WRITTEN QUESTION E-1900/99

by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 October 1999)

Subject: MEDIA II Programme development and distribution (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 the MEDIA II programme for the development and distribution of European audiovisual works (1996-2000) (budget ECU 265 million, equal to approx. LIT 513 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

(30 November 1999)

The Commission will forward directly to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat-General a table containing the list of production and distribution companies which have been allocated funding under the MEDIA II Development and distribution 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 (1996-2000) programme from 1 January 1996 to 30 June 1998(1).

As the programme is intended for production and distribution companies, the companies which receive funding from this programme are essentially private companies whose eligibility is specified in the guidelines of the calls for proposals. Notices of calls for proposals are published in the Official Journal. With regard to the selection and monitoring of beneficiaries, allocation of funding is governed by the text of Council Decision 95/563/EC of 10 July 1995 on the implementation of a programme encouraging the development and distribution of European audiovisual works (MEDIA II Development and distribution) (1996-2000)(2). Funding is allocated mainly in the form of repayable loans. Calls for proposals are published in the Official Journal. The different eligibility and selection criteria which are applicable to the different support mechanisms in development and distribution 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: 6 In implementing the programme, in particular the technical selection of projects, monitoring and evaluation of projects benefiting from the programme's funding and actions for networking, the Commission will ensure that it obtains the expertise of acknowledged specialists in the field of the development and distribution of cinema and television works. 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 calls for proposals, the Commission selected four intermediary organisations 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 organisations which monitor performance of the contracts, and with technical assistance from the horizontal intermediary organisation which monitors payment/collection; it is also assisted by random independent audits of the beneficiaries.

With regard to evaluation of the results, in terms of the success of the initiatives implemented, the Honourable Member should consult the above report(3).

(1) COM(1999) 91 final.

(2) OJ L 321, 30.12.1995.

(3) COM(1999) 91 final.