Israel is currently in the process of becoming a participant in the European Union’s Creative Europe funding program.

In a press release from September 27, Creative Europe announced the changes to the list of eligible countries, stating, “Turkey is no longer in the Creative Europe program, while Israel may become eligible, provided that the EU-Israel Agreement is signed and notified by the date the award decision of the call is adopted.”

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Israel would also become partially eligible for EU funding in the sub-program for media projects, which provides financial support for training, festivals, film education, and market access activities, according to the latest guidelines in the Creative Europe Program. Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine have already signed similar agreements.

A call for proposals published in late September for projects slated to take place between May and December 2017 is now open to Israeli organizations.

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“The European Commission is looking forward to welcoming Israel into the Creative Europe family,” a European Commission spokesperson is quoted in Screen Daily. “Increased cultural and audio-visual cooperation between the EU and Israel will facilitate mutual understanding and enhance the development of the cultural and creative sectors on both sides.”

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Israel Film Fund executive director Katriel Schory welcomed the move, telling Screen Daily, “Israeli institutions will be less isolated by belonging to a pan European platform.”