European film agencies challenge the European Commission on its “Cinema Communication” draft on cinema and audiovisual funding

European film agencies challenge the European Commission on its “Cinema Communication” draft on cinema and audiovisual funding

30 July 2013

A joint letter signed by all European film agency directors has just been sent to the European Commission, in response to the new “Cinema Communication” draft made public on April 30.
The European film agencies united to express their deep concern about the new rules envisaged by the Commission.

Until now, Member States and regions have effectively been free to ask that a substantial part of the budget of supported cinematographic and audiovisual works be spent on their territory.

The rationale behind this link between aid and territory is both economic and cultural: it aims to ensure States and regions a fair return on investment, and to promote the development of local film production in each European country.

The European film agencies are concerned that the Commission’s draft drastically reduces this possibility of territorialization. They emphasize that this new approach would jeopardize the existing support schemes in Europe - such as those of France or Germany - which "are critical to ensuring the financing of European film and audiovisual creation in all its diversity."

In a context of economic, financial and budgetary crisis, it would compromise the European film industry as a whole, as well as the jobs associated with it. The consequences of the implementation of the new rules proposed by the Commission would be significant and very negative for European cinema: the decrease in public cinema support would result in a decrease in the number and diversity of films produced and distributed in Europe.

It is for this reason that the European film agencies came together to call solemnly on the Commission to waive its proposal on territorialization rules. The existing rules have been in operation for more than ten years in Europe, and have proven their effectiveness by allowing the European film industry to flourish and grow.
 
They call on the Commission to adopt a more flexible approach and to demonstrate its commitment in favor of cultural diversity.

These concerns expressed by the European film agencies have also been highlighted in the many contributions sent during the Commission's consultation, which was open until 28 June 2013.

Signatories:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.


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Link to the letter of the CNC