• The number of fiscal incentive (tax credits, rebates and tax shelter) schemes more than doubled between 2008 and 2014 (up from 12 to 26 schemes)
• 74.9% of film funding in Europe came from national/federal funds (a yearly average of EUR 1 895 million)
• The average yearly spend for film and AV funds in Europe totalled  EUR 2.29 billion

These are the findings of Public financing for film and television content – the state of soft money in Europe  just published by the European Audiovisual Observatory, part of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. This new report, authored by Observatory Analyst Julio Talavera Milla, will be presented on Saturday 6^th of August at the Festival del film Locarno during the Festival’s Industry Days. The report analyses extensive European film and TV financing economic data for the period 2010 – 2014. More information on how to purchase this report here. Bona fide journalists can request a free press copy from nathalie.fundone@coe.int

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Bullet points from Julio Talavera Milla:

There were 250 film funds active during the period examined. This is a very stable figure as 20 new funds were created and 21 shut down during the time frame of the report.

The yearly average income of film and AV funds in Europe was EUR 2.53 billion (the sum of all profiles of film funds – national/federal funds, sub-national - regional and local funds -  and supranational).

29.7% of the funds in Europe were national/federal (58.2), accounting for 74.9% of the total incoming resources (a yearly average of EUR 1 895 million for purely national funds).

France alone accounted for a massive 42% of the incoming resources for film and audiovisual funds in Europe (followed at a great distance by the other 4 big markets in the EU). This is mostly due to massive mandatory contributions from broadcasters to the CNC.

Contributions from the national/federal government and Broadcasting levies were the two main sources of financing for film and audiovisual funds in Europe.

Contributions from the administration at all geographical levels have hardly compensated for the steady decline of income from levies on broadcasters

The average yearly spend for film and AV funds in Europe totalled EUR 2.29 billion. The new report underlines a rise of 13.4 % over the time frame covered.

Theatrical production accounted for 41% of all resources spent in Europe between 2010 and 2014 – 54% when we exclude France, and grew steadily over the entire period of analysis; it was followed by spend in TV production from a distance.

Although quite limited in absolute terms, the support of video games is the type of activity for which support experienced the most remarkable surge. Conversely, the support for digitization of theatres dropped drastically as digital roll-out has almost concluded in Europe.

The second chapter of this report up-dates the findings of the Fiscal Incentives report commissioned by the Observatory from Olsberg SPI in 2014. The up-dated findings reveal that the number of operational fiscal incentive schemes more than doubled between 2008 and 2014, rising from 12 to 26 schemes.