Amended proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council modifying Council Decision 2000/821/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) (presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 250 (2) of the EC Treaty)
Date: 2004-03-12
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, audiovisual communications policy, audiovisual production

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 12.3.2004 
COM(2004) 175 final 

2003/0067 (COD) 

Amended proposal for a 

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

modifying Council Decision 2000/821/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) 

(presented by the Commission  
pursuant to Article 250 (2) of the EC Treaty) 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
 
  
2003/0067 (COD) 

Amended proposal for a 

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

modifying Council Decision 2000/821/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) 

1. 

BACKGROUND 

Proposal  forwarded  to  the  Council  and  European  Parliament  [COM  2003  (191)  - 
2003/0067 (COD)]: 16 April 2003. 

Opinion delivered by the European Economic and Social Committee: 24 September 2003. 

Opinion delivered by the Committee of the Regions: 9 October 2003. 

Opinion delivered by the European Parliament at first reading: 12 February 2004. 

2. 

AIMS OF THE COMMISSION’S PROPOSAL 

The “MEDIA Plus” Programme, adopted by the Council on 20 December 2000 for a five-year 
period with a budget of 350 M€ (EUR 15), will end on 31 December 2005. The purpose of 
this  proposal  for  a  Decision  is  to  extend  the  programme  unchanged  for  one  additional  year 
(2006).  A  budget  of  85.6  M€  is  proposed  for  this  one-year  extension,  taking  account  of  a 
Europe of 25 Member States. This amount will be  additional to the  current 350  M€  (thus a 
budget of 435.6 M€). 

3. 

OBJECTIVE OF THE AMENDED PROPOSAL 

The  amended  proposal  adapts  the  original  proposal  by  taking  account  of  the  impact  of 
enlargement  for  the  years  2004  and  2005,  whereas  the  Commission  proposal  only  took 
account  of  enlargement  for  the  extension  for  the  year  2006.  This  will  clarify  the  budgetary 
framework for the remainder of the Programme. 

4. 

OPINION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE AMENDMENTS ADOPTED BY PARLIAMENT 

Two amendments were adopted in plenary session. 

Amendment  1  introduces  a  new  recital  2B  stating  the  requirement  for  the  Commission  to 
provide a full and detailed assessment report on the “MEDIA Plus” Programme not later than 
31 December 2005 in order to allow the European Parliament and the Council to consider the 
proposal for a new programme for Community action in the audiovisual sector, announced for 
2004 and planned to start in 2007. 

2 

 
 
  
 
Amendment 2 modifies the budget proposed by the Commission. The amount of 435.6 M€ is 
replaced  by  an  amount  of  453.6  M€.  The  additional  amount  of  18  M€  is  intended  to  take 
account of the impact of enlargement for 2004 and 2005.  

4.1 

Amendments accepted in full by the Commission 

In  a  spirit  of  compromise,  the  Commission  has  accepted  both  amendments  proposed  by  the 
Parliament.  The  Commission  intends  to  present  an  assessment  report  on  the  MEDIA 
programmes by 31 December 2005 as specified in the new recital, but considers that this in no 
way affects its right of initiative to present possible proposals for a new programme for the 
European  audiovisual  sector,  to  take  effect  upon  expiry  of  the  MEDIA  Plus  and  MEDIA 
Training Programmes, before that date and that the new recital is without prejudice to the duty 
of the other Institutions to examine any such proposal according to the provisions laid down 
in the Treaty. 

4.2 

Amended proposal 

In accordance with Article 250(2) of the EC Treaty, the Commission is amending its proposal 
as indicated above. 

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