Ireland and International Co-Production
Ireland’s competitive tax incentive, experienced talent base, and distinctive yet adaptable landscapes have all contributed to making the country a unique and valuable co-production partner. Ireland has co-produced with almost every European territory, as well as Canada, Australia, and South Africa. It has a wealth of experienced co-producers across all forms of film, television and animation.
What co-production agreements are Ireland party to?
Ireland is a party to the European Convention on Cinematographic Co-Production which includes members of the EU and some EEA states. Ireland also has bilateral co-production treaties with Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Luxembourg and France.
What type of projects do the co-production agreements cover?
The European Convention on Cinematographic Co-Production and the Cinematic Co-Production Agreement between France and Ireland covers feature films (both live-action and animation) and documentary which is intended for a theatrical release. Ireland’s other bilateral treaties cover feature film, television production and other forms of digital production.
Are there any limits on financial or creative contributions?
- If the project is a co-production with Canada, the minimum contribution may be 15% with a maximum of 85%.
- If the project is a co-production with France, the minimum contribution may be 10% with a maximum of 90%.
- If the official Irish co-production is under another bilateral treaty, the minimum contribution of a territory is 20%, with the maximum being 80%.
- If it is a multilateral co-production under the European Convention, then the minimum contribution must be 10%, with the maximum being 70%.
What are the benefits of certifying as an official co-production?
If a project is certified as an official co-production, it confers national status of all the co-production territories to the relevant production. The production can then avail of other local territory benefits such as broadcast licence fees, access to tax incentives, regional subsidies and the local distribution market. Ireland is also a member of Eurimages, the European co- production fund, which has an annual budget of over €20 million available.
How do I find information on Irish co-producers?
Contact us and/or Screen Producers Ireland.
How does Brexit change co-productions between Ireland and the UK?
Please refer to our Brexit - Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.
The Irish Producer
Ireland is home to many excellent and established production companies, experienced in producing top-quality film and television. If you’re considering making a film or television project in Ireland it is best to work with a local production company.
When accessing the Irish tax credit (Section 481), the application can only be made by a ‘producer company’ complying with the requirements of Section 481. The ‘producer company’ needs to be tax resident in Ireland. It must have been trading as a screen content production company for at least twelve months and subsequently filed an Irish corporation tax return within the following nine months. Only after that total period of 21 months can the ‘producer company’ apply for the tax credit.
The Irish production company can advise you about other sources of finance in Ireland including Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland funding, broadcaster funding and other forms of supports for inward investment into Ireland.
International Co-Production
The Irish Government has entered into official co-production arrangements with Australia, New Zealand, Luxembourg, Canada, South Africa and France.
The effect of these arrangements is that a film or television programme approved as an official co-production is regarded as a national production of each of the co-producing countries and is therefore eligible for any benefits or programs of assistance available in these co-production countries.
These co-production agreements were established to:
- facilitate cultural and creative exchange between the co-production countries
- allow the co-production countries to share the risk and cost of production
- to increase the output of high quality productions
To qualify as an official co-production under these agreements, there must be a co-producer in each country and there must be a balance between the Irish financial and creative contribution.