Over the past 16 years, MEDIA, the EU’s support programme for the European audiovisual industry, has supported the development and distribution of thousands of films as well as training activities, festivals and promotion projects throughout the continent. From 2001-2006, more than half a billion euros were injected into 8,000 projects from over 30 countries.
The new MEDIA 2007 programme (2007-2013) is the fourth multi-annual programme since 1991 (past programmes) and has a budget of € 755 million. The MEDIA objectives are 1) to strive for a stronger European audiovisual sector reflecting and respecting Europe’s cultural identity and heritage, 2) to increase the circulation of European audiovisual works inside and outside the European Union and 3) to strengthen the competitiveness of the European audiovisual sector by facilitating access to financing – in particular SMEs and the use of digital technologies
MEDIA 2007 supports five action lines: 1) the training of professionals, 2) the development of production projects and companies, 3) the distribution of cinematographic works and audiovisual programmes, 4) the promotion of cinematographic works and audiovisual programmes, including the support for cinematographic festivals, and 5) horizontal actions/pilot projects.
