Czechia

European Commission: State Aid for Czech Film Production Approved

IRIS 2007-6:1/34

Max Taraschewski

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

The European Commission approved with its decision C(2007)3280 of 29 June 2007 the state aid provided by the Czech Republic for the production of audiovisual programmes (Eurovize).

The Czech Republic had duly notified the Commission of the measure, the principal aim of which is to inform the Czech general public via audiovisual works how public institutions (such as Czech ministries and the European Investment Bank), Czech municipalities and other state organisations contribute to the preservation of the cultural heritage and the development of tourism in the Czech Republic.

Individual aid is granted for the production of audiovisual works comprising a series of 67 programmes. It is planned to broadcast them on the private channel 24cz and to make them available to other commercial television channels. The private channel is primarily a news channel that focuses on the broadcasting of news, topical information on politics, business and society, as well as debates in the Czech parliament. The programmes will mainly focus on the contributions of the public institutions to the preservation of the cultural heritage and the development of tourism. The budget for the 67 programmes is CZK 21.5 million (EUR 0.75 million) and is managed by the Ministry of Culture.

As far as the compatibility of the state aid with the EC Treaty is concerned, the Commission established with reference to Article 87(3)(d) EC that the cultural aspect, as a prerequisite for the state aid, had been taken into account. Although the Czech Republic had not explained the relationship of the broadcasting of information on the development of tourism to a national notion of culture, the Commission established that a certain educational character was clearly recognisable and that the relevant criteria had accordingly been met.