Pressemeddelelse fra EU-kommissionen:
Commission authorises aid for the distribution of cultural and social journals by non-profit organisations in Denmark
Today, the Commission approved the Danish “Bill on aid for the distribution of certain journals and periodicals” (Se note 1 nedenfor). The bill establishes a scheme according to which postal distribution costs of certain journals and periodicals that are run on a non-profit basis, can be assisted with public means. The objective of the scheme is to promote the democratic debate, the dissemination of cultural and social information and the activities of associations.
The aid scheme will be administered by the Ministry of Culture and operated on an annual basis for an unlimited period of time. The size of the aid pool will be determined annually in the Finance Acts and will be based on demand and resources available. Around 2.400 publications are expected to be eligible for the aid.
According to the Danish authorities, the objective of the scheme is to promote, by facilitating the development of the activities at hand, the democratic debate, the dissemination of cultural and social information and the activities of associations. The scheme will assist non-profit organisations to pursue these goals by publishing and circulating journals and periodicals dealing with a wide variety of cultural and social subjects.
Magazines published by non-profit organisations are circulated to a limited number of readers, often without a subscription fee, and might not always be commercially viable. Nevertheless, their content focusing on issues such as humanitarian aid, education or the environment makes their existence and wide circulation socially desirable.
As a consequence, public support to their distribution may be necessary, while carefully evaluating their content and publishers to ensure that the social objectives are indeed fulfilled. Moreover, information disseminated by a number of non-profit organisations can also contribute to the general interest of safeguarding the pluralism of the media, as noted by the Commission in its case law concerning radio (se note 2 nedenfor).
Given the nature of the beneficiaries, i.e. mainly local associations supported by their members and/or sponsors, it is highly unlikely that the aid would give them a significant advantage over commercial magazines in competing for readership and/or advertising revenues on a Community scale.
In addition, since content is limited to cultural and social issues, it is unlikely that the titles included and those excluded would be real substitutes and hence subscribers and/or advertisers would switch between them due to the subsidy. Hence, the distortion of competition and intra-Community trade is expected to be marginal.
The community interest is further safeguarded by the fact that most of the publications to be supported by the scheme are expected to be in Danish language and hence cross-border trade affectation will be limited. In addition, the eligibility and equal treatment of foreign applicants will assure non-discrimination between economic actors based on their country of origin.
In addition, the scheme is a direct grant to publishers instead of an indirect subsidy of postal tariffs administered through the post, as seen in previous Danish schemes. By this, transparency is increased and the potential benefits are limited to the publishers. Moreover, there is no distortion to the postal market, since publishers are free to choose any mail service provider.
On the basis of all these considerations the Commission has come to the conclusion that, to the extent that trade between Member States is affected at all, the state aid measures are compatible with the common market.
Note 1: Bill No.1214 on Aid for the Distribution of Certain Journals and Periodicals of 27.12.2003
Note 2: Commission decision in State aid case NN 44/03 (ex N 725/02) on “Modification dun regime daide a lexpression radiophonique”, France, 28.07.2003
