MEDIA International is a new initiative that supports training, distributor and/or cinema networking activity between EU member states and third countries worldwide. Third countries are defined as countries outside of Europe and not members of the EU.

Applications are accepted in one of three areas (Lots) of activity:

Lot 1. Continuous training for professionals
Proposals should offer training in the operating conditions, legal framework and financing mechanisms of the audiovisual markets in all the countries taking part in the applicant project. A minimum quota of 20% non-national EU participants is expected.

Lot 2. Promotion of cinematographic works
Proposals should support networks of distributors, exporters and rights holders of cinematographic works and the promotion and distribution of independent European audiovisual content in participating third countries and, likewise, independent third country audiovisual content in EU member states.

Lot 3. Cinema networks
Proposals should support a network of cinema operators in EU countries and third countries thereby reciprocally encouraging their programming of first release films from partner territories.

Projects supporting the above activities in reciprocal arrangement with the following third country territories are welcome: Central America, South America, the MEDA Area, South Asia and South East Asia, North East Asia and the rest of the world.

Note that applications including activities in North America (USA and Canada) are only acceptable for projects eligible for Lot 1 - Continuous Training.

Note furthermore, that Lots 2 and 3 are only beneficial to activities including partners in countries whose market share in Europe is less than 10%.

The budget set for MEDIA International is €1.98m. The budget is ear-marked for activities of a maximum duration of 12 months and starting between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2009 with an ultimate completion date of 31 March 2010.

Applications are submitted by a group or consortium, the coordinator of which must have its head office in an EU member state.

Up to 50% of the eligible costs of selected projects is available from MEDIA International should the project coordinator be based in Germany, Spain, France, Great Britain and Italy.

Up to 75% of the eligible costs of selected projects is available from MEDIA International should the project coordinator be based in one of the other 22 EU member states.

Up to 80% of the eligible costs of selected training projects is available from MEDIA International if any part of the training takes place in a third country.

It is highly recommended that applicants should pre-register their proposed project directly with the managers of MEDIA International at the European Commission.

Pre-registration can be done by email and must include the name of the project's contact person, the acronym of the proposal, the full title of the proposal and the language in which the full proposal will be submitted. Pre-register via infso-MEDIAinternational@ec.europa.eu

Pre-registration deadline is 1 June 2008

The deadline for applications to MEDIA International is 13 June 2008.

To visit the European Commission's MEDIA International site click here

Documents to download

MEDIA International Work Programme 2008

MEDIA International Guidelines and Application Form

MEDIA International Evaluation Guide

MEDIA International Example Contract

MEDIA International is a preparatory action developed in conjunction with UNESCO's cultural diversity convention, MEDIA 2007 and under the provisions for cultural co-operation in the free trade agreements between the EU and non-EU countries.