Press Release: State aid: Commission endorsed new German film fund

The European Commission has endorsed Germany’s new film fund on the basis of EC Treaty state aid rules. The fund, which has a total budget of €180 million, provides direct grants to film producers to encourage the production of feature films, documentaries and animation films. Aid is only awarded in favour of films with cultural content, determined on the basis of a cultural test. The Commission’s assessment of the scheme was based on the criteria set out in its 2001 Communication on state aid for cinema and audiovisual works (see IP/01/1326). The scheme has been approved until 31 December 2009.