Overview: Media 2007
MEDIA 2007
On 15th of November the European Parliament and the Council adopted a new programme to support the European audiovisual sector: MEDIA 2007. The budget will be €755 million over seven years (2007-13).
Decision No 1718/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 November 2006 concerning the implementation of a programme of support for the European audiovisual sector (MEDIA 2007)
Like its forerunners, MEDIA 2007 will focus on preproduction and post-production activities (distribution and promotion). However, in contrast to MEDIA II (1996-2000) and MEDIA Plus/MEDIA Training (2001-2006), EU funding will be channeled through a single programme.
The new focus
The consequences of the digital revolution and the enlargement of the EU for the European audiovisual market required a radical rethink of the priorities and structure of the new programme. The public consultation carried out by the Commission in preparation for MEDIA 2007 identified areas where changes were required. Firstly, action under the MEDIA programme had to be adapted to developments in technology and the market, to reflect the consequences of digitisation. MEDIA 2007 also had to address the problems of audiovisual professionals in the new EU countries, and include innovative, targeted action in the field of digitisation and measures to facilitate access to credit for small and medium-sized businesses.
The overall objectives of MEDIA 2007 have been decided on the basis of these requirements.
Objectives:
- to preserve and enhance European cultural diversity and its cinematographic and audiovisual heritage, guarantee accessibility to this for Europeans and promote intercultural dialogue;
- to increase the circulation of European audiovisual works inside and outside the European Union;
- to strengthen the competitiveness of the European audiovisual sector in the framework of an open and competitive market.
Measures funded under MEDIA 2007 must:
- take account of both the importance of the creative process in the European audiovisual sector and the cultural value of Europe's cinematographic and audiovisual heritage.
- strengthen the production structures of small businesses to make the European audiovisual sector more competitive, as they constitute its core. This will mean contributing to the spread of a business culture for the sector and facilitating private investment.
- reduce imbalances between European countries with a high audiovisual production capacity and countries with low production capacity or a restricted linguistic area. This priority responds to the need to preserve and enhance cultural diversity and inter-cultural dialogue in Europe. It will foster transparency and competition on the single market, and thereby potential economic growth for the whole Union.
Finally, the programme will follow and support market developments with regard to digitisation. It will put in place measures to accompany the changes that digitisation is producing in the audiovisual sector at all stages of the production and distribution chain, including in terms of
new skills for professionals in the sector.