The Creative Europe program incorporates the current MEDIA and Culture programs into MEDIA and Culture strands. These programs have proven very successful over the past 20 years in supporting the European cultural and audiovisual sectors. In addition, a loan guarantee facility is introduced to help creative industries finance their risky business. The newly approved budget increases European funding for culture by 9%, and aims to help at least 250.000 artists and cultural professionals, 800 European films and 2.000 European cinemas.

EBU Director General Ingrid Deltenre said: ‘The EBU welcomes the adoption of the Creative European program, which offers timely support for the European cinema and audiovisual sectors. Measures to support dubbing and subtitling, for example, are an important step to better promote films across borders in Europe.’

‘The importance of the MEDIA program will be put in perspective during the EUROVISION Film Week in early December, when European public service media channels will air feature-length European films on television and online platforms. Many of these films, which have been produced, promoted or commissioned by European public service media, have also received support from the MEDIA program.'

At least 56% of the overall €1.46 billion budget for the Creative Europe Program will be allocated to MEDIA strand activities, which focus as always on promoting European cinema. In addition to funding for cinema networks, training, development, distribution, sales agents, promotion, the MEDIA strand will develop fresh measures to focus on audience development, provide international co-production funds and foster multi-platform film distribution.

For the European Commission, the adoption of the Creative Europe program is good news for the European economy and offers the European cultural and creative sectors new means to seize the opportunities created by globalization and the digital shift. It will also help the sector, which accounts for 4.5% of the EU GDP, overcome challenges such as market fragmentation and access to financing.

The Creative Europe program was approved yesterday in Strasbourg by the European Parliament following the adoption of the Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF), which sets out the entire EU budget for the 2014-2020 period. It will enter into force in January 2014 following a final approval by the EU’s 28 Member States, expected in the coming weeks. More information can be found on the European Commission's website.