Article 1 Establishment of the programme
A vocational training programme, MEDIA-Training, hereinafter referred to as ‘the programme’, is hereby established for the period from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2006 . The programme is intended to give professionals in the European audiovisual programme industry, mainly through continuous vocational training, the necessary skills to allow them to take full advantage of the European and international dimension of the market and of the use of new technologies.
Article 2 Objectives of the programme
1. The objectives of the programme are as follows: (a) To meet the industry's needs and promote competitiveness by improving the continuous vocational training of professionals in the audiovisual sector, with a view to giving them the know-how and skills needed to create competitive products on the European and other markets, in particular in the field of: — application of new technologies, and in particular digital technologies, for the production and distribution of audiovisual programmes with a high commercial and artistic added value; — economic, financial and commercial management, including the legal framework and the techniques for the financing, production and distribution of audiovisual programmes; — script-writing techniques and storytelling including techniques for the development of new audiovisual programme types. Particular attention will be paid to the opportunities for distance learning and pedagogic innovation offered by the development of on-line technologies. For these training activities, cooperation between various players in the audiovisual industry, such as script-writers, directors and producers, will be encouraged. As an exception, certain initial vocational training measures in which the industrial sector is directly involved, such as master's degrees, may also be supported if no other Community support is available and in fields for which there are no support measures at national level. (a) To meet the industry's needs and promote competitiveness by improving the continuous vocational training of professionals in the audiovisual sector, with a view to giving them the know-how and skills needed to create competitive products on the European and other markets, in particular in the field of: — application of new technologies, and in particular digital technologies, for the production and distribution of audiovisual programmes with a high commercial and artistic added value; — economic, financial and commercial management, including the legal framework and the techniques for the financing, production and distribution of audiovisual programmes; — script-writing techniques and storytelling including techniques for the development of new audiovisual programme types. Particular attention will be paid to the opportunities for distance learning and pedagogic innovation offered by the development of on-line technologies. For these training activities, cooperation between various players in the audiovisual industry, such as script-writers, directors and producers, will be encouraged. As an exception, certain initial vocational training measures in which the industrial sector is directly involved, such as master's degrees, may also be supported if no other Community support is available and in fields for which there are no support measures at national level. (b) To encourage cooperation and the exchange of know-how and best practice through networking between the partners responsible for training, namely training establishments, the professional sector and undertakings, as well as through developing training for the trainers. Particular importance will be attached to encouraging the gradual establishment of networks in the audiovisual training sector and in continuous training for the trainers. (b) To encourage cooperation and the exchange of know-how and best practice through networking between the partners responsible for training, namely training establishments, the professional sector and undertakings, as well as through developing training for the trainers. Particular importance will be attached to encouraging the gradual establishment of networks in the audiovisual training sector and in continuous training for the trainers. 2. To achieve the objectives set out in the first subparagraph of paragraph 1(a) and in paragraph 1(b), particular attention shall be devoted to the specific needs of countries or regions with a low audiovisual production capacity and/or a restricted linguistic or geographical area, as well as to the development of an independent European production and distribution sector, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises. 3. The objectives set out in paragraph 1 shall be realised in accordance with the arrangements contained in the Annex.
Article 3 Coordination
In order to achieve maximum coordination, the Commission shall ensure that there is cooperation between the training activities referred to in the programme and the development projects supported under the MEDIA Plus programme established under Council Decision 2000/821/EC ( 13 ).
Article 4 Financial provisions and funding conditions
1. The beneficiaries of Community support taking part in implementing the actions set out in the Annex shall provide a substantial proportion of the funding. Community funding shall not exceed 50 % of the cost of operations. However, in the cases expressly provided for in the Annex, this proportion may be as much as 60 % of the cost of operations. 2. The beneficiaries of Community support shall ensure that in principle a majority of the participants in a training measure, nationals of States participating in the programme, are of a nationality other than that of the beneficiary's country. To that end, support to facilitate participation by professionals from different linguistic areas may be included in Community funding for the training measure. 3. The Commission shall ensure that, as far as possible, an appropriate proportion of the funding annually available, to be determined in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 6(2), is reserved for new activities. 4. Community funding shall be determined according to the costs and nature of each project planned. 5. The financial framework for the implementation of this programme for the period referred to in Article 1 is hereby set at EUR 59,4 million . 6. The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspective.
Article 5 Implementation of the programme
1. The Commission shall be responsible for the implementation of the programme. 2. The measures necessary for the implementation of this Decision concerning the matters referred to below shall be adopted in accordance with the management procedure referred to in Article 6(2): (a) general guidelines for all the measures described in the Annex; (b) the content of the calls for proposals, the definition of the criteria and the procedures for the selection of projects; (c) the appropriate percentage of the funds available each year reserved for new activities; (d) the arrangements for following up and assessing actions; (e) any proposal for a Community allocation exceeding EUR 200 000 per beneficiary and per year. This threshold may be reviewed in the light of experience. 3. The measures necessary for the implementation of this Decision concerning all the other matters shall be adopted in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 6(3). This procedure shall also apply to the final choice of technical assistance offices. 4. Technical assistance shall be governed by the provisions adopted pursuant to the Financial Regulation. 5. The Commission shall give the European Parliament and the Council regular and timely notice of the implementation of the programme, in particular the use of the available resources.
Article 6 Committee
1. The Commission shall be assisted by a Committee. 2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 4 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to Article 8 thereof. The period laid down in Article 4(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be set at two months. 3. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 3 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to Article 8 thereof. 4. The Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure.
Article 7 Consistency and complementarity
In the implementation of the programme, the Commission shall, in close cooperation with the Member States, ensure general consistency and complementarity with other relevant Community policies, programmes and actions that impinge upon the training and audiovisual fields. The Commission shall also ensure coordination between the programme and other Community programmes in the field of initial and continuous training, and with the operation of the European Social Fund, in accordance with the rules of the Fund. The Commission shall ensure effective liaison between this programme and programmes and actions in the training and audiovisual fields being carried out in the framework of Community cooperation with non-member countries and the relevant international organisations.
Article 8 Opening-up of the programme to third countries
1. The programme shall be open to the participation of the associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe, in accordance with the conditions laid down in the association agreements or their additional protocols relating to participation in Community programmes concluded or to be concluded with those countries. 2. The Programme shall be open to the participation of Turkey and those EFTA countries which are members of the EEA Agreement, on the basis of supplementary appropriations, in accordance with the procedures to be agreed with those countries. 3. The programme shall be open to the participation of the countries which are Parties to the Council of Europe Convention on Transfrontier Television, other than those referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, on the basis of supplementary appropriations, in accordance with the conditions to be established in the agreements between the interested parties. 4. The opening-up of the programme to the European third countries referred to in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 is subject to a prior examination as to the compatibility of their national legislation with the Community acquis, including the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of Council Directive 89/552/EEC. 5. The programme shall also be open to cooperation with other third countries on the basis of supplementary appropriations and cost sharing under agreed procedures to be established in the agreements between the interested parties. The European third countries referred to in paragraph 3 which do not wish to participate fully in the programme may be eligible for cooperation under the conditions set out in this paragraph.
Article 9 Monitoring and evaluation
1. The Commission shall ensure that measures taken under this Decision are subject to prior appraisal, and to subsequent monitoring and evaluation, taking care to ensure the accessibility of the programme and its transparency. 2. The beneficiaries selected shall submit an annual report to the Commission. 3. After completion of the projects, the Commission shall evaluate the manner in which they have been carried out and the impact of their implementation, in order to assess whether the original objectives have been achieved. 4. The Commission shall submit to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions an evaluation report on the impact and effectiveness of the programme, on the basis of the results after two years of implementation. This report shall include performance indicators such as impact on employment. This report shall be accompanied, if need be, by any proposal regarding adjustment. 5. On completion of the programme, the Commission shall submit to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions a detailed report on the implementation and results of the programme. The Commission's report shall, in particular, give an account of the added value created by the Community's financial support, its possible impact on employment, and the coordinating measures referred to in Articles 3 and 7.
Article 10 Entry into force
This Decision shall enter into force on 1 January 2001.