Audiovisual sector: cooperation programme with professionals from third countries, MEDIA Mundus

PURPOSE: to establish a programme MEDIA Mundus to fund projects for international cooperation with professionals in third countries in the audiovisual sector.

PROPOSED ACT: Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council.

BACKGROUND: the international audiovisual landscape has changed significantly over the last 2 decades, notably from the impact of technological developments. New players and platforms have emerged, boosting or requiring more content production, notably for emerging markets where growth is extremely promising. However, structural weaknesses affecting the circulation of European audiovisual works on third country markets prevent the European audiovisual industry from benefiting fully from this new expansion of international opportunities and threaten the competitiveness of this industry.

The European Parliament adopted, on 13 December 2007, a preparatory action called MEDIA International, focusing on developing EU relations with third-country audiovisual markets. The subsequent call for proposals was successful, attracting strong interest from the industry. 18 projects were selected. Parliament is currently renewing the preparatory action for 2009 with an increased budget. Ministers responsible for audiovisual matters in the EU met informally in Cannes on 19 May 2008, and adopted a declaration welcoming the European Parliament’s initiative on the MEDIA International preparatory action. 

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: the impact assessment considered 3 options: taking no action; the extension of existing instruments Euromed Audiovisual II, the EU-ACP programme for Cinema, and MEDIA 2007; and the creation of a new instrument MEDIA Mundus. The Commission concluded that the creation of a new instrument would be the most effective way to meet the general and specific objectives and to respond to the challenges arising from the internationalisation of audiovisual markets.

CONTENT: the proposal is to set up a new programme called MEDIA Mundus. The 3 general policy objectives of the programme are:

• to increase the competitiveness of the EU audiovisual industry on international markets;
• to enable Europe to play its cultural and political role in the world;
• to increase consumer choice and cultural diversity.

These objectives can be detailed in 3 specific objectives:

• to increase information exchange, training and market intelligence;
• to improve the competitiveness and transnational distribution of audiovisual works worldwide;
• to improve circulation and exposure of audiovisual works worldwide and to increase public (in particular young public) demand for cultural diversity.

Following the principle of mutual benefit, professionals from countries participating in the programme and from other countries would jointly propose and implement projects under the proposed action lines. Funding would be available for consortia only, and under three basic premises: (1) any group/consortium which submits a project needs to be owned, whether directly or by majority participation, by EU nationals; (2) any group/consortium should include at least one audiovisual company/organisation which has its head office in a third country; (3) each project needs to have a minimum of 3 partners and shall significantly boost an international networking effect.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: the total budget for the actions (2011-2013) amounts to EUR 13.5 million:

• information exchange, training and market intelligence (specific objective 1): EUR 2.7 million;
• competitiveness and distribution: (specific objective 2) EUR 5.1 million, circulation (specific objective 3): EUR 5.7 million.

The overall budget for actions and for implementing this programme amounts to EUR 15 million.