30/10/2005 - Yvon Thiec is the General Delegate of Eurocinema (the organisation which represents French professionals in Brussels). He talks about Eurocinema's proposals presented during the Beaune conference in 2005.

Yvon Thiec, General Delegate of Eurocinema

Yvon Thiec, General Delegate of Eurocinema(the organisation which represents French professionals in Brussels), looks back at last month’s Beaune conference and at the TV Without Frontiers Directive, currently in discussion in the European Commission.

Cineuropa. Which proposals did the European professionals put forward in Beaune ?
Yvon Thiec: We consider that, in this new economic climate, the telecommunication companies should participate in the financing of audiovisual works. We would like to see a general principle integrated into the Directive which would allow the Member States to push the telecommunication companies to contribute to cultural diversity.

We would like a guarantee for European content distributed online. The online catalogues proposed by the Internet providers should offer a minimum quota of European films.

How did you react to the speech by Commissioner Reding?
Yvon Thiec:Positively. There have been some positive steps since the September meeting in Liverpool, organised by the British Presidency. I have the impression that Mrs Reding is getting closer to our position on cultural diversity. She gave clear indications concerning the involvement of the telecommunication companies in the financing of European content.

Cineuropa: what is your opinion on the proposal of the Directive Television without frontiers adopted by the Commission?
Yvon Thiec: Eurocinema, association of film and television producers, considers the proposal for a revision of the Directive Television without frontiers, as adopted yesterday by the Commission, to be appropriated and balanced.

Concerning the promotion of European works on online services, the Directive stipulates that these services shall "promote the production and distribution of European works"; from this point of view, the Member states should take into account the financial contribution by such services to the production and right acquisition of European works, and the share of European works in the catalogue of audiovisual media services.

Member states shall report to the Commission on the implementation of these measures in order to allow the Commission to take complementary measures at the end of a period of four years following this implementation.

What about requirements concerning diffusion?
Yvon Thiec:The requirements concerning the diffusion of European contents (quotas) as far as traditional medias are concerned, are held steady as well as provisions in favour of independent production.

The directive allows product placement and broadens the provision for interruption by advertising of films and films for television.

Read also the press release of the SACD in French.