European Commission investigates Ciudad de la Luz studios

14/02/2008 - On February 13, the European Commission announced the start of an investigation by the Generalitat Valenciana into the public financing of the Ciudad de la Luz film studios in Alicante.

The Commission’s investigation has been prompted by suspicions that the substantial public investments received could conflict with questions of legal competence within the European single market in the film production sector. At the origin of this initiative are the denunciations received in February and July 2007 from two unidentified European companies in the film sector.

The Generalitat Valenciana has published a communiqué stating that the investments in question "are entirely justified considering the profitability that the project aims to achieve", thus denying that they are state subsidies.