AUDIOVISUAL POLICY : MEDIA PROGRAMME GOES INTERNATIONAL.

The European Commission proposed, on 9 January, a new international cooperation programme for the audiovisual industry. Announced in mid-2008, Media Mundus (the international version of the MEDIA programme for the European film industry) will provide 15 million from 2011 to 2013 for projects submitted by audiovisual professionals from non-EU countries.

Demand for cooperation with the European film industry is increasing, explains the Commission, as demonstrated by the initial success of the Media International preparatory action, under which the EU provided 2 million for 18 projects in 2008. The Commission's draft decision states that merely extending the Euromed Audiovisual programme and the EU-ACP programme for aid to the film industry will not suffice. The emergence of new technologies, such as video on demand, internet television and multi-channel digital TV, "has created growing demand for more audiovisual content...