Estonia

European Commission: Film Support in Estonia Approved

IRIS 2008-2:1/34

Christian M. Bron

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

With its decision of 13 February 2008, the European Commission approved the state programme for the promotion of audiovisual culture (for example, film productions in Estonian and the dissemination of Estonian films outside Estonia).

The legal bases for the provision of national film support are, inter alia, the Draft Regulations for Allocation of Support from the Estonian Film Foundation and the Cultural Endowment of Estonia Act. The support is due to run until the end of 2013 and have a total budget of EEK 540 million (EUR 34.5 million).

The Commission considers this arrangement for the provision of state aid to promote culture to be compatible with the Common Market under Article 87(3)(d) EC.