The Minister of Culture and Communication welcomes the adoption by Parliament of a Finance Act 2015 and an amended Finance Act for 2014 that reflect the government’s clear choices in favour of culture. Beyond the preservation of the Ministry’s budget appropriations, in parallel with strong savings in other areas of government action, a series of tax measures essential for support for creation has just been adopted.
Fleur Pellerin said: ' call backthe strength of the Government’s commitment, which has preserved the overall budget for culture for the next three years even as it made the courageous and responsible choice to put an end to the debt explosion. A series of essential tax measures, particularly concerning the art market, music, cinema and video games have been adopted, and will support and strengthen French creation and the attractiveness of our country ».
A sustained music sector
The music sector needs to ensure its continued development in favour of young talent and its adaptation to the digital age. The 2015 budget consolidates the action taken by Fleur Pellerin in favour of the concert activity as well as the phonographic industry.
In order to preserve the virtuous mechanisms of support for musical and variety live performances, the ceiling of the ticket sales tax allocated to the National Variety Centre is adjusted so that the establishment can benefit from all its revenues, €29 million for 2014 and €30 million for 2015.
As for the phonographic tax credit, it was extended for three years to encourage medium-term investments and its annual ceiling was raised to €1.1 million to make it more attractive. Finally, adaptations have been introduced to the realities of new businesses in the recording industry.
A cinema that produces and attracts in France
The amended Finance Act for 2014 strengthened the national film and audiovisual tax credit (CICA) and international film and audiovisual tax credit (CII) schemes. For French cinema, the rates have been increased for all animation works and for films» with a budget of less than €7 million; audiovisual animation works also benefit from an increase in the ceiling to preserve this sector of French excellence. In the case of the ITC, the rate and ceiling of the tax credit have been increased to strengthen its competitiveness in relation to offensive foreign mechanisms, to relocate and attract productions in France that, for tax reasons, would have been produced abroad.
These measures taken in favour of cinema increase the attractiveness of our country and will be the vectors of activity and the creation of skilled jobs, especially among young people. They also benefit the production in France of works that are at the heart of cultural diversity.
A more attractive art market
A year ago, the desire to make the art market and the Paris square more attractive on a European scale led to a reduction in VAT on art imports at a rate of 5.5%. The Minister of Culture, concerned about the fluidity of the art market as a whole and the income of each of the artists, plasticians or designers, is delighted that the deliveries of works by the artists or their heirs, living in France, can see their situation aligned and benefit from a VAT rate reduced to 5.5%.
A strengthened video game sector
Finally, Fleur Pellerin, welcomes the validation on December 11, 2014, by the European Commission, of the reform of the video game tax credit, voted in December 2013 by the Parliament. This initiative will help support this French art and technology sector of excellence, strengthen the French video game industry and enable all our brilliant young creators to deploy their talents in France.