11 June Culture Council

Date: 13/06/1996

CULTURE ministers, in a move likely to incense MEPs, voted not to impose mandatory limits on the number of Hollywood programmes shown on European screens. Under the existing rules, EU broadcasters are obliged to screen a minimum of 50&percent; home-made programmes, but only “where practicable” - a legal loophole which the Parliament wants removed. The decision by ministers not to heed MEPs' wishes is likely to trigger a furious row between the two institutions. Less than half of the assembly's amendments - and none of the important ones - were taken on board by the Council. Ministers rejected, for example, the Parliament's call to include new online services such as video-on-demand and teleshopping within the scope of the directive. They also shot down an amendment which would have forced television manufacturers to build sets which would allow parents to block programmes deemed unsuitable for their children. Given that the two institutions share decision-making powers on this dossier, MEPs are unlikely to take kindly to the Council's position. But should the two end up in formal negotiations, the Parliament will be in a weaker negotiating position. If an agreement is not reached during the conciliation procedure, the 1989 version of the TV Without Frontiers Directive - which is close to the Council's position - will stand.

MINISTERS did agree, however, to restrict the insertion of advertisements into fiction programmes to once every 45 minutes, with a maximum of 20&percent; of screen time devoted to publicity each day and to forbid stations from setting up shop in liberal EU countries to avoid strict rules at home.

DISCUSSIONS were held, but no agreement reached, on a plan to set up a special guarantee fund from which film-makers could get loans. The fund was proposed by the Commission to help bolster Europe's ailing film industry, and was seen as a market-oriented alternative to quotas. But finance ministers from the UK, Germany and the Netherlands, arguing it would not attract private sector investment, rejected the proposal. The Commission has agreed to redraft it by the end of the year.

THE UK blocked four measures at the Culture Council as part of its non-cooperation campaign to get the export ban on British beef lifted. Programmes to translate books written in obscure EU languages, to preserve Europe's cultural heritage, to promote citizens' access to culture and a resolution on electronic publishing all fell victim to the UK's policy.