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Training programme for professionals in the audiovisual industry (MEDIA II Training) (1996-2000)

The aim of the MEDIA II programme is to support the European Union's audiovisual industry in order to lend momentum to the production and dissemination of European audiovisual works. The underlying objective is to prevent the European market from being dominated by imported programmes, particularly from the USA.

The MEDIA II programme ran from 1 January 1996 to 31 December 2000, following on from the MEDIA programme (1991-1995).

The programme consists of two strands: the first relates to the development and distribution of European audiovisual works (MEDIA II -- Development and Distribution) and the second to the training of professionals in the audiovisual sector.

The MEDIA II Training strand, which is presented below, aims to promote the establishment of initial and continuing training courses which allow professionals in the audiovisual sector to consolidate their skills.

ACT

Council Decision 95/564/EC of 22 December 1995 on the implementation of a training programme for professionals in the European audiovisual programme industry (Media II - Training) [Official Journal L 321 of 30.12.1995].

SUMMARY

The decision establishes a vocational training programme running from 1 January 1996 to 31 December 2000. The object of the programme is to provide professionals in the audiovisual industry with the skills they need to exploit the European dimension of the market to the full and make use of new technology.

The aims of the programme are to:

  • meet the needs of the industry and bolster its competitiveness by improving vocational training, notably in the field of economic and commercial management, the utilization and development of new technologies, and screenplay techniques;
  • encourage networking between vocational training centres in order to facilitate the exchange of know-how and the development of training modules at European level.

The financial reference amount for implementing the programme will be ECU 45 million. Recipients of Community support must themselves provide a significant proportion of the funding (at least 50%, save in exceptional cases, where this percentage may be reduced to as low as 25%).

In carrying out the programme, the Commission will be assisted by a committee composed of two representatives from each Member State and chaired by the representative of the Commission.

As well as the Member States of the European Union, the programme will be open to participation by the associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Cyprus, Malta, and EFTA countries members of the European Economic Area Agreement, and other non-member countries which have concluded agreements containing audiovisual clauses.

Actions under the programme are subject to prior appraisal, monitoring (the selected beneficiaries will submit an annual report to the Commission) and subsequent evaluation to assess their impact.

After two years and six months of implementation of the programme, the Commission will present to the European Parliament, the Council and the Economic and Social Committee an evaluation report on the results obtained, accompanied if need be by proposals for adjusting the programme. When the programme has run its full term, another report will be drawn up.

References

Act

Date of entry into force

Deadline for implementation in the Member States

Decision 95/564/EC

01.01.1996

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RELATED ACTS

RESULTS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF MEDIA II TRAINING

Report from the Commission of 18 December 2003 on the implementation and results of the MEDIA II programme (1996-2000)) [COM(2003) 802 final - Not published in the Official Journal].

The report evaluates the impact of the MEDIA II programme on the European audiovisual sector as a whole and, more specifically, on the various fields of action which are targeted (distribution, development and training):

As regards, more specifically, the training strand of the programme, the report points out that activities are focused on three main areas of knowledge: economic and commercial management, utilisation and development of new technologies for the production of audiovisual programmes, and screenplay techniques.

During the period 1996-2000, 186 training courses received cofinancing, with a contribution from the MEDIA II programme of EUR 39.7 million. Initiatives involving new technologies attracted the most participants, followed by those concerning management and screenplay techniques. A wide range of participants (from universities to associations) received funding under the training strand of MEDIA II.

The impact of the training strand can only really be assessed in the medium or long term. However, it is already evident that the training activities supported under MEDIA II have helped to alter the attitudes and practices of independent professionals so that they more effectively take account of the European dimension, the development stage of projects and the use of transnational cooperation and spontaneous networks.

FOLLOW-UP TO MEDIA II TRAINING: MEDIA Plus-TRAINING (2001-2005)

Decision 163/2001/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 January 2001 on the implementation of a training programme for professionals in the European audiovisual programme industry (MEDIA-Training) (2001-2005) [Official Journal L 26 of 27.01.2000].

Picking up from the MEDIA II Training programme, the MEDIA Plus-Training programme has been given a budget of EUR 50 million for the period from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2005 (subsequently extended to 31 December 2006). The aims of this training strand of the MEDIA Plus programme are largely the same as those pursued by MEDIA II Training.

Last updated: 27.04.2004

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