There will be no additional funding for Swedish film from introducing a new fee on streaming services. This is clear from the Tidö parties' proposal for a new Swedish film policy.
"We do not think that ordinary people who work hard for their salaries should have to suffer a streaming tax that would ultimately be imposed on the consumer," says Minister of Culture Parisa Liljestrand (M).
Liljestrand also believes that the streaming companies themselves produce "fantastic productions" in Sweden.
"We also don't believe that imposing a streaming tax on them is the right way to go. It would not make them more interested in producing here - quite the opposite."
Money decision postponed
A government inquiry last year proposed a new fee for streaming services. The inquiry also proposed, among other things, a reduction in VAT on cinema visits and that the government should allocate an additional 200 million kronor in funding for Swedish film.
But all concrete proposals regarding VAT and appropriations have been postponed.
"It's impossible to say anything about that. It has to be handled in a normal budget process and we're not there, especially not in an election year. But what we see is that the government shares the inquiry's views that a film fund would be a good way forward," says Parisa Liljestrand.
From identity politics
The government thus wants to scrap previous goals regarding, among other things, equality and diversity, as well as goals aimed at giving children opportunities for their own creativity.
"The new goals mean less detailed control and a shift from identity-political ambitions to a greater focus on the audience throughout the country and our common film heritage," says Jonas Andersson (SD).
New film policy goals - the seven current goals are proposed to be replaced by three:
A wide range of high-quality films are created and shown throughout the country.
Swedish films attract a large audience nationally and internationally.
The film heritage is preserved and used.
It is proposed that the production incentive be moved from the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Development to the Swedish Film Institute. The so-called first-come, first-served principle for the production incentive is abolished.
Film support should prioritize content in Swedish and national minority languages.
Source: government.
