WRITTEN QUESTION P-1430/97 by Helena Vaz da Silva (PPE) to the Commission (16 April 1997)

Subject: Media II

Media II was launched in the second half of 1996 to ensure that funds earmarked for the three areas in question (training, development and distribution) were actually utilized in 1996.

Now that the 1996 financial year has closed, will the Commission inform the European Parliament about Media II in the 1996 financial year, in particular with regard to the following:

1. Were the funds allocated fully utilized to finance the three actions envisaged?

2. Can the Commission provide Parliament with evidence of the 'quantum leap' made in relation to Media I? In the field of vocational training for instance, what 'added value' has been conferred by Media II when many vocational training activities in this sector are financed by the Member States?

3. Can the Commission provide the European Parliament with information on the state of progress of the last objective still to be implemented, i.e. the automatic support mechanism for film distribution?

Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission (12 June 1997)

1. The final budget breakdown is as follows (in ecus):

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Thus the commitment rate works out at 97%, which is high for the first year of the Programme.

2. Decision 95/564/EC of 22 December 1995 establishing the Media II Programme * Training ((OJ L 321, 30.12.1995. )), explicitly states that measures implemented by the Commission as part of the Programme must support and complement action taken by authorities in the Member States, in line with the principle of subsidiarity.

In 1996, the Commission complied with the principle, which is stated on the calls for proposals, in co-financing over 60 training courses submitted by 37 organisations (training centres, businesses, universities and associations). The training courses provide European audio-visual professionals with an opportunity to expand their knowledge and hone their skills in areas where there is a clear need for initiatives at European level, e.g. business management (including the legal aspects), use of new technologies and script-writing techniques.

For 1996, the training programmes were selected using the professional expertise procedure provided for by the Decision, on the basis of their European dimension. The European value added is assessed by looking at the course content, accessibility for non-nationals, partnerships with industry and the prospects for network formation.

With a provisional budget of ECU 45 million for a five-year period, the training section of the second Media Programme is designed to meet all the requirements identified in the preparatory phase through consultations with all concerned. The objectives are: to enable professionals to develop their activities at European and international level by giving them the chance to update their skills; to enable organisations involved in training (training centres, businesses, professional associations etc.) the opportunity to give their courses a European dimension and to encourage them to include market-oriented material; and, lastly, to foster the emergence of a network of training opportunities by facilitating exchanges of know-how and experience.

3. In line with the timetable laid down in Council Decision 95/563/EC establishing Media II * Development and Disitribution,¹ the Commission sent the Media Committee a study on implementation of the automatic support system for cinema distribution at the end of 1996, the Programme's first year. On the basis of this study and feedback gathered by the Media Committee through regular consultations on how the system was working, the Commission presented draft guidelines for the system to the Committee at its meeting on 22 April.

The system should be operational by the second half of 1997, if the timetable is observed.