On September 4, the new, national body for cinema and audio-visual policy with the name “GREEN CENTER FOR CINEMA, AUDIO-VISUAL MEDIA AND CREATION SA-EKKOMED SA” was established and formally through the completion of its registration in GEMI, says a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The new body results from the merger of the Hellenic Film Center (supervised body of the Ministry of Culture) and the National Center for Audiovisual Media and Communication SA (EKOME SA) (supervised body of the Ministry of Digital Governance), which was legislated by Law 5105/2024 and will be under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture.

At the same time, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on September 5, the minutes of the General Assembly of the new company from 30.08.2024 were registered in GEMI, according to which the new Board of Directors was appointed as follows:

President: Alexandra Argyropoulou Pouri (lawyer-attorney)

CEO: Leonidas Christopoulos (public official)

Members:

  • Dafni Hatziprokopiou (lawyer-attorney)
  • Giorgos Christopoulos (lawyer-public executive)
  • Konstantinos Vrettos (economist-government executive)
  • Aris Peroulakis (engineer, former head of the EU Delegation in Greece)
  • Ioanna Charalambous (lawyer-lawyer-public official).

The new Board of Directors consists of people with technocratic competence and experience in matters of public administration and audiovisual policy. The new Board of Directors is transitional and its term will last for 12 months until the completion of the procedures of Law 5062/2023 for the selection of administrations in public bodies, adds the same announcement.

With regard to the new body, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs that it has a mission

(a) the development, strengthening and protection of the Greek cinematographic, audiovisual and generally creative sector and its promotion and promotion internationally,

(b) supporting domestic and attracting foreign investment in the cinematographic/audiovisual sector, as well as in the cultural and creative sector more broadly,

(c) supporting the integration of new, digital technologies and innovations in the audiovisual industry and the use of modern digital technological means to highlight the cultural and creative sector of the country, as well as the promotion and support of research in these fields,

(d) the organization and operation of the National Digital Repository of Audiovisual Works and the Innovation and Technology Hub for the Creative and Audiovisual Sector (Creative Hub GR), as well as other structures and programs for the support, networking and outreach of these sectors,

(e) the contribution to the fight against piracy, online or technological or otherwise, in the cinematographic, audiovisual and creative sector of the country in cooperation with co-competent bodies,

(f) the planning and implementation of education and training programs for the audiovisual sector and the promotion of audiovisual literacy in accordance with technological developments, and

(g) the support of the Government in the planning of the policy for the film, audio-visual and creative industry of the country and its general support and promotion in Greece and abroad.