Requirements, conditions and governing documents

Companies whose main activity is the production of audiovisual works can apply for support. Both national and international companies can apply. Private individuals cannot apply.

The company that applies must either have production responsibility for the entire production, for example responsibility for planning, principal photography, post-production, final product and budget and employer responsibility, or have the right to represent the company with production responsibility by power of attorney.

Last update September 6, 2023

2. Entirely or in part in Sweden

The production must be carried out entirely or in part in Sweden to be eligible for support. Support can go to costs relating to pre-production, production and post-production, provided that they are carried out in Sweden. Support can also go to a limited part of the production, such as a particular part of post-production, if it is carried out in Sweden.

Last update February 16, 2024

3. The principal photography must not have started 

Principal photography must not have started before the application for support is submitted. If the principal photography has started before the application for support is submitted, the production is not eligible for support. This also applies if support is only applied for later parts of the production. Please note that costs incurred before the start of filming may be eligible. For example, costs related to pre-production.

The above rule is based on the EU rules on state support, Article 6 of Commission Regulation (EU) 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 (GBER). According to the regulation, support may not be granted to projects that have begun before an application for support has been submitted, as support granted for projects that have already begun loses its character as an incentive.

• Commission Regulation (EU) 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 (GBER) External link.

Last update February 16, 2024

4. Total budget

The total budget for the entire production must be at least:

• 30 million Swedish kronor for a feature film
• 10 million Swedish kronor for a documentary film
• 10 million Swedish kronor per episode for a drama series or
• 5 million Swedish kronor per episode for a documentary series.

The total budget for the entire production includes all costs (including non-eligible costs) that the production company has for the production. From early development, pre-production, recording, post-production to delivery.

Last update September 6, 2023

5. Eligible costs 

Eligible costs are costs for salaries, goods and services that are necessary to carry out the production in Sweden and that relate to pre-production, production and post-production.

Pre-production includes costs for development and preparation for filming, such as casting and location scouting. Support cannot be provided for costs incurred before the application is submitted to the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth or for underlying rights.

Production includes the costs of filming and animating, such as actors, catering, travel, accommodation, hiring film crews, car hire, studio hire and stunts.

Post-production includes costs incurred after the raw material for a film is shot until the final delivery of the film or series, such as editing, visual effects, music, sound effects and laboratory work.

Support may also go to costs associated with making the production accessible to people with disabilities.

The eligible costs of a production must

• amount to at least 4 million Swedish kronor
• be necessary to carrying out the production in Sweden and

• relate to purchases of goods and services from businesses that pay tax in Sweden or salaries of employees taxed in Sweden.

The support amounts to 25 percent of the eligible costs. You receive the money by making an application for payment after the costs have been incurred. Eligible costs must be accounted for separately from other production costs, and must have been incurred by you as the beneficiary. In the application for payment, it must be clearly shown that the costs relate to the production that has been granted support. You can read more in the section Apply for payment and report.

• See Apply for payment and report

The following costs are not eligible for support

Support cannot be granted for costs arising prior to the application being submitted to the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth.

Support cannot be granted for costs relating to underlying rights, distribution or marketing.

The following are examples of non-eligible costs:

• Interest payments
• Fines, sanction fees and court costs
• Costs for registration of title or title deed costs
• Floating charges
• Advertising or marketing costs
• Entertainment and representation expenses
• Operational costs not related to the production (for example administration or the lease of the company’s regular offices or production facilities).
• Investments in film infrastructure, such as studios or other permanent structures that may be reused for other productions.
• Depreciation costs
• VAT

Last update February 16, 2024

FAQs concerning specific cost items

What counts as eligible salaries, goods and services?

• Eligible purchases of goods include, for example: purchases of equipment, supplies or petrol.
• Eligible purchases of services are, for example: fees for actors or other hired staff, accommodation, catering, transport, rental of premises/locations, rental of equipment, post-production (e.g. editing, VFX, grading), legal and accountancy fees.
  All rentals count as a purchase of service.
• Eligible salaries are salaries to workers who pay tax in Sweden, who are employed by the company applying for support, and which relate to time for the part of the production carried out in Sweden.

What applies to catering?

• Catering costs are eligible if they are necessary to carry out the production.
• Support cannot be provided for representation costs, such as a staff party, kickoff, external meetings with food/drink, et cetera.

What applies to salaries that go to Swedish workers if the salary relates to production abroad?

• You cannot receive support for salary costs paid to workers who pay tax in Sweden if the salary relates to time spent on production abroad, as this part of the production was not carried out in Sweden.

Which employees are eligible for support?

• Support can be granted for the salaries paid to employees working in the production in question, for the time they spend on the production. These people must be employed by you as the beneficiary. You cannot receive support for salary costs related to work in the company's ordinary activities not related to the production.
  

Examples of employees that are eligible for support:

• Persons hired specifically for the production.
• Permanent employees with certain production-specific tasks, such as producers, who devote all their time to the production.
• Permanent employees with certain production-specific tasks, such as a financial accountant, who spend some time on the production. In this case, you can apply for support for the time the employee spends on the production.

Examples of employees that are not eligible for support:

• Permanent employees with tasks that are not linked to the production, such as a receptionist.
• Employees of other companies within the group, for time spent on production. Labour costs incurred by companies within the group for time spent on production are classified as purchases of services. Note that these purchases should follow the rules for intra-group purchases.

What applies to salaries paid to foreign workers if the salaries relate to production in Sweden?

• Salaries paid to foreign workers that relate to production in Sweden are eligible, provided that the workers are taxable in Sweden. This applies regardless of whether the workers are subject to limited or unlimited tax liability in Sweden.

What are the rules concerning unforeseen costs (contingency) in the budget?

• Unforeseen costs or contingency costs that relates to the Swedish part of the production are eligible costs. In the application, you must distribute the Swedish part of the contingency costs into the categories salaries, purchase of goods and purchase of services based on an estimated distribution.

What about the director’s and producers’ fees?

• Director and producer fees for the Swedish part of the production are eligible costs.

What are the rules concerning overhead and administrative costs related specifically to the production?

• Overhead and administrative costs that are specifically related to and are necessary for placing the production in Sweden are eligible costs, provided that such costs are otherwise eligible for support. Overhead or administrative costs relating to the normal running of the business are not eligible costs.

What are the rules concerning costs for offices and production facilities related specifically to the production?

• Costs related to office and production facilities rented specifically for the production that are necessary for placing the production in Sweden are eligible costs. Costs for office or production facilities related to the normal operation of the company are not eligible costs.

What are the rules concerning purchases within the same group of companies?

• Intra-group purchases are eligible costs, provided they comply with the rules for purchasing. According to the General terms and conditions, purchases must be carried out in a commercially reasonable manner.

What applies to travelling expenses, mileage and per diem?

• Travelling expenses, mileage allowances and per diem are considered a type of service and should be included in the cost category Purchase of services.

What are the rules concerning royalties paid in connection with the production?

• Royalties paid in connection with the production (before the production is completed) are considered eligible costs if these are related to the Swedish part of the production. These costs should be stated under “Purchase of services”.

What are the rules concerning production insurance premiums?

• Costs related to taking out insurance policies related to the Swedish part of the production are eligible costs, provided that the policies are purchased from an insurance company that has an obligation to pay taxes in Sweden. These costs should be stated under “Purchase of services”.

What are the rules concerning fees payable to the Swedish Union for Performing Arts and Film/Swedish Film & TV Producers Association/Screen Skills Committee Sweden?

• Fees payable to various unions, associations or committees that the production company are obligated to are eligible costs. These costs should be stated under “Purchase of services”.

What applies to the purchase of goods and services from private individuals?

• Purchase of goods and services from private individuals are not eligible costs.

What applies to vacation pay supplement?

• Vacation pay supplement is an eligible cost. The pay supplement must have been paid out when the application for payment is submitted. It is not enough that the vacation pay supplement has been entered in the accounts but not paid out.

Last update February 16, 2024

6. Secured financing 

A prerequisite for the support is that the financing of the production needs to be secured for the part for which you are not applying support. This means that you must be able to certify in your application that all other funding for the production has been secured and be able to confirm that funding, for example through an agreement or letter of commitment (LOC).

Financing provided on the condition that the production receives support from the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth, known as conditional financing, can be accepted. It must be clearly stated in the LOC or agreement that the funding is secured, given that the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth grants support.

Last update September 6, 2023

7. Cultural product 

Support for the production of audiovisual works may only be granted to a film or television series that constitutes a cultural product. A cultural product is a film or television series that dramatizes or stages a story, whether real or fictional, regardless of the genre or the technique used to produce it.

A documentary film or documentary series dealing with a specific subject, person or event, regardless of the genre or the technique used to produce it, is also considered a cultural product.

The following types of works are not considered cultural products, as defined by the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth:

• Advertising film
• Reality series
• Talk show
• Music video
• Sports or news programme
• Game show
• Instructional film
• Recording of theatrical performance
• Pornographic film

Last update September 6, 2023

We have to take into account the total level of public support from Swedish support providers and may need to adjust the level of support if the total Swedish support exceeds 50 percent of the production's total budget. Swedish public support is money provided by Swedish donors and financed from public funds. An example of another Swedish support provider is the Swedish Film Institute.

If you are unsure whether certain funding constitutes public support, ask the financier in question for clarification.

For more information on the maximum level of public support, see the Commission Regulation (EU) 651/2014 of June 17th, 2014 (GBER).

• Commission Regulation (EU) 651/2014 of June 17th, 2014 (GBER) External link.

Last update February 16, 2024

Repeated applications for the same production

An applicant who has been refused funding may reapply for the same production in future calls, as long as the application meets the requirements for the support.

An applicant who has been granted funding may reapply for the same production in future calls and may be granted support on condition that:

• principal photography has not yet started (cf. Section 12 of the Swedish Ordinance (SFS 2022:1386) on State aid for the production of audiovisual works and Article 6 of Regulation (EU) 651/2014);
• a cost has not previously been covered by public support (cf. Section 4.2 of the General terms and conditions); and
• previously granted support has not exceeded 25 percent of the eligible costs (cf. Section 7 of SFS 2022:1386).

• Swedish Ordinance (SFS 2022:1386) on State aid for the production of audiovisual works External link.
• General terms and conditions for support for the production of audiovisual works
• Comissions regluation (EU) No 651/2014 External link.
  

Last update September 6, 2023

Publication of granted support

All public support over EUR 100,000 granted to companies must be publicly disclosed according to the EU. The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth is therefore obliged to report certain information on granted support to the Commission for publication in accordance with Article 9 of Commission Regulation (EU) 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 (GBER). The publication takes place in the European Commission's reporting system TAM.

The following information on granted support must be reported to TAM:

• Name of the beneficiary
• Beneficiary's identifier
• Type of enterprise (small, medium or large)
• Region in which the beneficiary is located
• Sector of activity at NACE group level (SNI)
• Aid element, expressed as full amount in national currency
• Date of granting
• Objective of the support
• Granting authority
• Regulation for the support

• Commission Regulation (EU) 651/2014 of June 17th, 2014 (GBER) External link.

Last update September 6, 2023

Communication from the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth

The following information may be published on the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth’s website and in press releases:

• the name of the company
• date/time of application
• the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth’s decision (approved/rejected) and
• the amount of support you may have received.

• You can consent to publication when submitting your application. Learn more under “Application form and templates”.

Last update September 6, 2023

Processing of personal data

The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth processes personal data in order to manage the support for the production of audiovisual works. The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth is the personal data controller for the processing. We process personal data about applicants and persons named in the application who participate in the production. We save and process the following personal data: name, address, telephone number, e-mail address and any other personal data sent in the application. For statistical purposes, we process information on the legal gender of the company's CEO.

We process personal data in order to process, assess and administer applications for support. Personal data is also used for statistical purposes, as well as for monitoring, evaluation and analysis, and finally for archiving purposes. If funding is granted, personal data may be published on websites or in other electronic collections.

Our legal basis for processing personal data is that it is necessary for the performance of tasks carried out in the public interest.

Personal data in public documents are stored in accordance with the applicable archiving rules.

• This is how we process personal data

Last update September 6, 2023

Confidentiality

Applications received by the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth are processed in a secure manner and can only be read by administrators with special authorisation.

Applications received by the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth are public documents. Everyone has the right to access public documents unless they are protected by confidentiality. We always carry out a confidentiality review before releasing a document. Confidentiality applies to information concerning business or operating conditions if it can be assumed that the individual or company will suffer harm if the information is disclosed. This may include, for example, information about the content of production or financial information.

Last update September 6, 2023

General terms and conditions

The requirements that apply to all granted applications are regulated in the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth’s General terms and conditions for support for the production of audiovisual works. The General terms and conditions contain rules concerning the implementation of the project, what applies in the event of changes in the production, which costs are eligible, rules regarding payment and obligations to participate in reporting, auditing and follow-up work. There are also provisions on the possible repayment of support. Among other things, a breach of the General terms and conditions may lead to a decision to cancel support, either completely or in part.

• The General terms and conditions

Last update September 6, 2023

Good business practice and competitive tendering

Applicants must make purchases in a commercially reasonable manner (cf. Section 2.3 of the General terms and conditions). Purchasing in a commercially reasonable manner means:

• exploiting competitive opportunities and
• that tenders and tenderers must be considered objectively so that they can compete on equal terms.

Below the limit for a direct award of contract:

• For purchases below the limit for a direct award of contract, no competitive tendering is required. From 1 February 2022, the limit for a direct award of contract is 700,000 Swedish kronor.
• For purchases exceeding 100,000 Swedish kronor, the party receiving support must document the agreement between the parties in writing. This documentation, which may be in the form of an email, must include the names of the parties, the agreed prices, a description of the goods/services and the date of delivery. The lack of such documentation may be grounds to reject the cost in question.

Above the limit for a direct award of contract:

• Purchases above the limit for a direct award of contract must be put out to competitive tender.

As the recipient of support, you are required to issue a written invitation to tender to at least two potential suppliers, both/all of whom must receive the same tender documentation. The invitation to tender and the response from the potential supplier must be in writing. As the recipient of support, you are required to document the agreement between the parties in writing. This documentation, which may be in the form of an email, must include the names of the parties, the agreed prices, a description of the goods/services and the date of delivery. The lack of such documentation may be grounds to reject the cost in question.

Exceptions to competitive tendering

There is no need to put a purchase out to tender if it can be considered a unique artistic performance, and this cannot be replaced by someone or something else. For example, the work of an actor, director, editor or VFX artist. As the recipient of support, you may be required to justify why the purchase in question should be considered a unique artistic performance.

Last update September 6, 2023

Credits and information about the Agency as financier

The beneficiary must state that the production has been financed with the help of support from the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth in the production's opening and/or closing credits.

This should be done either by writing "Co-financed by the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth" or by using the logotype under Logotyp vid finansiellt stöd - Engelska.

• Logotype

Last update February 16, 2024