French decree offers funding for live event security

A new French decree focusing on safety at live events will provide funding for costs associated with security reinforcement, but will not cover expenses related to the deployment of extra police services.

A document penned by French interior minister Gerard Collomb last year proposed festivals and events reimburse the government for any law enforcement needed at live events, unless in the case of terrorist-related incidents.

The so-called ‘Collomb circular’ (circulaire Collomb) caused outcry among festival organisers who cited drastic security bill increases. Live music associations Prodiss and trade union Syndicat des Musiques Actuelles (SMA) lodged an appeal in November 2018, seeking a reversal of the proposals.

The so-called ‘Collomb circular’ caused outcry among festival organisers who cited drastic security bill increases

The new decree attempts to alleviate security costs and to improve safety at live events and shows, offering financial support to organisers to reinforce event security.

However, under the decree, the government will only reimburse losses incurred by public order-related cancellations of events in exceptional circumstances. Festival and event organisers are still required to cover the costs for policing in many cases, failing to satisfy the Prodiss and SMA appeal.

All companies pertaining to the National Centres of Choreography (Les Centres chorégraphiques nationaux – CCN), or those that pay entertainment tax, will be eligible for the extra funding.

The allocation of funding will be at the discretion of French minister of culture Françoise Nyssen, who will define the full details of the programme in the coming weeks.

French biz pushes back against controversial ‘Collomb circular’

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