17/10/2012 - An introductory text on Creative Europe was presented on October 8 by current European MP Silvia Costa

Amidst a CULT commission meeting, the long awaited report on Creative Europe’s rules and regulations was presented last October 8 by European parliament member, Silvia Costa.

Costa reported among other important points that the budget was set to be raised by €1.8 billion, representing a 37% increase compared to the last seven years.

She went on to stress the independence and difference between the two programmes which make up Creative Europe, Culture and MEDIA, to which 55% of the budget has been dedicated.

Silvia Costa justified separating sections “in order to support throughout the years a sector undergoing vast changes, giving a more incisive role to the parliament in terms of helping and evaluating the course taken by programmes.”

Among the proposal’s objectives is finding a way to be more flexible in terms of those countries which do not benefit from MEDIA, in order to gradually let them participate in the programme.

The European Commission’s proposal was economically speaking severely flattened Costa announced. As a result of this, she declared efforts of awareness raising as to “the intrinsic value of culture, its role in terms of the development of trans-regional inclusiveness and innovation, with effects in local development, intercultural dialogue and cooperation with third countries.”

Also worth mentioning was the institution’s confirmation of a new financial tool acting as guarantee for loans and support to film education and media literacy.

Professionals from the culture and audiovisual sectors have until October 23 to present any amendments they may like to see to the Commission.

The chair of the Committee on Culture Doris Pack announced that a final vote on the matter will be done during a European Parliament plenary session in December.

(Translated from Italian)