During his visit to the European Cultural Capital for year 2011, Finnish city Turku, the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, took the opportunity to deny informations which suggested that the European Commission had the intention to reduce the financial support granted to European film industry through the MEDIA Programme.

The European Commission president, Jose Manuel Barroso, stressed in his statement that the field of culture is of great importance for the European economy in general. For that reason, regarding the information that pointed to the reduction of financial support by the European Commission to the European film industry through the MEDIA Programme, President Barroso denied categorically that the Commission has such intention. On the contrary, Barroso said, any idea the Commission may have regarding MEDIA Program would be to strengthen it.

The EU executive president highlighted the important support that the MEDIA Programme has provided for the European film sector development. He did so during his visit to the Finnish city of Turku which was appointed as European Capital of Culture for year 2011.

As president Barroso reminded, the MEDIA Program has already invested about 1,7 billion euro over its twenty year history. The program has provided support for the European audiovisual sector benefiting from the organization of multiple exchanges, organization of film festivals in many Member states, performing translations, or supporting the distribution of European films in other countries outside the EU, such as of the winning film at the Oscars, "The King's Speech". Barroso cited these examples as some of the reasons why the Union will continue to support European cinema at national or even regional or local level.