The official greenlight has now been given for the extensionof the European Union's MEDIA Programme until the end of 2006.

In accordance with the wishes of the European Parliament andthe European Commission, the budget for training measures will be increased toEuros 59.4m and for MEDIA Plus (development, distribution, promotion) to Euros453.6m.

The corresponding increase in the overall budget from theoriginal Euros 400m for 2001-2005 to Euros 513m is intended to meet theadditional financial requirements brought on by the programme's extension aswell as the expansion of the MEDIA Programme's membership to include another 11member countries.