Romania

[RO] Amendment to the Film Law

IRIS 2009-1:1/39

Mariana Stoican

Journalist, Bucharest

The Legea nr. 303 din 03/12/2008 privind cinematografia (Film Law No. 303) published in December 2008 brought about a number of key changes to Law No. 328/2006 especially with regard to the funding of independent film productions (see IRIS 2005-8: 18).

For example, the new version of section 13(1) provides that the film fund shall be financed from the following sources among others:

- 3% of the sales and rentals of recorded video cassettes, DVDs and other media carriers that can be copied in video format or by digital means; dealers and distributors of such carriers must provide the Centrul Naţional al Cinematografiei (National Cinematography Centre) with a list of sales and rental agreements, including revenues obtained and data from the contracting parties. In the case of recordings of films classified in “Category XXX” in the Registrul cinematografic (Film Register), that is to say films banned from public exhibition, the contribution payable is 15%;

- 4% of the value of advertising broadcast on a contractual basis by the public and commercial broadcasters;

- 3% of the price of the advertising contractually agreed by the cable television operators with a broadcasting licence and shown as part of their own programming;

- 4% of the revenues from public film showings of any kind and on any type of media carrier;

- 1% of the monthly revenues of market players that offer the dissemination of television programmes relayed by cable, satellite or digital transmission;

- 4% of the annual revenues of providers of games of chance;

- Interest on the sum contained in the film fund’s account in the state treasury;

- 3% of the amount payable for downloading films via data transmission services, including the internet and telephone services.