(2004/C 78 E/0237)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3174/03

by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(27 October 2003)

Subject:   European film-making

What is the European Union doing through the MEDIA Programme to improve the quality of scripts for European films? If a scriptwriter wishes to copyright his or her work can he or she do so at a pan-European level, and, if so, is this form of copyright fully respected in other states including the US?

Given the fact that many European films which receive either national or EU assistance are art-house productions or near-equivalents, does the Commission believe it would be helpful in terms of improved access and larger audiences if English subtitles were added to the sub-titles of the language of the host country, i.e. that a German film shown in Italy would have both English and Italian subtitles?

Finally, does the Commission believe that European films which might otherwise have some commercial success are being crowded-out by the dominance of Hollywood distributors, and, if so, what remedies does the Commission believe might be applicable?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(19 December 2003)

The Honourable Member has asked what the Union is doing through the MEDIA Programme to improve the quality of scripts for European films. The Union, through the MEDIA programmes, has adopted a series of measures aimed at supporting the European film industry, focusing on certain key activities, such as training, development, distribution and promotion. One of the areas specifically addressed by the training action line is that of scriptwriting. In respect of copyright, at an international level, all parties to the Berne Convention for the protection of literary and artistic works, are bound by the provisions of Article 5, which states that: ‘Authors shall enjoy, in respect of works for which they are protected under this Convention, in countries of the Union other than the country of origin, the rights which their respective laws do now or may hereafter grant to their nationals, as well as the rights specially granted by this Convention’. The Convention applies to all the Member States, and other countries, including the United States, that are parties to the Convention.

The Commission is currently preparing a proposal for a new generation of programmes for the European audiovisual sector. The issue of subtitling is one of the issues being discussed as a means of promoting cultural diversity. However, this question concerns the use of subtitling as opposed to dubbing. Requests can be made under the current scheme for subtitling in English. The Commission does not however consider that the inclusion of English subtitles would have a positive effect on circulation.

The Commission is concerned by the limited circulation of non-national European films outside their own territory and to this end has set up a number of different schemes to address this problem. The MEDIA Programme supports the distribution and broadcasting of audiovisual works (fiction, documentary, animation, and interactive programmes) and of European films in cinemas, on video, on DVD and on television. It also provides support to networks of cinemas presenting a common strategy for the promotion and marketing of European films.

The MEDIA Plus programme includes schemes both for cinema films (schemes for distributors — automatic and selective support — for sales agents and for exhibitors) and for television and DVD and Video.

In respect of distributors: The aim of the ‘automatic’ support scheme is to encourage and support the wider transnational distribution of recent non-national European films by providing funds to operators for further investment in such films based upon their record of generating an audience for European films. This also encourages the development of links between the production and distribution sector thus improving the competitive position of non-national European films. The ‘selective’ support scheme also aims to encourage the establishment and consolidation of co-operation networks between European distributors, as well as co-operation between distributors, Sales Agents and/or producers.

In respect of Sales Agents: The aim of the support scheme is to encourage and support the wider transnational distribution of recent European films by providing funds to sales agents, based upon their performance on the market, for further reinvestment in new European films.

In respect of exhibitors: The aim is to encourage the networking of European première cinemas and the screening of non-domestic European films by these cinemas.

In respect of television: The scheme is aimed at European companies, whose activities contribute to the promotion and the circulation of European television programmes produced by independent companies within and outside the Community. It encourages co-operation between broadcasters on the one hand and independent European distributors and producers on the other hand. The support scheme's aim is to encourage independent production companies to produce works (fiction, documentary and animated films) involving no less than two broadcasters, preferably more, who participate or co-operate in several Member States and belong to different language zones.

In respect of DVD and Video: The scheme is aimed at European companies, whose activities contribute to the strengthening of the distribution sector for European works on media intended for private use. It encourages publishers to invest in digital technology and the promotion of non-domestic European works on video and DVD.