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Dept for Culture Media and Sport

Answer

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what European Union funds are available for (a) the production and (b) the distribution of British-made films. [13382] Dr. Howells: The "i2i" Audiovisual Initiative will make funding of approximately 600 million euros available to the European audiovisual industry over the next few years. The initiative was launched by the European Commission, the European investment bank and the European investment fund in December 2000 and will support a wide range of activities, including production and distribution. Support will be in the form of loans for medium and long-term investments in infrastructure (such as studios); production of film packages and distribution; global loans to the banking sector specialising in audiovisual matters to fund small firms which create or use audiovisual technology and shareholdings in risk-capital funds specialising in the audiovisual sector. The EU's Media Plus programme runs from 2001 to 2005 and will provide funding of 400 million euros to the European audiovisual industry. At the outset of the programme just over 200 million euros was earmarked for distribution. Media Plus does not provide support for production but is aimed at supporting training, development, promotion and pilot projects, as well as distribution. The "i2i" Audiovisual Initiative has, in part, been developed to complement the Media Plus programme in respect of production.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

374 c494-5W; 13382

Session

2001-02

Subjects

Audio recordings Finance Investment Film Distribution Industry EU action EU grants and loans Production Training Video recordings Multimedia

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk