Germany

European Commission: Aid for Film and TV Production in Schleswig-Holstein and North Rhine-Westphalia Approved

IRIS 2003-3:1/34

Jacqueline Krohn

Institute of European Media Law (EMR), Saarbrücken/Brussels

In October 2001 and January 2003, the German Federal Government notified the European Commission of film aid schemes in accordance with Art. 88(3) of the EC Treaty. The schemes provide support for film and TV productions in Schleswig-Holstein and North Rhine-Westphalia through the granting of partially repayable loans and subsidies. The aid is provided through the companies Kulturelle Filmförderung Schleswig-Holstein e.V (KFF) and Filmstiftung NRW , which were founded specifically for this purpose.

In both cases, the Commission decided to approve the aid schemes under Art. 87(3)(d) of the EC Treaty.

The decisions were based on those taken to approve the aid granted for film and TV productions in Hamburg and Baden-Württemberg (see IRIS 2002-1: 0).

In order to consider the development of the situation in the entire Community, the Commission only granted approval until the end of 2004.