Brussels, 22/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - Some ten European professional organisations (CEPI , Eurocinema, Europa distribution, EPC, EuroFIA, FERA, FIAD, FIAPF, IVF, UNIC and UNI-MEI), representing European authors, actors, producers, distributors, editors and technicians in the cinema and audiovisual sector, published a press release on Monday 21 May expressing their concerns at the revision in progress of the rules on state aid to the cinematographic and audiovisual sector, which the European Commission intends to launch in the second half of this year.
The organisations concerned feel that the Commission should take account of the opinion expressed by sector in question within the framework of the consultation underway. The sector calls on it to leave in place the current territorialisation regime, which allows the member states to insist that 80% of the budget of a film is spent on its territory, instead of replacing it with a criterion requiring 100% of the aid to be spent within the European Economic Area. They argue that a change to the current criteria may lead to disguised territorialisation at national level and would not improve transparency or legal certainty, but would instead carry the risk of increasing the administrative burden. In the worst-case scenario, the organisations argue, this change could lead to a reduction in funds to support cinematographic creation on the part of the member states, with serious consequences for the cinematographic and audiovisual industry, a sector which provides many jobs in Europe and boasts enormous growth potential. (FG/transl.fl)