Battle likely over aid to film industry

Date: 11/05/2000

By John Shelley

CULTURE ministers will next week consider plans to boost Europe's ailing film industry with an aid package worth €400 million.

Aides to Culture Commissioner Viviane Reding are confident that her Media Plus programme will be broadly endorsed by member states, but admit that tough negotiations are likely over the precise level of funding for the scheme. "On the content, we are very optimistic. There will be some amendments but the subject matter is not really going to be a problem," said one. "What is more of a concern will be getting an agreement on the budget."

Under the proposals, €350 million would be set aside for developing, distributing and promoting audio-visual projects in the EU between 2001 and 2005. A further €50 million would be spent on commercial, legal and technical training to help an industry which employs more than one million people in Europe, but which officials fear is ill prepared to tackle the explosive growth in digital technology, television channels and the Internet. The total proposed budget would be an increase of a third over the €300 million spent over the past five years.

Some EU governments, notably the UK and the Netherlands, are likely to object to such a steep increase, while others are expected to push for more. The European Parliament is also expected to demand additional funding for the project, possibly asking for as much as €600 million when it discusses the plan, probably in July.

In May 2000, culture ministers will consider plans to boost Europe's ailing film industry with an aid package worth €400 million.