The first National Programme of the Development of Audio-visual Activities (2010-2014) was adopted by the Croatian Audiovisual Council of the Croatian Audiovisual Centre and approved by the (then) Ministry of Culture in October 2010. In 2012, the results of the first two years of the implementation of the Strategic Programme were presented: positive changes occurred in four of the five strategic goals – audiovisual legislation, increased number of produced films, increased number of viewers of Croatian films, and an increase in digitalisation of independent cinemas and audiovisual (heritage) content. The second National Programme of the Development of Audio-visual Activities (2017-2021) was adopted and then approved in 2017. The new strategic programme followed in the steps of the former programme, while focusing on four strategic goals: providing material conditions for the further development of the overall audio-visual industry as an economic force, while ensuring the creative growth of Croatian cinema as an artistic expression; encouraging film literacy and audience development; preservation of audio-visual heritage and promotion of public accessibility of culturally valuable domestic and world audio-visual heritage; and positioning Croatia in the processes of formation of the European digital single market.
There are no specific strategic or policy documents in relation to the interactive media industry. However, in 2018, with the adoption of the new Law on Audiovisual Activities, video games were introduced within the remit of the Law and HAVC as the centre. Already during the public discussion on the draft Law this caused a stir in the audiovisual community in relation to: the expanded remit of the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, the prerequisite of the introduction of different administrative procedures related to video games and the need for augmented funding for the overall audiovisual industry if video games are introduced within the Law. During 2020 the implementation of the measures related to video games was still in preparation. The video games industry is a nascent, small but growing sector that has been developing through projects such as incubator PISMO, EDU4GAMES, and through the Croatian Game Developers Association (CGDA).
Following the new Law, changes to the Book of Regulations of the Film Production Incentive Programme were also introduced. They related to the increase of cash rebate from 20% to 25% of production costs incurred in Croatia and an additional 5% to those that are filming in regions of Areas of Special State Concern (Područja posebne državne skrbi-PPDS). This prompted discussions during 2019 and 2020 on the implications of the Film Production Incentive Programme for the overall audiovisual industry and on the feasibility of opening up a film studio in Croatia, for which the Croatian Audiovisual Centre commissioned a feasibility study during 2020.
The Agency for Electronic Media (AEM) is an independent regulatory body whose mission is to promote public interest and media pluralism, justify public trust through professional and transparent activities, encourage media literacy, create conditions for the production of quality Croatian audiovisual content and ensure that equal conditions for media development and media freedom are met. Within the Strategic Plan of AEM (2017-2020) that is based on six strategic goals, three are related to the promotion of the audiovisual and interactive media industry: to proactively influence future amendments to the Law on Electronic Media and participate in the creation of a new media strategy of the Republic of Croatia; to create conditions for the production of quality Croatian media content; and to continue activities to develop and advocate for media literacy. This has been visible through discussions related to the Fund for the Promotion of Media Pluralism (see chapter 4.2.6), a yearly Public Call for Development of Media Literacy Programmes and a website for the project ‘Medijska pismenost’ (Media literacy). In 2020 the new measure was introduced by the Agency through a Call for the Support of Quality Journalism financing journalistic work published in electronic publications. During 2020 discussions related to the new Law on Electronic Media that was put into the adoption procedure (see chapter 4.2.6). Most comments during public discussions connected to the proposed Law related to the regulation of user-generated content on the Internet and the responsibility of the owners of electronic publications in relation to such content.
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