Opinion of the Committee of the Region on a Proposal for a decision of the EP and of the Council modifying Council Decision No 821/2000/EC of 20 December 2000 on the implementation of a programme to encourage the development, distribution and promotion of European audiovisual works (MEDIA Plus — Development, Distribution and Promotion)
Date: 2003-10-09
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: EU programme, European Committee of the Regions, audiovisual production, cultural policy, opinion

C 23/24

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

27.1.2004

considers that the successor programme to Culture
2.4.
2000 should focus its activities on local and regional level
activities rather than major, large-scale actions in this way
allowing increased participation;

2.5.
calls on the Commission to ensure that regional and
miNority languages are integrated into mainstream pro-
grammes like Culture 2000 and its successor programme in the
spirit of the upcoming EU language strategy and action plan;

urges the Commission to simplify its administrative

2.7.
procedures in line with the principle of proportionality;

calls on the Commission to ensure that in future,
2.8.
promoters of selected projects receive EC funding quickly and
are Not subject to undue delays which can be disastrous for
smaller operators;

2.6.
judges that the future programme of cultural co-
operation should Not only allow but actively encourage inter-
disciplinary projects;

2.9.
requests that the project selection process be improved
with the jury chosen on the basis of their being specialists in
their field and projects selected only on artistic merit.

Brussels, 9 October 2003.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Albert BORE

Opinion of the Committee of the Region on:

— a ‘Proposal for a decision of the EP and of the Council modifying Council Decision No 821/
2000/EC of 20 December 2000 on the implementation of a programme to encourage the
development, distribution and promotion of European audiovisual works (MEDIA Plus —
Development, Distribution and Promotion)’, and

— a ‘Proposal for a decision of the EP and of the Council modifying Decision No 163/2001/EC
of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 January 2001 on the implementation of
a training programme for professionals in the European audiovisual programme industry
(MEDIA-Training) (2001-2005)’

(2004/C 23/06)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the Proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council modifying
Council Decision No 821/2000/EC of 20 December 2000 on the implementation of a programme to
encourage the development, distribution and promotion of European audiovisual works (MEDIA Plus —
Development, Distribution and Promotion (COM(2003) 191 final — 2003/0067 (COD));

having regard to the proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 January
2001 on the implementation of a training programme for professionals in the European audiovisual
programme industry (MEDIA-Training) (2001-2005) (COM(2003) 188 final — 2003/0064 (COD));

having regard to decision of the Council of 5 May 2003 to consult it on this subject, under the first
paragraph of Article 265 and Article 150 of the Treaty establishing the European Community;

27.1.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 23/25

having regard to the decision of its President of 23 January 2003 to instruct its Commission for Culture
and Education to draw up an Opinion on this subject;

having regard to its draft Opinion (CdR 166/2003 rev.) adopted on 11 July 2003 by the Commission for
Culture and Education (rapporteur: Mrs Susie Kemp, Member of West Berkshire Council (UK/EPP);

Whereas:

1)

2)

3)

The Council and the European Parliament by Decision No 163/2001/EC established the programme
MEDIA-Training, a training programme for professionals in the European audiovisual programme
industry, to run from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2005;

The Council by Decision No 821/2000/EC established the programme MEDIA Plus, a programme
to encourage the development, distribution and promotion of European audiovisual works, to run
from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2005;

It is essential to ensure the continuity of Community policy for the support of the European
audiovisual sector in view of the objectives followed by the Community under Article 150 of the
Treaty,

adopted the following Opinion at its 51st plenary session, held on 9 October 2003.

1. Committee of the Regions’ views

labour to fill new jobs within this highly dynamic and creative
service activity;

The Committee of the Regions

1.1.
welcomes the extension of both the Media Plus and
Media Training Programmes for a further year with a view to
establishing new programmes from 2007;

recognises the potential for the Media Programmes to
1.5.
encourage a greater understanding of the cultural diversity
within the EU Member States and Regions which will be ever
more important with the enlarged Union. Furthermore, the
CoR recognises the significant potential for the promotion of
linguistic diversity, particularly for minority languages;

shares the Commission’s view that due to enlargement
1.2.
a number of
important elements will entail changes to
Community action in the audiovisual sector and future pro-
grammes must be adapted to take account of these changes. It
is essential that the impetus of these programmes is not lost;

1.6.
agrees with the continued Media Plus aim of enhancing
the potential of countries or regions with a low audiovisual
production capacity and/or with a limited geographic and
linguistic area and recognises the continued importance of this
aim within the extended programme;

recognises that the European Film Industry remains a
1.3.
minority industry and action through Media Plus and Media
Training programmes are vital. There is a continual need for
European Film, television and multimedia industries to become
more competitive and for a favourable environment to be
created in order to combat the ever increasing global compe-
tition. Fragmentation of the European Film Industry is a
weakness and must be overcome through greater networking
initiatives and cooperation between those involved in the
audiovisual industry;

1.7.
recognises and welcomes the opportunities that Media
Plus offers to providing a rapid response to the dramatic speed
with which technological changes are occurring particularly in
the audiovisual and communication industries;

1.8.
welcomes the continued commitment that the Media
Programmes give to lifelong learning and EU wide vocational
training. The extension of the programmes will continue to
allow the training and skilling of people working within the
audiovisual and communication industries;

1.4.
recognises the strong potential for growth identified in
the Media Plus programme and the opportunity to create more
than 300 000 extra highly qualified jobs in the audiovisual
industry. It is hoped that this number will be increased by the
extension of the Media Programmes as an important function
of these Programmes is to ensure there is sufficient skilled

1.9.
believes there is still a need for better dissemination of
information on Media Plus and Media Training and urges the
Commission to consider ways in which the Media Desks can
be enhanced and the numbers of the Desks increased. Local
Authorities can be actively involved in this aspect through
municipal buildings such as Libraries and Community Centres;

C 23/26

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

27.1.2004

welcomes the increase in the proportional budget
1.10.
for the Media Plus programme but queries the less than
proportional increase for the Media Training programme;

welcomes the forthcoming evaluation of both current
1.11.
programmes and looks forward to receiving the outcomes.
The CoR will be particularly interested in the achievements of
the programmes in respect of securing a significant number of
jobs, evidence of achieving a much wider understanding of
cultural diversity together with the promotion of minority
languages.

2. The Committee of the Regions’ Recommendations

The Committee of the Regions

2.1.
underlines that the extended Media Plus programme
must have a greater emphasis on disseminating information
both in respect of attracting new initiatives but also publicising
those projects which are currently underway;

2.2.
stresses the need for Media Desks to continue to be
developed and the number increased throughout the EU. A
greater emphasis needs to be given to the collaboration
between Media Desks and local and regional authorities to
ensure local and regional
industries are well aware of the
opportunities that the Media Programmes offer and provide;

underlines that there is still a need for more involve-
2.3.
ment by local and regional authorities who can instigate
greater collaboration between the different strands of the
audiovisual industry. Regional consortia made up of those
involved in the training, funding, production and distribution

Brussels, 9 October 2003.

of the industry should be promoted. Libraries, Community
Centres and other Municipal buildings offer opportunities to
raise awareness and offer public access to audiovisual material,
both past and present. The CoR continues to call for consider-
ation to be given under the Media Plus programme for the
funding of IT in public buildings to facilitate this and proposes
that in the new 2007 programme, pilot projects are considered;

calls for

2.4.
the Media Plus Website to be further
developed. The CoR re-emphasises the opportunities that a
Media Plus website could bring particularly with dissemination
of information across the enlarged EU. The website should
promote the network of European film and television schools,
together with information on training and other opportunities;

2.5.
continues to support the call for standardisation of
vocational qualifications across the EU and hopes that the new
Media Programmes which will commence in 2007 contain
measures to move towards this;

2.6.
stresses that greater development and promotion of
EU wide training programmes, together with greater develop-
ment of EU wide training bodies and initiatives, need to be
achieved through the Media Training programme. The CoR
recognises this can be continued through the extended pro-
gramme but would hope the new 2007 programme will
provide better measures to achieve more EU trainers;

2.7.
calls for the Media Plus and Media Training pro-
grammes to continue with the basic principle of equal
opportunities to encourage any initiatives to achieve a more
equal gender balance;

2.8.
recommends that the design of audiovisual material
within the Media Plus and Media Training programmes takes
particular account of persons with disabilities.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Albert BORE