Abstract
Audiovisual works, in particular films, play an important role in shaping European identities and reflecting the EU’s cultural diversity. This chapter looks at the European Commission’s activities in relation to public film funding. It begins with a historic overview of the objectives of the European Commission in its approach to the audiovisual sector. It then turns to the concrete realizations of the Commission via its own funding programmes (the MEDIA programme) as well as through its State aid control of Member States’ financing schemes.
The chapter continues with a discussion of the digital transition, emphasizing the possibilities this may bring with it for the Commission to realize a more ambitious programme for the European film sector. However, various and sometimes opposing digital trends are added to an existing set of challenges. Therefore, the chapter concludes with a reality check in terms of what the Commission’s role in shaping the digital European film sector can amount to. The stated objective of realizing a digital single market for films does not seem to be achievable without giving up the carefully struck balance between the different (industrial and cultural, national and European) interests around the table. For the time being, the European film market looks to remain complex and fragmented.
The views expressed in this chapter are purely those of the authors and may not under any circumstances be regarded as stating an official position of the European Commission and/or its DG Competition.
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Notes
- 1.
Now Article 167 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) (European Union, 2010).
- 2.
The principle of subsidiarity is defined in Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union and refers to the principle that the EU only takes action (except in areas falling within its exclusive competence) when it is more effective than the national, regional, or local level.
- 3.
It has to be noted that the EU’s own support schemes such as MEDIA fall outside the scope of the Commission’s State aid review (European Commission, 2013a).
- 4.
That is, infractions of the principle that discrimination against nationals of another Member State is prohibited, e.g. when restricting possibilities for nationals of other Member States to work as producers or otherwise participate in supported films.
- 5.
Creative Europe Desks are in place in every Member State. They form the link between the MEDIA programme and the professionals in their country by providing information and assistance.
- 6.
NB: all three examples received MEDIA support.
- 7.
A final evaluation of the MEDIA programme’s results for the period 2007–2013 will be integrated into the midterm evaluation of the Creative Europe programme, expected in December 2017 (Dossi, 2016).
- 8.
- 9.
Release windows determine the order and timetable according to which a film can be released across different media “windows” after its theatrical release (Paris, 2014).
- 10.
Geo-blocking refers to the practices that make it impossible for consumers to access websites or (content) offers in other Member States (European Commission, 2015).
- 11.
Initially set down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 1998/2006 of 15 December 2006 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the Treaty to de minimis aid (OJ L 379, 28.12.2006, p. 5). In 2013, the Commission adopted a new de minimis Regulation, Commission Regulation (EU) No 1407/2013 of 18 December 2013 on the application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to de minimis aid (OJ L 352, 24.12.2013, p. 1).
- 12.
See State aid SA.38418 (2014/N) (ex 2014/N)—Germany Filmförderungsgesetz, http://ec.europa.eu/competition/elojade/isef/case_details.cfm?proc_code=3_SA_38418
- 13.
E.g. Netflix, which targets the European Union from its offices in The Netherlands.
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De Vinck, S., Pauwels, C. (2018). The European Commission’s Approach to Film Funding: Striking a Difficult Balance. In: Murschetz, P., Teichmann, R., Karmasin, M. (eds) Handbook of State Aid for Film. Media Business and Innovation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71716-6_11
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