Reding presents MEDIA 2007 at Brussels’ European Film Festival
by Chantal Gras
Viviane Reding, European Commissioner for the Information Society and Media, used the occasion of the Brussels European Film Festival to provide some explanations about the new MEDIA programme, which will start in 2007.
The significant reduction in the overall budget of the EU has led to cutbacks in all sectors, the audiovisual sector included, and has thus called for a thorough redefinition of priorities. Over the next seven years, the MEDIA programme budget will be €755m instead of the expected €1bn. "It will be necessary to concentrate on projects that bring a truly European added value," the Commissioner pointed out.
After its second reading in the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers is to give its final approval in late November. Beneficiaries of the Programme should expect serious delays in payment of funding in 2007.
The general philosophy and funding structure of the MEDIA Programme remains unchanged, with 55% for distribution, 20% for development, 9% for promotion, 7% for training, 4% for pilot projects and 5% for the running of the MEDIA desks and the European Audiovisual Observatory.
Aside from the budgets available, VOD (video-on-demand ) is expected to be given a predominant role in the new Programme. Commenting on this, the Commissioner has said she is very pleased about the very recent signature at the Cannes Film Festival of the first “European Film Online Charter" between film industry professionals, content developers, telecom operators and suppliers of online services, among which she wanted to encourage discussion.
Telecommunications and Internet suppliers are currently not obliged to invest in film production, but the new Services Directive (formerly entitled Television Without Borders) foresees that the Member States "can" prevent them from doing so, without having to face legal opposition.
The recent adoption of the "Bolkestein" Directive (free circulation of services) has incited Belgian Minister of Culture Fadila Laanan – echoing the sentiments of certain filmmakers – to publicly denounce the terms used in the final text, stating that the exceptions exempt from obligatory liberalisation thereby permit the authorisation of particular measures by national governments through the use of the term "audiovisual services".
For Commissioner Reding, no ambiguity and no nuances are implied by the term, as the entire audiovisual sector is excluded from Bolkestein, and not only services within audiovisual, as some may fear.
(Translated from French)
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