WRITTEN QUESTION E-1895/99

by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 October 1999)

Subject: MEDIA II programme training (1996-2000)

Will the Commission state what agencies (public or private), institutions, companies, cooperatives and individuals have been allocated funding (specifying whether payments have already been made) under MEDIA II Training programme for professionals in the European audiovisual programme industry (1996-2000) (budget ECU 45 million, equal to approx. LIT 87 billion) and how much each of them has been granted?

Has it checked how the amounts have actually been used and whether the proposed measures have been successfully implemented?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(29 November 1999)

The Commission will forward directly to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat-General a table containing the list of bodies, institutes and companies which have been allocated funding under the Media II Training programme from 1996, which was the first year the programme was implemented, until the first half of 1999.

The Honourable Member should also consult the Commission report on the results obtained under the Media II programme during the period from 1 January 1996 to 30 June 1998(1).

Allocation of funding is governed by the text of Council Decision 95/564/EC of 22 December 1995 on the implementation of a training programme for professionals in the European audiovisual programme industry (Media II Training) (1996-2000)(2). Funding is allocated in the form of grants. Calls for proposals are published in the Official Journal. The different eligibility and selection criteria which are applicable are specified by guidelines.

The selection of beneficiaries is carried out by the Commission, with assistance, in accordance with the methods provided for by the Council Decision: In implementing the programme, in particular the technical selection of projects, monitoring and evaluation of projects benefiting from the programme's funding, the Commission will ensure that it obtains the expertise of acknowledged specialists from the audiovisual sector in the field of professional training. To this end, it can if necessary involve intermediary organisations which, on the basis of their professional expertise, will provide technical assistance and will formulate proposals for the choice of the beneficiaries, without prejudice to other selection methods.

Following a call for proposals, the Commission selected an intermediary organisation (Media Training intermediary organisation, based in Madrid) to provide it with the necessary technical assistance.

Moreover, the Commission avails itself of panels of independent experts for the process of selecting beneficiaries. These are recognised professionals in the sector.

Use of funding allocated is determined by the contractual arrangements between the Commission and each of the beneficiaries. Monitoring is carried out mainly by the Commission, with technical assistance from the sectoral intermediary organisation which monitors performance of the contracts, and with technical assistance from the horizontal intermediary organisation which monitors payment and collection; it is also assisted by random independent audits of the beneficiaries.

With regard to the success of the initiatives implemented, the Honourable Member should consult the above report.

(1) COM(1999) 91 final.

(2) OJ L 321, 30.12.1995.