Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, Minister of Culture and Communication for France is pleased with the decision of the European Commission to authorise a package of French national grants in favour of cinema and the audio-visual sector, until 2011. According to de Vabres, it's the question of a crucial decision for the European cinema, which cannot exist without national cinematography that is dynamic, creative, open, and encouraged by national policies of strong and constant support. The decision of the European Commission reconciles the requirements of the European policy as regards to competition with the broad objectives of cultural policies in Europe, in particular that of cultural diversity. It is a sign of recognition of national support policies in favour of the cinema and audio-visual sector, extending the UNESCO convention on cultural diversity adopted last year on the 20th of October by the vast majority of the international community. The minister emphatically reaffirmed that, for him culture in all its forms – though especially cinema and the audio-visual sector - plays a determining role in the emergence of a common European identity, by allowing an exchange of ideas, values and ideals between people. The decision of the European Commission, delivered today in the College of Commissioners, authorises an account of grants for cinema (pre-production, production, distribution, exploitation, video editing, technical industries) and for the audio-visual sector (COSIP), the financial and tax deductions (IFCIC, Sofica, tax credits) as well as the French regulatory system (investment obligations of TV channels in production). For more information, in French, CLICK HERE.