§ Mr. Shersbyasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which members of the European Community have failed to enact legislation equivalent to the provisions of section 8 of the European Communities Act 1972 relating to cinematograph films; what action has been taken by him to achieve uniformity in that respect; and whether he intends to seek a revision of the legislation following the abolition of the Eady levy on the exhibition of films in United Kingdom cinemas.
§ Mr. TrippierSection 8 of the European Communities Act 1972 permitted films from other member states to qualify as British quota films for the purposes of the Films Acts, amended the definition of British films and introduced a new category of "Community Films" in the films register. The Films Bill at present before the House will remove the legislative basis of the quota (which was suspended on 1 January 1983) and the Eady levy. Section 8 of the 1972 Act will therefore in these respects be redundant and the Films Bill proposes its repeal.
The EC Commission takes the view that some aspects of the films legislations of Denmark, France, Italy and West Germany are, variously, incompatible with those states' treaty obligations, and there are cases against them. I understand that the Commission is continuing its discussions with the states concerned and United Kingdom officials are in touch periodically with the Commission about these cases.