Call for proposals — EACEA/07/13 — MEDIA 2007 — Development, distribution, promotion and training — Support for the transnational distribution of European films — The ‘Sales agent’ scheme 2013
Date: 2013-02-23
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: audiovisual communications policy, film industry, invitation to tender, sales representative








C_2013054EN.01001001.xml










23.2.2013   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 54/10





CALL FOR PROPOSALS — EACEA/07/13
MEDIA 2007 — Development, distribution, promotion and training
Support for the transnational distribution of European films
The ‘Sales agent’ scheme 2013
2013/C 54/09
1.   Objectives and description

This notice of a call for proposals is based on Decision No 1718/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 November 2006 concerning the implementation of a programme of support for the European audiovisual sector (MEDIA 2007) (1).
One of the objectives of the programme is to encourage and support the wider transnational distribution of recent European films by providing funds to distributors, based upon their performance on the market, for further reinvestment in new non-national European films.
The scheme also aims to encourage the development of links between the production and distribution sectors thus improving the market share of European films and the competitiveness of European companies.
The Commission's proposal relative to the ‘Creative Europe’ programme has not yet been adopted by the European legislator. However, in order to enable a timely implementation of this programme after its adoption by the European legislator and in order to allow the potential beneficiaries of Union support to prepare their proposals at the earliest date, the Agency has decided to publish this call for proposals.
This call for proposals does not involve the legal responsibility of the Agency. It can be cancelled and other types of call for proposals may be launched, with appropriate deadlines.
More generally, the implementation of this call for proposals is subject to the following condition:






—


adoption of the work programme relating to the ‘Creative Europe’ programme after referral to the programme committee.




2.   Eligible applicants

This notice is aimed at any European company acting as an intermediary agent for the producer, who specialises in the commercial exploitation of a film by marketing and licensing a film to distributors or other purchasers for foreign territories and whose activities contribute to the attainment of the above objectives of the MEDIA programme as described in the Council Decision.
Applicants must be established in one of the following countries:






—


the 27 countries of the European Union,










—


the EEA countries,










—


Switzerland,










—


Croatia,










—


Bosnia and Herzegovina (under the condition of the finalisation of the negotiation process and the formalisation of the participation of this country to the MEDIA programme).




3.   Eligible actions

The ‘Sales agent’ support scheme works in two phases:






—


generation of a potential fund, which will be calculated according to the performance of the company on the European market during the reference period (2008-2012),










—


reinvestment of the potential fund: thus generated by each company, the fund must be reinvested in two modules (two types of action) by 2 March 2015:






1.


minimum guarantees or advances paid for the international sales rights on new European non-national films;










2.


and/or in the promotion, marketing and advertising on the market of new non-national European films.








For the film to be eligible its first copyright must not have been established before 2008.
The maximum duration of the actions is 18 months from the date of the signature of the international sales contract.
Reinvestment actions of the potential fund generated by this call for proposals need to respect the following deadlines:
The international sales contract/agreement with the producer can be signed at the earliest on 18 June 2013.
The reinvestment applications must be submitted to the Agency within six months of the signature of the international sales contract/agreement with the producer and no later than 2 March 2015 (postmark will be taken as proof of timely sending).
4.   Award criteria

A potential fund will be attributed to eligible European sales agents companies on the basis of their performances on the European markets (i.e. countries participating in the MEDIA programme). The support will take the form of a potential fund (the ‘fund’) available to sales agents for further investments in recent non-national European films.
Shall the sum of generated funds exceed EUR 1,5 million under this call, each potential fund will be reduced proportionally.
The fund can be reinvested:






1.


in the meeting of minimum sales guarantees or advances paid for the international sales rights on new European non-national films;










2.


in the meeting of promotion, marketing and advertising costs for new European non-national films.




5.   Budget

The total budget available is EUR 1 500 000.
The financial contribution awarded is a subsidy. The financial support cannot exceed 50 % of the total eligible costs. There is no maximum amount.
The Agency reserves the right not to allocate all the funds available.
6.   Deadline for submission of applications

Proposals for the ‘generation’ of a potential fund must be sent (postmark date) on 18 June 2013 at the latest and at the following address:





Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA)




Ms Sari Vartiainen




MEDIA Programme




BOUR 3/66




Avenue du Bourget/Bourgetlaan 1




1140 Bruxelles/Brussel




BELGIQUE/BELGIË




Only applications submitted on the official application form, duly signed by the person entitled to enter into legally binding commitments on behalf of the applicant organisation will be accepted. Envelopes must clearly mention:

MEDIA programme — Distribution EACEA/07/13 — Sales agent

Applications sent by fax or e-mail will be rejected.
7.   Full details

The detailed guidelines, together with the application forms, can be found at the following Internet address:
http://ec.europa.eu/culture/media/fundings/distribution/support-to-sales-agents/index_en.htm
Applications must be submitted on the forms provided and contain all the information and annexes requested.


(1)  OJ L 327, 24.11.2006, p. 12.