Structures, oversight and strategy
Founded in 1990 by France and Germany, ARTE’s mission is to create and broadcast cultural programmes that promote understanding between Europeans and bring them closer together.
Organised in the form of an economic interest grouping (GEIE), ARTE is made up of three separate companies in France and Germany: the ARTE GEIE head office and broadcasting centre in Strasbourg, and two publishing and content companies, ARTE France and ARTE Deutschland.
ARTE’s decision-making bodies are made up of French and German representatives from ARTE France and ARTE Deutschland. The Channel is managed on a day-to-day basis by the Management Board, under the aegis of the General Assembly.
To find out more about ARTE → How we work
Control mechanisms and auditing
In its day-to-day activities, ARTE is committed to complying with ethical and professional standards, to promoting responsible behaviour and improving transparency throughout its operations. At a time when fake news and heated discussions are the order of the day, ARTE is also committed to monitoring its output and ensuring the data entrusted to it are protected. Oversight systems have been put in place both in-house and by external agencies.
The in-house system follows the four-eye principle, which separates the authorising officer from the payer. The people responsible for approving expenditure are not the accountants who make the payments. The choice of suppliers and partners is governed by strict rules, in compliance with European legislation. An independent internal audit regularly examines our activities and how they are operating, and suggests improvements.
ARTE GEIE’s management is supervised by the two financial controllers appointed by the General Assembly and representing the two members: Laurent Clerc, Administrative and Financial Director of ARTE France, and Markus Nievelstein, Managing Director of ARTE Deutschland. They ensure that our finances are managed transparently and efficiently. The accounts are audited by the statutory auditors, who are also appointed by the General Assembly.
The external audit, entrusted to an external audit committee, is responsible for examining how the General Assembly’s resolutions are implemented, and whether the legal provisions, directives and internal rules in force have been complied with during the term of office of the Management Board. It assesses the efficiency and economy of our management structure, and ensures that we have proper systems in place to detect and manage risks in good time. This external audit committee is made up of an external service provider specialising in the evaluation of company management, and two members appointed by the courts responsible for auditing the French and German divisions (Cour des Comptes and Rechnungshof).
Documents:
↓ Code of Conduct and Professional Ethics
Contact: referentethique@arte.tv
ARTE’s strategy: the Group Project
The Group Project is the backbone of ARTE’s strategy. Negotiated bilaterally every four years between the French and German constituting parties of ARTE and voted on at the General Assembly, it strengthens the cohesion and coordination of ARTE’s separate companies.
This document establishes ARTE’s ambitions and strategic objectives for the next four years. The strategic guidelines it contains serve as a basis for negotiating the resources set out in the Contract of Objectives and Means (COM), on the French side, and for declaring financial requirements to the Independent Commission for the Assessment of the Financial Requirements of Public Service Broadcasters (KEF), on the German side.
The 2025–2028 Group Project is the result of a collaborative process involving five working groups and all ARTE Group employees. The thematic working groups, which cut across the entire Group, pooled their thoughts and experiences in order to come up with strategic proposals. All ARTE employees were involved in the process, through consultations on each strategic area. In addition, almost 50 colleagues were asked to contribute their expertise on specific topics.
More digital, more focused on younger audiences, more European – the strategic objectives for 2025–2028
The Group Project 2025-2028 focuses on five strategic areas and sets out eight objectives. They are accompanied by sub-objectives, deliverables and key indicators.
Objective 1: Prepare for a predominantly digital future and offer more content for young people, while remaining in tune with the aspirations and viewing habits of our audiences.
Objective 2: Continue our European development drive in order to create a platform for all Europeans.
Objective 3: Improve our programme distribution for German, French and European audiences.
Objective 4: Strengthen ARTE brand attribution around and within programmes.
Objective 5: Offer a unique experience on the arte.tv platform.
Objective 6: Ensure that users can continue to find our content in the age of AI and personal assistants.
Objective 7: To be a beacon of accountability by placing transparency, reliability and exemplary conduct at the heart of our operations and our relationship with our audiences.
Objective 8: Simplify and streamline the way we work so that we can focus our resources on the Group’s strategic objectives
Implementation plans
Every year, these objectives are translated into an implementation plan containing concrete, operational measures and projects, which are also submitted to the General Assembly for approval.