Department for Culture Media and Sport
Film Co-Production FAQs
Are the temporary imbalance measures still in place?
No-DCMS had identified a significant and ongoing imbalance in co-production relations under the following treaties –
UK/Canada
UK/France
UK/Italy
European Convention on Cinematographic Co-production in relation to -
Italy
Denmark
Iceland
These imbalance measures are no longer in place. Applications starting principal photography on or after 1st April 2006 will be assessed on the basis of the minimum financial and film-making contribution specified in the bilateral treaty or European Convention.
Are the temporary imbalance measures for Denmark, France, Iceland and Italy, under the European Convention still in place?
Applications starting principal photography on or after 1st April 2006 will be assessed on the basis of the minimum financial and film-making contribution specified in the European Convention. See our co-production agreements page for further details.
Has the UK-Italy bilateral treaty been terminated?
Yes. The UK-Italy bilateral treaty was terminated on 2nd May 2006. Any provisional application received from this day forward for UK-Italy co-productions will be assessed under the European Convention, not the bi-lateral treaty.
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I submitted an application under the UK-Italy bilateral treaty, what happens if my film has not yet been granted provisional co-production status?
If any existing provisional applications under the UK-Italy treaty do NOT yet have provisional approval, then they must now be treated as applications under the European Convention instead of the bi-lateral treaty.
I submitted an application under the UK-Italy bilateral treaty, what happens if my film has not yet been granted final co-production status?
If any existing applications under the UK-Italy treaty already HAVE provisional approval, then this still stands and the final application will still be assessed under the UK-Italy treaty (when the final application comes in).
When will the new co-production treaties come into force?
Keep an eye on our website for current information.
Will I still have to apply for provisional and final co-production status after April 2006 when using the new treaties?
Yes, the procedures for co-production applications are entirely unchanged.
Will the 'Cultural Test' apply to Co-productions, if so when?
We are awaiting a formal response from the European Commission on the State aid applications for both lottery grants and the new tax relief, both of which depend on films passing the cultural test. We anticipate, however, that the Commission will not require films made under the Convention to pass the cultural test in addition to the terms of the Convention itself. We are in the process of renegotiating all existing bilateral treaties and will ensure that they will contain new conditions equivalent to the cultural test wherever necessary.
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Will the 'Cultural Test' apply to the European Convention co-production agreement?
We are awaiting a formal response from the European Commission on the State aid applications for both lottery grants and the new tax relief, both of which depend on films passing the cultural test. We anticipate, however, that the Commission will not require films made under the Convention to pass the cultural test in addition to the terms of the Convention itself. We are in the process of renegotiating all existing bilateral treaties and will ensure that they will contain new conditions equivalent to the cultural test wherever necessary.
Will the 'Cultural Test' apply to the new co-production treaties?
We are awaiting a formal response from the European Commission on the State aid applications for both lottery grants and the new tax relief, both of which depend on films passing the cultural test. We anticipate, however, that the Commission will not require films made under the Convention to pass the cultural test in addition to the terms of the Convention itself. We are in the process of renegotiating all existing bilateral treaties and will ensure that they will contain new conditions equivalent to the cultural test wherever necessary.
Further information:
Guidance documents for British Films Cultural Test
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