Overview
Creative Europe MEDIA’s TV and online content call CREA-MEDIA funds production of creative documentary works (one-off or series, minimum 50 minutes) for television and online exploitation and targets independent audiovisual production companies established in countries participating in the MEDIA strand. Grants are provided as fixed lump sums based on total production budget bands, ranging from €70,000 to €2,000,000, and applicants must ensure at least 40% third-party financing and at least 50% of financing from MEDIA countries. Projects must involve at least two broadcasters established in different MEDIA countries with binding contracts, respect maximum licence periods for broadcasters, and be submitted no later than the first day of principal photography. The call opens 30 September 2026 with two cut-offs on 10 February 2027 and 15 September 2027 and applications are submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal using the CREA Lump Sum templates and mandatory annexes.
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Highlights
What it funds
Scope and supported activities
Creative Europe MEDIA supports production of documentary works (one-off or series, minimum 50 minutes total) intended for linear and non-linear broadcasting. It finances projects showing strong cross-border cooperation, high creative value, clear distribution and financing innovation, and strategies for sustainability, gender balance, inclusion and diversity.
Who can apply:Independent audiovisual production companies and consortia where beneficiaries are legal entities established in countries participating fully in the MEDIA strand; projects must involve professionals and broadcasters from at least two MEDIA countries. Associated partners from non‑MEDIA countries may participate but cannot be beneficiaries 1.
- 1Eligible applicants: legal entities (public or private) established in MEDIA participating countries and majority owned by nationals from those countries
- 2Single applicants accepted; consortia and affiliated entities allowed; associated partners may participate without funding
- 3Minimum financing rules: at least 40% of the total production budget must be guaranteed by third party sources (broadcasters, funds, private/public investors); at least 50% of financing must come from MEDIA countries
- 4Project stage: application must be submitted no later than first day of principal photography (or start of animation)
Money and timelines
Total indicative call budget 2027:€23,300,000 across animation, documentary and fiction topics. Documentary topic earmark (indicative): €1,864,000. Grants are provided as fixed lump sums tied to total production budget bands.
| Item | Amount / range |
|---|---|
| Call budget (all TV & online topics, 2027) | €23,300,000 |
| Documentary topic indicative budget (2027) | €1,864,000 |
| Project grant (lump sums by total production budget) | €70,000 up to €2,000,000 depending on production budget band |
Typical lump sum examples (production budget -> EU lump sum)
| Total production budget | Lump sum (EU grant) |
|---|---|
| Below or equal to €500,000 | €70,000 |
| Above €500,000 and <= €800,000 | €100,000 |
| Above €3,000,000 and <= €10,000,000 | €500,000 |
| Above €20,000,000 | €2,000,000 |
Deadlines & submission
Opening date:30 September 2026. Two cut-offs (multiple cut‑off model): 10 February 2027 and 15 September 2027 (17:00 Brussels time). Apply online via the Funding & Tenders Portal.
How projects are evaluated:Evaluation uses award criteria: Relevance (30 pts), Quality of content (35 pts), Project management (5 pts) and Dissemination (30 pts). Overall threshold 70/100. Selected projects enter grant preparation and legal checks 1.
- 1Funding form: CREA Lump Sum Grants (CREA-LS) under the Creative Europe programme
- 2Maximum grant per project: fixed lump sum determined by total production budget band (see table)
- 3Eligible activities: production for TV/online, including pre-production, production, post-production, delivery and promotion
Mandatory annexes at submission include the lump sum calculator, Creative Europe MEDIA Database export, production financing structure with confirmed financing documents, creative dossier and declarations on independence and language. Part B (technical description) is limited to 70 pages.
Footnotes
- 1Full call text, submission details, templates and portal entry: TV and online content Documentary projects topic page EU Funding & Tenders Portal.
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Breakdown
Call at a glance
Call identifier:CREA-MEDIA. Programme: Creative Europe (MEDIA strand). Action type: CREA Lump Sum Grants (CREA-LS) under the CREA Lump Sum Grant model grant agreement (CREA-AG-LS). Opening date: 30 September 2026. Deadline model: Multiple cut-off. Cut-off deadlines: 10 February 2027 17:00 Brussels time and 15 September 2027 17:00 Brussels time. Call budget (indicative, all three TV and online topics combined): €23 300 000 for 2027; topic-specific indicative budget for Documentary projects: €1 864 000. Submission channel: EU Funding & Tenders Portal electronic submission system. Full topic page: TV and online content Documentary projects 1.
Objective of the action:Increase capacity of European audiovisual producers to develop and produce TV and online works (here: creative documentaries, one-off or series of minimum total duration 50 minutes) with strong cross-border circulation potential; to facilitate European and international co-productions; to strengthen producers independence from broadcasters and platforms; to enhance collaboration (independent producers, broadcasters, digital platforms, sales agents) including from low-capacity MEDIA countries; to support innovative content and financing models and to promote sustainability, greening, gender balance, inclusion and diversity.
Detailed eligibility and participation rules
Eligible applicant types
Eligible applicants must be legal entities (public or private bodies) established in countries participating fully in the MEDIA strand of Creative Europe and be independent European audiovisual production companies (ownership controlled directly or indirectly, wholly or majority by nationals of MEDIA strand countries). Natural persons are not eligible except self-employed sole traders where company has no separate legal personality. International organisations are eligible. Entities without legal personality may exceptionally participate if legally represented. EU bodies (except the Commission Joint Research Centre in exceptional cases) cannot be beneficiaries. Associated partners from non-MEDIA countries may participate but cannot be beneficiaries. Affiliates may be used where allowed. In short, eligible applicant types: independent production companies (micro, small and medium enterprises included), broadcasters and on-demand service providers participating in production as partners, public bodies (if established in eligible countries and compliant), non-profit organisations and international organisations; universities or research institutes are eligible only if they meet the MEDIA Strand eligibility and activity requirements and are legally established in participating countries.
Consortium requirement and composition
Single applicants (mono-beneficiary) are allowed. Consortium proposals are also accepted:where a consortium is formed, it must include at least two applicants (beneficiaries). The work must involve participation of professionals and at least two broadcasting companies established in two different MEDIA Strand countries. Projects may include associated partners from non-MEDIA countries (e.g. Korea) but these cannot be beneficiaries; their costs cannot be covered by the MEDIA grant.
Geographic eligibility (beneficiary scope)
Applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must be established in one of the countries participating fully in the MEDIA strand of Creative Europe. This includes all EU Member States and non-EU countries associated to Creative Europe (EEA countries and associated non-EU participants listed in the programme documentation). Associated non-MEDIA partners (non-beneficiaries) from third countries may be included to foster international cooperation and market access (explicit example in call: Korea pursuant to the audiovisual entitlement appended to the Protocol on Cultural Cooperation between the EU and Korea). For the exact, up-to-date list of participating countries consult the call document and the Portal.
Eligible activities and project types
This topic supports production of creative documentary works (one-off or series) intended primarily for linear and non-linear broadcasting and digital platforms. Minimum total duration for documentary topic: 50 minutes. Eligible activities cover pre-production, production, post-production, delivery, communication and dissemination for the submitted work(s). Ineligible works include live recordings, talk shows, reality shows, magazine formats, tourism-promotional documentaries, making-ofs, news programmes, docu-soaps, pornographic or racist material, institutional promotional productions, music videos, projects already financed by Eurimages, and productions originally intended as cinema works (with multiple theatrical distributors and/or an international sales agent involved) — see call document for full list.
Key creative participation rule:The submitted work must be produced with significant participation of professionals who are nationals and/or residents of MEDIA Strand countries. Significant participation is assessed via a points table (points allocated to director, author, lead actors, key crew, locations, post-production and studios). Total points from MEDIA countries must exceed 50% (detailed table in call document).
Financial and contractual conditions
Funding type and form
The action funds projects by lump sum grants (a fixed lump sum amount pre-fixed by the granting authority based on the total production budget). This is a grant (non-repayable EU contribution) in the form of financing not linked to costs (prefixed lump sum brackets). Funding model: CREA Lump Sum Grant (CREA-AG-LS). Payments: prefinancing (normally up to 70% of maximum grant amount), no interim payments, and balance/final payment after deliverables and final reporting, subject to checks.
Lump sum schedule (TV and online content — applicable to this call):Maximum EU grant for TV and online content depends on total production budget. Applicants must enter the total production budget consistently in the MEDIA Database and supporting templates. The lump sums applicable are:
| Total production budget (EUR) | Maximum lump sum EU contribution (EUR) |
|---|---|
| More than 20 000 000 | 2 000 000 |
| >10 000 000 and <=20 000 000 | 1 000 000 |
| >3 000 000 and <=10 000 000 | 500 000 |
| >2 000 000 and <=3 000 000 | 400 000 |
| >1 500 000 and <=2 000 000 | 300 000 |
| >1 000 000 and <=1 500 000 | 220 000 |
| >800 000 and <=1 000 000 | 150 000 |
| >500 000 and <=800 000 | 100 000 |
| <=500 000 | 70 000 |
Maximum grant per project under this topic is therefore between €70 000 and €2 000 000 depending on the total production budget bracket. The grant is fixed and not computed ex-post on actual costs: applicants must select the correct total production budget and submit coherent supporting documentation (Production Financing Structure, MEDIA Database export, confirmed financing evidence).
Co-funding and financing requirements
Minimum third-party financing requirement:at least 40% of the total estimated production budget must be guaranteed by third-party sources (broadcasters, distributors, public funds, private investment, tax incentives confirmed by competent bodies). Producer and co-producer own investments and the MEDIA lump sum grant are not counted as third-party financing. At least 50% of the total estimated financing must come from MEDIA Strand countries. Broadcaster involvement must be supported by binding contracts or letters of commitment including licence price and licence period. Broadcaster exploitation rights must revert to the producer within specified maximum license periods (7 years for pre-sales; 10 years if broadcaster is co-producer), otherwise the application is ineligible. Letters of intent lacking mandatory elements will not be accepted.
Eligible costs, reporting and payments
Because the grant is a lump sum fixed by production budget bracket, the EU contribution is financing not linked to costs (lump sum). The grant will be paid under the CREA Lump Sum Grant conditions: prefinancing (normally up to 70%), and final payment after technical deliverables and checks. Deliverables include updated Production Financing Structure, copy of main broadcaster contract, acceptance letter, link to produced material, promotional materials, most recent royalty statement of sales agent, interoperable standard identifier (e.g. ISAN/EIDR) and declaration on independence and ownership. The grant agreement will set precise milestones and deliverables; payments will be made to the coordinator who must distribute funds to beneficiaries.
Application process and evaluation
How to apply
Submit electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal Submission System. The application is prepared and submitted in four parts: Part A (administrative data) completed online; Part B (technical description — PDF uploaded using the Portal template; maximum 70 pages for Part B); Part C (additional data) completed online; mandatory annexes uploaded as PDFs (mandatory templates available in the Submission System). Required annexes include: Lump sum calculator, MEDIA Database PDF, creative presentation (director's note, script excerpts, teaser link), Production Financing Structure (mandatory template), confirmed financing documents and co-production contracts, letters of intent for distribution (non-financing broadcasters), declaration on independence and European ownership (mandatory template), declaration on language of submission.
Application timeline and cut-offs:Opening: 30 September 2026. Submission deadlines (cut-offs): 10 February 2027 (1st cut-off) and 15 September 2027 (2nd cut-off), both at 17:00 Brussels time. Evaluation periods and indicative signature dates are provided in the call document (evaluation and GA signature timelines vary per cut-off; see call document).
Evaluation procedure, criteria and thresholds
One-stage submission and one-step evaluation. Admissibility and eligibility checks first; eligible proposals evaluated by independent experts and ranked. Award criteria (maximum 100 points; overall pass threshold 70 points): Relevance (30 points) including European financing and cooperation, sustainability and diversity strategies; Quality of content and activities (35 points) including artistic quality, feasibility and audience potential; Project management (5 points) including roles, experience and for animation studio location; Dissemination (30 points) including distributor involvement, distribution and marketing strategy and promotional plan. Tie-breaking on equal scores: first Relevance score, then Dissemination, then Quality of content. Invitation to grant preparation is not a formal commitment; legal validation, financial capacity checks and exclusion checks take place before signature.
Evaluation indicative timeline:For 1st cut-off (10 Feb 2027): evaluation Feb–June 2027; information to applicants Aug 2027; grant signature Nov 2027. For 2nd cut-off (15 Sep 2027): evaluation Sept 2027–Jan 2028; information March 2028; grant signature June 2028.
Selection and implementation conditions
Operational and financial capacity checks
Applicants must demonstrate stable and sufficient financial resources and operational capacity. Financial capacity checks are normally applied to the coordinator; public bodies and organisations with >50% revenue from public sources may be exempt. The granting authority may require additional safeguards (prefinancing guarantees, staged prefinancing, joint and several liability) if financial capacity is insufficient. Legal entity validation and participant register registration (PIC and LEAR) are mandatory prior to grant preparation.
Independence and ownership rules
Applicant must be an independent European audiovisual production company — not majority controlled by an audiovisual media service provider. Ownership structure must be disclosed via the Information on independence and ownership control template; full ownership chains down to natural person nationals must be provided if applicable. Insufficient ownership information may render an applicant ineligible.
Administrative & supporting documents (templates and annexes)
- 1Standard Application Form (CREA MEDIA) — Part A (online), Part B (PDF template) and Part C (online).
- 2Lump sum calculator (mandatory) — Excel template available in Submission System; used to check the selected total production budget bracket.
- 3Production Financing Structure — mandatory Excel template to list all financing sources, contracts and letters of commitment.
- 4Financing structure instructions and declaration of confirmed financing documents (contracts, letters of commitment specifying amounts, rights and licence periods). Preliminary LOIs without mandatory elements are not accepted.
- 5Declaration on independence and European ownership (mandatory template). Full ownership chain disclosure required.
- 6Information on language of submission documents (mandatory template).
- 7Media Database PDF export (creative dossier information must match MEDIA Database entries).
- 8Model Grant Agreement (CREA MGA) and Lump Sum MGA templates (for details on legal and financial set-up).
Application forms and templates are available in the Portal Submission System; applicants must use the templates provided inside the Submission System (not the topic page documents). Part B is limited to 70 pages; layout rules (font size, margins) must be respected. Use of generative AI is permitted but applicants remain fully responsible for content and must disclose use and sources as required by the Portal guidance.
Key compliance points and conditions
- 1At least two broadcasters from different MEDIA Strand countries involved; broadcaster contracts must include licence price and licence period and comply with maximum exploitation windows (7 years for pre-sales; 10 years for co-production).
- 2Minimum 40% confirmed third-party financing (excludes MEDIA grant and producer/co-producer own investment).
- 3Minimum 50% of financing must originate from MEDIA Strand countries.
- 4Applications must be submitted no later than the first day of principal photography (or start of animation).
- 5Probity rules: no EU restrictive or conditionality measures in place for applicants; exclusion grounds under EU Financial Regulation apply.
- 6Sustainability and greening strategies, gender balance and diversity measures must be presented and will be evaluated.
- 7Projects with associated partners from non-MEDIA countries (e.g. Korea) can include them as non-beneficiary partners to foster market access but their costs cannot be charged to the grant.
- 8No double funding from the EU budget for the same costs; no-profit rule applies where relevant; final grant amount limited to the lump sum for the bracket.
Project stage, target sectors and technology considerations
Target project stage:production (pre-production through delivery) of TV and online documentary works; suitable for projects at a development-ready stage with confirmed financing elements and production start date. Target sector: audiovisual sector — documentary film and series production for linear and non-linear distribution including digital platforms, broadcasters, sales agents and distributors. Cross-cutting priorities include digital and AI where relevant for distribution or promotion, and greening/sustainability of production. Technology-specific requirements: interoperability identifier (ISAN/EIDR) must be created before the end of the action for selected projects.
Budget and funding scale
Call-level indicative budget 2027:€23 300 000 across TV and online content topics (animation, documentary, fiction). Documentary topic indicative allocation: €1 864 000. Individual project EU grant (lump sum) ranges by total production budget bracket from €70 000 up to €2 000 000 (see lump sum table above). There is no fixed number of grants per topic; the Agency reserves the right not to award all funds or to redistribute between topics depending on quality and results.
Application process stages and expected number of stages
Submission is a single-stage electronic call (one-stage proposal submission), followed by evaluation by independent experts, ranking and invitation to grant preparation for successful proposals. Grant preparation includes legal entity validation, financial capacity check, exclusion checks and potential negotiation/amendment of deliverables and schedules. Thus practical stages for applicants: 1) prepare and submit application (Part A/B/C + annexes); 2) evaluation and ranking; 3) invitation to grant preparation (legal & financial validation); 4) signature of grant agreement and start of project. Therefore the applicant passes through 3 to 4 distinct stages from submission to signed grant.
Success rates and competitiveness
The call document does not publish a pre-determined success rate. Success will depend on quality of proposal, meeting award criteria, competition at each cut-off and available budget in the topic (documentary topic indicative budget €1 864 000 for 2027). Historical MEDIA Strand success rates vary widely by year and topic; applicants should assume competitive selection and ensure strong European financing, creative quality, distribution strategy and compliance with eligibility rules.
Compliance, checks and controls
After evaluation and selection, legal and administrative checks (legal entity validation, LEAR, PIC), financial capacity assessment and exclusion checks will be performed. The granting authority may request prefinancing guarantees, joint and several liability or staged payments if financial capacity is insufficient. The grant agreement sets obligations for record-keeping, reporting, deliverables, audits and OLAF/EPPO/ECA oversight. Certificates on financial statements (CFS) may be required above thresholds detailed in the Data Sheet. All projects must comply with EU ethics, data protection and fundamental values rules.
Where to find full documentation and templates:Call document and annexes, Application Form templates, Lump sum calculator, Production Financing Structure, Declaration on independence and ownership, Information on language of submission documents, Model Grant Agreement (CREA MGA) and Lump Sum MGA are all available on the topic page in the Funding & Tenders Portal Submission System and Portal Reference Documents. Start submission from the topic page: Start submission.
Important practical recommendations for applicants
- 1Ensure registration in the Participant Register (obtain PIC and appoint LEAR) well before submission; legal entity validation documents will be requested during grant preparation.
- 2Match total production budget across application, MEDIA Database entry and Production Financing Structure; select the correct lump sum bracket in the calculator template.
- 3Provide binding financing documents: contracts or signed binding letters of commitment with amounts, licence terms and licence periods. Letters must include the licence price and period; LOIs without mandatory elements are not accepted.
- 4Include full ownership structure disclosure to prove European ownership and independence; incomplete ownership information can make the applicant ineligible.
- 5Provide clear distribution and marketing strategy, binder with distributor/sales agent experience and sales estimates, and evidence of broadcaster interest or commitment.
- 6Demonstrate sustainability/greening measures, gender balance, inclusion and diversity strategies.
- 7Do not leave submission to the final day; Portal technical issues at close time are at applicant risk. Use the Portal Online Manual and IT Helpdesk for technical problems.
Summary: What this opportunity is about and how to explain it
This Creative Europe MEDIA call topic finances production of high-quality TV and online documentary works (one-offs or series) with strong European and international cross-border circulation potential. It aims to strengthen independent producers, stimulate European co-productions (including cross-market cooperation involving low-capacity MEDIA countries), and support innovative content and financing strategies linked to clear distribution plans. Funding is provided as fixed lump sums tied to total production budget brackets (€70 000 to €2 000 000). Applicants must be legal entities established in MEDIA Strand participating countries, demonstrate significant participation of MEDIA-country professionals, secure minimum third-party financing (>=40% of production budget) and at least 50% financing from MEDIA countries, and involve at least two broadcasters from different MEDIA countries with binding licences. The call uses a multiple cut-off model with two deadlines in 2027. Applications are submitted via the Funding & Tenders Portal following the CREA Lump Sum Grant templates and annexes. Selected projects enter grant preparation for legal/financial validation and then sign a lump sum grant agreement covering deliverables, reporting and payments. The action targets producers ready to start production (or at an advanced stage of development) with robust distribution strategies and confirmed financing who can deliver sustainable, inclusive and internationally-circulating documentary content.
For full authoritative details, templates and legal conditions consult the call document and annexes on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal topic page and the Model Grant Agreement for CREA Lump Sum Grants Topic page 1.
Footnotes
- 1Call document, templates and submission are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal topic page: TV and online content Documentary projects CREA-MEDIA at ec.europa.eu
Short Summary
Impact Increase the capacity of European audiovisual producers to develop and produce high-quality documentary works with strong cross-border and international circulation, greater independence from broadcasters/platforms, and improved sustainability, diversity and audience reach. | Impact | Increase the capacity of European audiovisual producers to develop and produce high-quality documentary works with strong cross-border and international circulation, greater independence from broadcasters/platforms, and improved sustainability, diversity and audience reach. |
Applicant Independent European audiovisual production companies with demonstrated experience in producing TV/online documentaries, securing cross-border financing and broadcaster commitments, and delivering distribution, marketing and sustainability strategies. | Applicant | Independent European audiovisual production companies with demonstrated experience in producing TV/online documentaries, securing cross-border financing and broadcaster commitments, and delivering distribution, marketing and sustainability strategies. |
Developments Production (pre‑production to delivery) of creative documentary one-offs or series (minimum total duration 50 minutes) intended primarily for linear and non-linear TV/online exploitation, with innovative financing and clear distribution plans. | Developments | Production (pre‑production to delivery) of creative documentary one-offs or series (minimum total duration 50 minutes) intended primarily for linear and non-linear TV/online exploitation, with innovative financing and clear distribution plans. |
Applicant Type NGOs/non-profits and profit SMEs/startups (independent audiovisual production companies and similar legal entities established in Creative Europe MEDIA participating countries). | Applicant Type | NGOs/non-profits and profit SMEs/startups (independent audiovisual production companies and similar legal entities established in Creative Europe MEDIA participating countries). |
Consortium Both single applicants and consortia are accepted; consortia must include at least two beneficiaries and projects must involve at least two broadcasters from different MEDIA Strand countries. | Consortium | Both single applicants and consortia are accepted; consortia must include at least two beneficiaries and projects must involve at least two broadcasters from different MEDIA Strand countries. |
Funding Amount Fixed lump sum grants ranging from €70,000 up to €2,000,000 per project depending on the total production budget bracket (e.g., ≤€500,000 → €70,000; >€20,000,000 → €2,000,000). | Funding Amount | Fixed lump sum grants ranging from €70,000 up to €2,000,000 per project depending on the total production budget bracket (e.g., ≤€500,000 → €70,000; >€20,000,000 → €2,000,000). |
Countries Applicants must be established in Creative Europe MEDIA participating countries (EU Member States and associated MEDIA countries); associated non‑MEDIA partners may participate (e.g., Korea is explicitly mentioned) but cannot be beneficiaries. | Countries | Applicants must be established in Creative Europe MEDIA participating countries (EU Member States and associated MEDIA countries); associated non‑MEDIA partners may participate (e.g., Korea is explicitly mentioned) but cannot be beneficiaries. |
Industry Creative Europe (MEDIA strand) — audiovisual sector (TV and online content:documentary projects). | Industry | Creative Europe (MEDIA strand) — audiovisual sector (TV and online content:documentary projects). |
Additional Web Data
This call under Creative Europe MEDIA supports documentary works intended for television and online exploitation, with the aim of strengthening independent audiovisual production, cross-border cooperation, co-productions, audience reach and international circulation across Europe and beyond.12 The documentary topic is designed for creative documentaries that combine strong artistic value, clear distribution potential, innovative financing and a credible strategy for broad linear and non-linear release.12
Who can apply and what is eligible
- Applicants must be legal entities established in a Creative Europe participating country and in a country participating fully in the MEDIA strand, and they must be owned directly or indirectly, wholly or by majority participation, by nationals from such countries; for publicly listed entities, stock exchange location can determine eligibility if nationality cannot otherwise be established.12
- Independent European audiovisual production companies are required, meaning companies whose main objective is audiovisual production and which are not directly or indirectly majority controlled by an audiovisual media service provider.2
- Single applicants are allowed, and consortia of at least two applicants are also allowed; associated partners from countries not participating in the MEDIA strand may participate, but they cannot be beneficiaries and their costs are not covered by the EU grant.12
- The documentary projects must have a total duration of at least 50 minutes and must be intended primarily for television or online exploitation; series must be submitted as a series and single episodes cannot be split into separate applications.2
- The application must be submitted no later than the first day of principal photography, or the start of animation for animation projects, and projects should normally not exceed 36 months.2
Key funding conditions
The call has a total budget of €23,300,000 for 2027, with €1,864,000 earmarked for the documentary topic, and the overall call budget is split indicatively 40 percent for the first cut-off and 60 percent for the second cut-off.12 The grant is a lump sum grant, with the requested EU contribution per project ranging from €70,000 to €2,000,000 depending on the total production budget.2
| Total production budget | Fixed lump sum | Source |
|---|---|---|
| More than €20,000,000 | €2,000,000 | 2 |
| More than €10,000,000 and up to €20,000,000 | €1,000,000 | 2 |
| More than €3,000,000 and up to €10,000,000 | €500,000 | 2 |
| More than €2,000,000 and up to €3,000,000 | €400,000 | 2 |
| More than €1,500,000 and up to €2,000,000 | €300,000 | 2 |
| More than €1,000,000 and up to €1,500,000 | €220,000 | 2 |
| More than €800,000 and up to €1,000,000 | €150,000 | 2 |
| More than €500,000 and up to €800,000 | €100,000 | 2 |
| Up to €500,000 | €70,000 | 2 |
Important financing and rights requirements
- At least two broadcasting companies established in two countries participating in the MEDIA strand must be involved, and their participation must be backed by contracts or binding letters of commitment that specify the financial contribution, licence price and licence period.2
- The exploitation rights licensed to broadcasters must revert to the producer after a maximum licence period of 7 years for pre-sales or 10 years for co-productions, and applications are ineligible if any participating broadcaster does not respect these limits.2
- At least 40 percent of the total estimated production budget must be secured from third party sources of finance, and at least 50 percent of the total estimated financing must come from countries participating in the MEDIA strand.2
- Producer and co-producer own investment, and the requested MEDIA grant, do not count as third party finance for the 40 percent requirement.2
- If the work is co-produced by several production companies, a co-production contract or deal memo must be submitted with the application.2
- The call also expects projects to address sustainability, environmental responsibility, gender balance, inclusion, diversity and representativeness, including the use of greening consultants where appropriate.12
Submission package and mandatory documents
- Part A must be completed online, Part B is the technical description and is limited to 70 pages, and Part C contains additional project data.2
- Mandatory annexes include the lump sum calculator, a PDF from the Creative Europe MEDIA Database, a creative presentation of the project, the production financing structure, supporting proof for confirmed financing and co-production documents, binding letters of intent for distribution, the declaration on independence and European ownership, and the language declaration.2
- The submission must be made electronically through the Funding and Tenders Portal, and paper submissions are not allowed.2
- Applicants must confirm that they have the mandate to act for all applicants and that all participants comply with eligibility, financial capacity, operational capacity and exclusion rules.2
Indicative timeline and evaluation
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Call opening | 30 September 2026 12 |
| Deadline for first cut-off | 10 February 2027 at 17:00 Brussels time 12 |
| Deadline for second cut-off | 15 September 2027 at 17:00 Brussels time 12 |
| Evaluation period, first cut-off | February to June 2027 12 |
| Evaluation period, second cut-off | September 2027 to January 2028 12 |
| Information to applicants | August 2027 and March 2028 12 |
| Grant agreement signature | November 2027 and June 2028 12 |
Proposals are evaluated under a one-stage submission and one-step evaluation procedure. The award criteria are relevance worth 30 points, quality of content and activities worth 35 points, project management worth 5 points and dissemination worth 30 points, with an overall threshold of 70 points out of 100.2
- Relevance assesses the European dimension of financing, European co-production, sustainability and environmental strategy, and gender balance, inclusion, diversity and representativeness.2
- Quality of content and activities assesses artistic quality, overall feasibility and financing, and potential to reach European and international audiences, including young and digital native audiences.2
- Project management assesses the distribution of roles and responsibilities across the production and creative team.2
- Dissemination assesses the strength of the distributor, distribution strategy, promotion and marketing strategy.2
Practical takeaways for applicants
- This is a lump sum call, so applicants should choose the production budget band carefully and ensure that the production budget, financing structure and supporting documents are fully consistent.2
- The project should be ready for production submission at the latest by the first day of principal photography, which makes the call particularly suited to projects at an advanced financing stage.2
- Strong applications will show clear broadcaster commitment, credible cross-border financing, a realistic distribution plan and a convincing explanation of how the project will travel internationally.12
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Films on the Move is a Creative Europe MEDIA call for proposals funding sales agent–led pan‑European theatrical and/or online distribution campaigns for recent non‑national European films. Eligible applicants are legal European sales age...
European co-development
European Co-development (CREA-MEDIA-2027-CODEV) is a Creative Europe MEDIA call to finance the development of a single audiovisual project (animation, creative documentary or fiction) by consortia of at least two independent production c...
European video games and immersive content
This Creative Europe MEDIA single-stage call (CREA-MEDIA-2027-DEVVGIM) supports the development (pre-production) of original narrative video games and interactive immersive experiences up to the delivery of a first playable prototype. El...
Call for proposals for action grants to support transnational projects in the fields of e-Justice, victims’ rights and procedural rights
The European Commission’s Justice Programme call JUST-2027-JACC-EJUSTICE funds transnational projects in e-Justice, victims’ rights and procedural rights to improve access to justice and implement EU instruments such as Regulation 2023/2...
Standardisation
The Standardisation topic (ISF-2026-TF2-AG-CYBER-STANDARD) under the Internal Security Fund supports standardisation activities to strengthen digital investigations and lawful access to digital evidence. The call opened on 15 September 2...
A stronger Global Ocean Observing System to enhance Europe’s strategic autonomy, climate resilience and biodiversity conservation
Horizon Europe HORIZON-NATURE-2027-04-01 is a single-stage Innovation Action calling for a large multidisciplinary consortium to strengthen and operationalise the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) with a focus on biodiversity, technol...
Structured dialogue with people with lived experience of poverty
Forthcoming ESF+ EaSI call for proposals (Topic ID ESF-2027-PEP-ENGAGEMENT) to fund one consortium to facilitate a structured dialogue between EU policymakers and people with lived experience of poverty, with an indicative budget of EUR...