23/10/2003 - "Production is doing well but distribution must improve: 625 European films produced in 2002": The EU Commissioner for Cultural Affairs, Viviane Reding, opening the Media Days in Munich

The Media Days ("Medientage") meetings have started in Munich, with a speech made by the European Commissioner for Cultural Affairs and the Audiovisual Industry, Viviane Reding. The event is being organised by FFF Bayern.
Reding gave a positive overview of European production, but she stressed that the current state of distribution in the member states is less satisfactory: "In 2002 there were 625 films made in Europe, as opposed to 449 American productions for the same period, and we can all remember at least one good European film we’ve seen over the last few months. Unfortunately the treatment of these works have at the hands of the cinemas or on television leaves much to be desired: only 28% of films distributed in the European Union come from one of the member states. The distribution of films from central or eastern Europe is also disappointing: there have only been 49 films distributed in the European Union from 1996 to date, less than 1% in respect to the normal distribution levels for the same period".

The various countries also have too many different approaches towards the conservation and safeguarding of European films, and these should be unified under a single system.

In addition, Viviane Reding stressed the basic principles of the European MEDIA programme, which include strengthening the European cinematographic industry’s ability to compete in the world market, the support for new audiovisual projects through the banks and other financial spheres, and the ways of introducing new technology, especially in the digital sphere.

(Translated from Italian)