Adoption of MEDIA II (Development and Distribution) programme The European Council of Ministers for Economy and Finance (ECOFIN) met in Brussels on 10 July 1995. Among the topics on the agenda were the MEDIA II programme and the European Year of Life-long Education and Training scheduled for 1996. Following the political agreement reach... The European Council of Ministers for Economy and Finance (ECOFIN) met in Brussels on 10 July 1995. Among the topics on the agenda were the MEDIA II programme and the European Year of Life-long Education and Training scheduled for 1996. Following the political agreement reached at the Council of Ministers for Culture, on 21 June 1995, the ECOFIN Council finally adopted the Decision on a programme to promote the development and distribution of European audio-visual works (MEDIA II - Development and Distribution). They also adopted a common position on the proposal for a Council Decision on the implementation of a training programme for professionals in the European audio-visual programme industry (MEDIA II - Training). This common position will now be transmitted to the European Parliament under the cooperation procedure. Both programmes are due to commence in January 1996 and last for a period of five years (1996-2000). The budget foreseen by the Council for the implementation of these programmes is ECU 265 million for development and distribution and ECU 45 million for training. The Council also adopted, after incorporating two amendments introduced by the European Parliament, the Council Decision concerning the European Year of Life-long Education and Training.
