Norway

EFTA Surveillance Authority: Prolongation of the Norwegian Support Schemes to Audiovisual Production, Film related Activities and Film Production Companies

IRIS 2006-10:1/41

Mara Rossini

Institute for Information Law (IViR), University of Amsterdam

On 14 November 2006, the EFTA Surveillance Authority decided not to raise objections to the prolongation of two Norwegian support schemes to audiovisual production, film related activities and film production companies. The proposed prolongation had been duly notified by the Norwegian authorities to the EFTA Surveillance Authority and concerns two different Regulations: Forskrift om tilskudd til audiovisuelle produksjoner (Regulation on support for audiovisual production) and Forskrift om tilskudd til produksjonsselskaper (Regulation on support for film production companies). The objective of the schemes is to ensure a desirable volume of films and an adequate promotion of culture through cinematographic works.

On 15 July 2005, the Regulation on support for audiovisual production had already been the object of a notification to the Authority with regard to proposed amendments tightening the criteria for the application of the scheme. The Authority did not raise any objections to these amendments and the aid scheme for audiovisual production which had already been authorised as early as 2002 and again in 2003, was then scheduled to run until February 2007. As for the support scheme for film production companies, it was planned to be applied until September 2007.

The decision by the Authority not to raise objections to the Norwegian authorities’ proposed prolongation extends the duration of these schemes to 7 August 2008.