Minister of Digital Policy, Telecommunications and Media Nikos Pappas joined by Media and Communications Secretary General Lefteris Kretsos and President and CEO of EKOME S.A. Panos Kouanis, presented Greece’s initiative to attract audiovisual productions, as well as the newly established National Centre of Audiovisual Media and Communication-EKOME S.A. to the diplomatic corps on Monday 26 March 2018.
Minister of Digital Policy, Telecommunications and Media Nikos Pappas stressed the audiovisual industry’s enormous potential, remarking that Greece has a magnificent natural plateau, offering unique opportunities to filmmakers. He announced that the amount of €75 million has already been set aside to support audiovisual productions in Greece.
Media and Communication Secretary General, Lefteris Kretsos, noted that this is an important opportunity for international co-operation in audiovisual productions.
National Centre of Audiovisual Media and Communication president and CEO, Panos Kouanis, noted: “These are fast track procedures with a 45-day timeframe for the first ratification of an audiovisual production, bureaucracy free and through an electronic system of proposal submission for a direct funding of audiovisual productions. EKOME intends to support and promote all kinds of collaborations in the audiovisual sector”. Mr. Kouanis also stressed that the plan to support audiovisual production is important to the country’s economy, with an impact on many sectors.
Greece’s brand-new investment incentive for the support of audiovisual productions makes the country a top choice for filmmakers: Law No. 4487/2017 sets the new legal framework for the development of the country’s audiovisual sector by implementing a 25% cash rebate to cover part of the eligible production costs of national and international audio-visual productions in Greece. It covers the whole audiovisual sector including fiction and documentary films, television series and films, animation and video games in both production and/or post-production phase.
After the presentation, the guests were welcomed by Minister Nikos Pappas, Secretary General Lefteris Kretsos and EKOME President and CEO Panos Kouanis, at the National Centre of Audiovisual Media and Communication newly inaugurated premises.
The presentation at Michael Cacoyannis Foundation
On Monday evening the investment incentive scheme and EKOME were presented to actors, directors, producers, screenwriters, business people and other high-profile personalities and representatives of the Greek audiovisual sector, at the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation.
