Type: Judgment

Authority: European Authorities: Euopean Communities' Court of Justice

Date: 03/05/2009

Subject: According to the Court, the Spanish legislation, that requires television operators to earmark 5% of their operating revenue for the previous year for the funding of full-length and short cinematographic films and European films made for television and 60% of that funding for the production of films of which the original language is one of the official languages of Spain, constitutes a restriction on several fundamental freedoms, justified where it serves cultural grounds in defence of Spanish multilingualism, that constitutes an overriding reason in the public interest.

Parties: UTECA c/ Administración General del Estado

Classification: Freedoms - Art. 15 Right of establishment - Freedom to provide services - Equality - Art. 22 Respect of cultural, religious and linguistic diversity

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