ABSTRACT
Besides their economic character, feature films have a specific cultural nature, due to their role as communicator of ideas and their limited substitutability. Film policies take into account this dual nature of the film sector by enhancing its competitiveness, while at the same time bearing in mind its cultural dimension. At the EU level, audiovisual and film policy expressly pursues two objectives: the promotion of cultural diversity and the establishment of an internal film market. Through successful mediation between the cultural diversity of its Member States and internal market values, the EU presents a model for the integration of audiovisual policies into the international trade law system. A similar modus still needs to be found at the international level. The model of EU film policies may be implemented in several ways. The principle of cultural diversity and thus assertion of cultural (including audiovisual and film) policies within the global legal order are of utmost importance.
