A new elan for the Swiss industry
by Vitor Pinto
Switzerland is since the 1st of January 2006 the 30th member of the MEDIA programme.
This brings to a close a process that began in 1991, when Switzerland became the first non-EU member state to take part in the MEDIA programme. However, when the Swiss said "no" to the European Economic Area, participation by the country in the actions cofinanced by the MEDIA programme was immediately interrupted. In 2000, Swiss professionals were given the right to participate in the professional training courses offered by the MEDIA programme. - provided special conditions were met. – Compensatory measures have also been created in the fields of development, distribution and promotion (Cineuropa is supported by SwissFilms under these measures).
Initially scheduled for May 2005, the total integration of Switzerland had been postponed until January 2006. The contract with the EU obliged Switzerland to pay an annual contribution of 4.07 M€ to the MEDIA programme and the Swiss Federal Council decided not to concede that amount in the previous year. As the decision concerning the budget for MEDIA 2007 – which will be operational until 2013 – is still pending, Swiss professionals may from now on take part in all of the MEDIA Plus and MEDIA Training programme initiatives.
Interested parties may contact Ms Rachel Schmid:
MEDIA Desk Suisse
Neügasse 6,
CH -8005 Zurich – Switzerland
Phone : 00 41 43 960 39 29
Fax : 00 41 43 211 40 60
e-mail : rachel.schmid@euroinfo.ch
Website : Euroinfo.
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