The European Commission has officially recommended the revocation of a two-million-euro EU grant to the Venice Biennale, following the decision to reopen the Russian pavilion at the exhibition inaugurated last May. The recommendation was announced on social media by the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Henna Virkkunen, who specified that the recommendation has been transmitted to the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), the body responsible for managing EU funds.

Virkkunen stated that the decision follows a thorough assessment of the responses provided by the Biennale to justify the reopening of the Russian pavilion, which had been closed since 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The culture in Europe, funded with taxpayers' money, should promote and safeguard democratic values, Virkkunen said, adding that such values are not respected in today's Russia.

The reopening of the pavilion was decided by the president of the Biennale, Pietrangelo Buttafuoco. The decision met opposition from the Italian government, and in particular from Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli, who sent inspectors to Venice.

The European Commission had already challenged the decision, considering it a possible violation of EU regulations linked to sanctions against Moscow. The procedure for revoking the funding was initiated in April: on April 23 the revocation was officially communicated to the Biennale, with a deadline of thirty days to amend the decision or provide further clarification.

The reopening of the Russian pavilion also prompted protests in Venice, including actions by the Pussy Riot collective and the Femen group. According to some reports, the Biennale has indicated its intention to challenge the decision.