WRITTEN QUESTION P-3235/00 by Brice Hortefeux (PPE-DE) to the Commission. MEDIA Programme and financial support for festivals.
Date: 2000-10-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, EU programme, EU sponsorship, cultural event, cultural policy, cultural promotion, economic support

C 136 E/212

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.5.2001

(2001/C 136 E/247)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3235/00

by Brice Hortefeux (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: MEDIA Programme and financial support for festivals

(12 October 2000)

The 26 September 2000 Council Meeting of Culture Ministers failed to reach an agreement on funding for
the MEDIA+ Programme, the purpose of which is, inter alia, to encourage the inclusion of European
audiovisual works in the programmes of European and international festivals (cid:129) this being part of a wider
aim, namely to promote and improve the access of European works and programmes to European and
international markets.

Increasing the funding for festivals by one million euros to a total of three million per year would enable
the European dimension of such events to be enhanced (additional scheduling of European films, a higher
percentage of European works, greater attendance by Europeans working in the audiovisual field, and so
on) and more ambitious activities to be undertaken by the networks for the benefit of the European
cinema, through the involvement of a larger number of festivals.

1.

Does the Commission agree with this view, which in financial terms is highly reasonable?

2. May it be hoped that,
mentioned amount will be allocated to festivals?

irrespective of the final budget for the MEDIA+ Programme, the above-

Answer given by Mrs. Reding on behalf of the Commission

(9 November 2000)

in the proposal

for a decision MEDIA PLUS explicitly mentions the
The chapter on (cid:145)promotion(cid:146)
programme(cid:146)s actions for festivals, in particular support for audio-visual festivals carried out in partnership
and containing a significant proportion of European works in their programmes.
It also mentions
encouraging joint projects with a European dimension involving audio-visual events, with a common
action plan for the promotion of European audio-visual works and their distribution.

The budget allocation for these actions in the MEDIA PLUS proposal is € 10 million for the duration of the
programme, i.e. an average increase of 10-15 % on previous years. This budget estimate is based on a sub-
total of € 30 million for the programme(cid:146)s (cid:145)promotion(cid:146) actions and on an overall budget of € 400 million.

The Commission(cid:146)s proposed budget breakdown is based both on the specific estimates and forecasts
regarding the budgets necessary for the implementation of the programme(cid:146)s various courses of action, and
on the resources available.

In conclusion, the Commission is unable to comment definitively on the programme(cid:146)s budget at this stage
in the negotiations.

(2001/C 136 E/248)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3244/00

by Neil MacCormick (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Use of biological weapons against drug-growers

(20 October 2000)

Is the Commission aware of reports (e.g. Observer, London, 17 September 2000) that Member States are
engaged in developing biological agents aimed at eradicating plants used for the manufacture of prohibited
drugs? Can the Commission confirm that any use of such agents within the territory of the EU would be
contrary to the precautionary principle and would be illegal?