FORTNIGHTLY BUREAU DE DEPOT BRUXELLES "X" lst April 1995 - N" 66 +*+ * t TOGETHER I * 4w + *+* T /I[ EUROPE S-S"r EC NEWSLETTER FOR CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE REI,ATIONS WITH THE ETJROPEAIY I'NION CONTENTS CWTT]RE STARTS ITALL REI,ATIONS WITH THE EUROPEAN T]NION The first joint meeting between the EU ministers and the ministersof the associated countriesof central andeastern Europe within the framework of a structured pre-accession strateg5l dia- logue approved in Essen, will not be the meeting of ministers of CULTURESTARTSITALL 1 finance, but of ministers of culture. Perhaps the French Presi- dency, when postponing the finance ministers meeting until May, ADOPTION OF EUROPE recalled Jean Monnet's saying that if it was possible to start with AGREEMENTS TO ENI}IRGED the integration process in Europe once more, he would start with UNION & URUGUAY ROUND culture. RESULTS 3 The culture ministers of the associated countries will meet their EU counterparts during the Audiovisual/Culture Council to ASSISTANCETOALBANU 1 be held in Luxembourg onApril3-4.It is hoped that the meeting will result in the adoption of a resolution by the EU Cultural INDUSTRAL COOPERATION Council on cooperation with the associated countries in culture. WITH ASSOCUTED The aim of the joint meeting isto get a better knowledge of COUNTNES 5 the priorities of the associated countries and to gain an under- standing of their eventual will to cooperate in two major fields: DE SILGWPRESENTS REPORT culture as such, and in the audiovisual sector in particular. The ONCZECHECONOMY 6 associated countries will, in principle, be invited to joint the EU programmes in this field. The concrete participation will not be, ECOFIN DISCUSS/ONS 7 however, an automatic one, but a result of negotiations later on. At this stage, the Council after listening to the proposals from the FRAUD.|qq4REPORT E associated countries during late afternoon/evening on Monday, will adopt its own resolution on Tuesday morning. One of the reasons is that the Council is unlikely to finish DEYELOPMENTS its own discussion on several programmes (MEDIA II and the WITHIN THE EU "TVwithout frontiers" Directive) and the final compromise would hopefully emerge probably only during the nefr Culture Council in June. TV quotas: Culture commissioner Marceline Oreja will CARCASSONNE MEETING: submit to the ministers the revised text of the 1989 Directive on FUTURE RUSS/,4N "TV without frontiers". The text was adopted by the European REI}ITIONS I Commission on March 22, after animated discussions, and by majority vote. The text aims to strengthen quotas on TV program- 1996IGC.MAINISSUES 10 ming and to apply them for 10 years to give the European \ audiovisual and film industry breathing space and strength to defend themselves from Hollyvood's onslaught. Readers will \ recall that the dispute with the United States over film and BRIEFNEWS 11 f,.., television policy nearly blocked the successful conclusion of the u Uruguay Round trade negotiations. Goilrinacd on Fge z) TOGETHER IN EUROPE 1st April 1995 *o 8o orejawill tell ministers that the Associated countries: In principle the asso- '* ^issioner aim of the policy is to: ciated countries shall be invited to participate in the - encourage the European TV program above programmes, providing that they will share the industry in order to ensure its future competi- priorities, are willingto participate in thebuilding up tiveness; ofthe European audio-visual industry and cooperate - protect European cultural identity and lin- in legislation, building up distribution networks and guistic diversity; share in financing. During the Bordeaux meeting - guarantee legal security by establishing clear Hungary already indicated its willingness to take part rules (copyright etc.); in the film and audio-video programming industry - the quota system would help these objectives and in the effort to develop a strong European distri- to be achieved. bution system. The Commission proposes setting up quotas The ministers will be told that participation ensuring that at least SlVo of TV broadcasting will not be automatic: it will have to be decided in (all types of programmes including chat shows bilateral discussions between the EU and each asso- or game shows) by "general TV broadcasters, ciated country using the framework offered by the originates in Europe. As an alternative to quotas Association Councils. Only these negotiations later "theme channels" (for example those specialising on would establish the conditions such as the scope of in broadcasting of films), would have the alternative participation, its legal framework and above all the of investing 25% of their programming budget financial contribution to the common budget.It has into European productions. The revised directive been suggested that PHARE money could eventually would also strengthen protection of minors against be used for financing some costs of an associated pornography and broadcasting violence on TV country's linancial contribution to the programmes in screens. During the informal Cultural Council the cultural field. On the one hand, an associated last month in Bordeaux, Holland, Denmark and country would have to agree to such use of PHARE the UK took a position against the strengthened funds, on the other hand, a maximum of L\Vo of. the quotas, while Germany's hesitation was based on PHARE budget would be available for all cultural the problem of the competencies of Landers sector programmes. which has since been resolved. The strengthened quotas have a strong backing in the European This approach also respects the possibility that Parliament. not all the associated countries would share, for example, the priorityto defend European culture, and MEDIA II: this S-year programme seeks to could, on the contrary consider that free access and stimulate development of the audiovisual program- free market forces, less subsidies and absence of ming industry in Europe. The Commission proposes official interventions would provide a bctter frame- to double the amount of funds available to ECU 400 work for their cultural sectors. million. Of this E,CU 265 million shall be used for rapid development of a competitive distribution sys- President of the European Commission tem: distributorswill be encouraged to invest into the Jacques Santer considered that the revised ,,TV production of European films and build up trans- without frontiers" Directive represents acquis European structures assuring efficient film distribu- communautaire. On the other hand the association of tion. producers "Eurocinema" considered that the new broadcasting directive proposal represents a Kaleidoscope 2000 and Ariane: these "planned dismantling" of protection. It claimed that programmes aim to facilitate diffusion in Europe the Commission, by refusing to include new services of works on plastic arts, theater, multimedia, (video on demand, for example) guarantees full ac- literary works and drama (mainly via support of cess without rules on the European market to Ameri- translations) as well ex-cultural exchanges and can programmes. The European Federation of Au- co-production and joint cultural action diovisual Producers considered that the proposed (European Capital of Culture, European Culture directiveand the MEDLA programme do not contain Months etc). In addition, the RAPHAEL program significant elements which would decisivcly encour- aims at the protection of the European cultural age the production and broadcasting of European heritage. works. (JZ) lst April 1995 TrcETHERIN EUROPE ADOPTION OF EUROPE AGREEMENTS TO ENI./4RGED (NION AND URUGUAY ROUND RESULTS The EU Ca utcil apptwed in Morch a mandate lorthe Commission protection (tarification for ex- to neptiale with the associaed countries of central and eostem Europe on ample). The EU approach is that the adoption of Europefureements so that they reflect ihe enlargement of the adoption of trade agreements the Union and he results of the Uruguoy Round negotiaions. There have should not merely be technicd, abeadybeensevemlconsultuionsonthescopeofnegotiuionswithcental butshouldalsoexaminetheagree' and eastem Eurcpean cunties ond formal negotiations stouted with ments from the point of view of Hungory tonads the end of Matxlt, and ore beingfollowedby negotiuions balance in the agricultural sector. with other ossociaed countries. We would like to recall that the Europeon This balance is for the time being Commission submitted to the Council its proposal for the adoption of n favour of the EU. EwopeAgreements in November 1994. The negotiations concem in pin- ciple agriculuml prodtcc ond processed food. Mqior products: There are negotiations on The new trade regime which would permit aconclusion to the ne- trade in the sheep andgoat sector. will result from these negotiations gotiations in time before the end of More important changes will re- will be applied from l July 1995. At May. This also means that price sult in arrangements concerning this stage, it is too early to estimate levels in both the EU and the asso- EU imports of live bovine animals. the likely results as much depends ciated countries would be taken into Readerwill recall that the Interim on reciprocity in the sectors in- consideration. Agreements with the 4 Visegrad volved. However, on the EU side New member countries: The countries have established a the will prevails that the current Commission proposed to integrate global quota for the 4 countries negotiations shall signilicantly con- trade arrangements which exist (425,000 heads/year, bovine ani- tribute to a rebalancing of agricul- between the newEU member coun- mals of betrreen 160 kg and under tural trade between the EU and the tries (Austria, Swedeq Finland) 300 kg) and the reduced levy appli- associated countries, and this will and the associated countries of cable to animals under this quota results in concrete proposals to central and eastern Europe (either (25% of the full amount of the further reduce customs duties and in the form of bilateral agreements, levy). Also included in this quota to apply concessions from 1 July or multilateral agreements con- are the three Baltic states. The 1995 rather than the later dates cluded by EFTA).