at EU level. The new regulation replaces Council Regulation (EC) No 6/2002 and harmonises design rights, including provisions on registration, unregistered designs, scope of protection, invalidity, and enforcement. It introduces updated definitions, adapts rules for digital and animated designs, addresses 3D printing and copyright overlap, and mandates the EUIPO to further promote design awareness. Regulation 2026/715 enters into force on 1 July 2026 and is applicable in all Member States.
EP Committee Work
CULT Committee Opinion: Horizon Europe 2028–2034—creative industries and cultural heritage
The Committee on Culture and Education (CULT), rapporteur Laurence Farreng, adopted its opinion on the proposal for a regulation establishing Horizon Europe, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation 2028–2034 (2025/0543(COD)), on 30 March 2026. The opinion calls for reinforced recognition of cultural and creative industries (CCI), support for research into cultural heritage, and cross-border innovation ecosystems. Amendments propose a 40% earmark for CCI and cultural heritage under the 'Society' pillar, further integration of social sciences and humanities, and support for the New European Bauhaus. The CULT opinion also stresses the importance of open science, gender balance, academic freedom, and the structural inclusion of arts and culture throughout the programme.
What We're Reading This Week
- Easter processions in Spain in pictures: from Seville to Zamora to Málaga | Fotos | Culture: Vivid images capture Spain’s diverse Easter processions, highlighting regional traditions and religious fervor across cities like Seville and Málaga.
- ‘Nothing like the Louvre’: Italian art museum hit by cyberattack: A major cyberattack disrupts operations at a prominent Italian art museum, raising concerns over security in cultural institutions.
- Brussels festival unveils rare Art Deco and Art Nouveau gems: Visitors gain exclusive access to seldom-seen Art Deco and Art Nouveau sites as Brussels opens its architectural treasures.
- Frozen Ever After: Disneyland Paris opens 'Snow Queen World' after €2 billion expansion: Disneyland Paris unveils its new "Snow Queen World" attraction, marking a major milestone in its €2 billion expansion project.
- Video. Polish theatre uses dance to reimagine 'The Picture of Dorian Gray': A Polish theatre company blends dance and drama to offer a fresh interpretation of Oscar Wilde's classic novel.
