18-12-2020

UNIC policy update 18/12/2020

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    COVID-19: EU response

    09/12: EU financing for 2021-2027: Political agreement on the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the Next Generation EU (NGEU) recovery instrument and new own resources – European Parliament

    The briefing provides a graphic presentation of the political agreement reached on 10 November 2020 between the Parliament and the Council Presidency, enabling the EU to finance the extraordinary needs in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. It highlights the improvements that the European Parliament achieved in particular.

    11/12: European Council in Brussels: Agreement on the budget and climate protection – EU 2020 DE

    At the last European Council meeting during Germany’s Presidency of the Council, the heads of state or government of the 27 EU member states have taken important decisions. Together, they set an ambitious new climate target and agreed on the multiannual financial framework and the recovery fund.

    8/12: InvestEU Fund agreed: Boosting strategic, sustainable and innovative investments – European Parliament

    EP and Council negotiators struck a deal on the new InvestEU programme, which supports investments and guarantees simplified access to financing.

    04/12: EU Budget 2021 deal: supporting the recovery – European Parliament

    MEPs have fought for and obtained better support for key EU programmes creating jobs, tackling the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and boosting climate action.

    Geo-blocking

    09/12: The Court of Justice annuls a Commission decision making binding the commitments offered by a company in order to preserve competition on the markets - CJEU

    30/11: European Commission Geo-blocking review in line with latest studies supporting territoriality – UNIC website

    Europe's film/AV sector welcomes the Commission's review of unjustified geo-blocking, in line with the latest studies supporting territoriality, and calls for an AV action plan that boosts European cooperation on financing and distribution, including through co-productions, to increase circulation of content.

    Media and Audiovisual Action Plan

    3/11: Digital Decade: Commission launches Action Plan to support recovery and transformation of the media and audiovisual sectors – European Commission

    The Commission adopted an Action Plan to support the recovery and transformation of the media and audiovisual sector. These sectors, particularly hit by the coronavirus crisis, are essential for democracy, Europe's cultural diversity and digital autonomy. The Action Plan focuses on three areas of activity and 10 concrete actions, to help the media sector recover from the crisis by facilitating and broadening access to finance, transform by stimulating investments to embrace the twin digital and green transitions while ensuring the sector's future resilience and empower European citizens and companies.

    COVID-19: Cultural and creative sectors (CCS)

    01/12: Videoconference of EU culture and audiovisual ministers: “Creative Europe” to be strengthened – EU 2020 DE

    Given the COVID-19 crisis, culture and the media are facing massive challenges. The plan to top up the Creative Europe assistance programme is an encouraging sign, declared Minister of State Monika Grütters. She chaired a meeting of EU ministers responsible for the cultural sector.

    LUX Audience Award

    13/12: LUX Award: three films shortlisted for the European Audience Film Award – European Parliament

    During the virtual European Film Awards ceremony in Berlin, Another Round, Corpus Christi, and Collective were shortlisted for the LUX Audience Award.

    Events

    January 2021: Creative Europe MEDIA stakeholder dialogue (TBC)

    11 January: European Parliament CULT Committee meeting

    11 January: European Parliament IMCO Committee meeting

    25 & 26 January: European Parliament CULT Committee meeting