CPH Film Fund whitepaper seeks to level the playing field in attracting foreign film & TV investments, aligning with the standards set by its Nordic counterparts.

Denmark's major film and TV business organisations, has formed an alliance advocating for the implementation of a Danish production rebate. The initiative aims to attract foreign film and TV productions, an area where Denmark has lagged behind its Nordic neighbours.

Denmark currently stands as one of the only countries in Europe, alongside Luxembourg, without a production rebate system. This absence has been increasingly felt in the industry. Denmark is said to be overlooked by international productions in favour of countries with more such financial incentives.

The former CPH Film Fund, now a subsidiary to the Danish Producers’ Association, has produced a White Paper revealing that 111 countries globally, including 33 in Europe, offer various incentive schemes to attract foreign productions. The most common form is a production rebate or “cash rebate”, averaging around 30 million EUR.

Neighbouring countries like Norway, Sweden and Finland have all adopted a 25% production rebate on costs incurred within their borders. Iceland up to 35%.

In febuary Germany’s Federal Government unveiled intentions to offer a 30% rebate on eligible German production expenses to film and drama series and on March 6th The U.K. government unveiled a new 40% corporate tax relief for film and TV .

The Danish alliance, comprising entities like Danish Chamber of Commerce (Dansk Erhverv), SMV Denmark, The Producers' Association, and several others, underscores the economic and cultural losses due to the current policy gap.

The proposed Danish model, inspired by similar schemes in the other Nordic countries, suggests a 25% rebate, aligning with the standard set by Denmark's Nordic counterparts. The proposed trial scheme, running over three years with a budget of 150 million DKK (20M EUR) annually, aims to cover various segments of the industry, including series, films, documentaries, animation, and VFX/post-production.

The initiative not only seeks to level the playing field in attracting foreign investments, but also aims to support the sustainability and growth of the Danish film and TV production sector. Studies from Finland, England, France, and Ireland indicate that such rebates can yield returns in taxes and related revenues by a factor of 3-4. A Norwegian study from 2023 further bolsters this, showing a substantial ROI from their rebate scheme.