Council of the European Union: Resolution for Development of Audiovisual Sector

IRIS 2002-1:1/8

Tarlach McGonagle

Institute for Information Law (IViR), University of Amsterdam

The Council of the European Union recently adopted a resolution aiming to foster the growth of the European audiovisual sector; the latest in a series of developments sharing this objective. In the resolution, the Council expressly welcomes the recent adoption by the European Commission of a communication on certain legal aspects relating to cinematographic and other audiovisual works (see IRIS 2001-9: 6).

The resolution articulates the Council's wish to encourage greater interaction between the audiovisual and banking sectors; to scrutinise the influence of fiscal matters on the audiovisual sector and to support multilateral dialogue concerning State aid and audiovisual production.

In the resolution, the Commission is invited to reinvigorate its efforts to strengthen the European audiovisual sector, including at the global level. In addition, it is encouraged not only to give further consideration to the instrumental value of State aid to the development of the sector, but to seek to facilitate the adoption of such initiatives by Member States. The encouragement of discussions involving industry professionals and relevant (national) authorities on the protection of the audiovisual heritage and the classification of audiovisual works is also identified as a key area of activity for the Commission.

Member States, for their part, are invited to actively cooperate in the depositing and archiving of audiovisual works; to promptly ratify the Council of Europe`s Convention on the Protection of the Audiovisual Heritage (see IRIS 2001-9: 3) and to be duly aware of the benefits of specially-conceived financial packages for the stimulation of European audiovisual production.