Subsidy Programme for Cinematographic and Television Filming in Macao
Subsidy Programme for Cinematographic and Television Filming in Macao 2025 (1)
Subsidy Programme for Cinematographic and Television Filming in Macao 2025 (2)
Subsidy Programme for Cinematographic and Television Filming in Macao 2025 (3)
Subsidy Programme for Cinematographic and Television Filming in Macao 2025 (4)
Subsidy Programme for Cinematographic and Television Filming in Macao 2025 (5)
Subsidy Programme for Cinematographic and Television Filming in Macao 2025 (6)
Objective
The Cultural Development Fund (CDF) has launched this Subsidy Programme according to the stipulations of Regulation of Granting Financial Support for Cultural Development Fund to encourage and attract non-local shooting teams to set their scenes in Macao. In this manner, local film and television production enterprises will be exposed to opportunities for engagement in the shooting of film and television productions, thereby enriching the knowledge and experience of local practitioners as well as creating local job opportunities. In addition to promoting the image of the Macao SAR, it will also enhance the city’s international reputation and invigorate the synchronisation between cultural creativity and tourism.
Application period
2.1
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The application period is divided into four rounds. After each round closes, CDF will review all applications submitted during that period uniformly. There is no quota limit per round, however, the application period may end early when the budget of this Subsidy Programme is exhausted, which will be announced on the CDF website. The application rounds are as follows: | ||||||||
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Scope of funding
3.1
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Excluding animation, any film and TV production to be filmed in Macao that meets the duration outlined below could file one application for different episodes in the same season:
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3.2
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Non-local film and TV project that shoots in Macao under the guidance of non-local shooting team (in this case the non-local team needs to join the shooting in Macao). |
Requirements for funding
4.1
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In terms of filming:
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Application eligibility and target beneficiary
5.1
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The applicant should be a filmmaking unit in Macao for “non-local film and TV project” (responsible for shooting coordination in Macao and budget execution) and meet the following criteria:
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Type of financial support
6.1
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Subsidy. |
Total budget, subsidised quota cap and maximum subsidy amount of this Subsidy Programme
7.1
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Total budget of this Subsidy Programme: 30 million patacas. | ||||||
7.2
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Subsidised quota: No cap, reviewed on a per-round basis. However the number of subsidised projects finally approved will be limited by the aforesaid total budget of this Subsidy Programme. | ||||||
7.3
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Subsidy: The subsidy granted is capped at 30%-40% of the estimated expenditure for filming conducted in Macao (total amount outlined in points 8.1 and 8.2), which is related to the assessment score obtained and will not exceed the maximum amount listed below.
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7.4
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The actual subsidy amount will be adjusted according to actual expenditure of filming set in Macao (please refer to point 9 Adjustment of subsidy for details). |
Scope of subsidised and non-subsidised expenditures
8.1
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Expenditures eligible for subsidy and counted towards estimated expenditure include project-related expenses within the funding period:
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8.2
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Project expenditures not eligible for subsidy but counted towards estimated expenditure include:
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8.3
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Expenses indicated in points 8.1 and 8.2 can be considered as estimated expenditures for filming set in Macao, while other expenses, including the cost of services or products provided by the applicant, are excluded from the estimated expenditures. |
Adjustment of subsidy
9.1
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If the actual expenditure of the subsidised project, for filming set in Macao, at the time of conclusion is lower than the estimated expenditure, the amount of subsidy granted will be reduced on a pro rata basis as follows: (estimated expenditure - actual expenditure) / estimated expenditure. |
Funding period
10.1
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The funding period lasts 36 months, with the date count either starting from the next day after confirming the submission of the application online at the earliest, or from the first day in the following month after signing the agreement at the latest. The definite date should be designated under the negotiation of CDF and the beneficiary. |
10.2
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The beneficiary shall complete the subsidised project within the funding period. |
10.3
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Upon prior application by the beneficiary with rational justification during the funding period, the Administrative Council of CDF may grant one or multiple extensions on the funding period, provided that the aggregate extended period shall not exceed half of the original funding period. |
Guarantee
11.1
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Should the applicant be a company entrepreneur (corporate body), the leading shareholders needs to present a credit guarantee to guarantee the beneficiary’s debt stemming from restoration or restitution of subsidy (for instance, withdrawal of subsidy, or the actual expenditure of the project is lower than the estimated expenditure). |
11.2
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The beneficiary shall provide a guarantee by signing a promissory note equivalent to the subsidy amount and a declaration of responsibility, along with a guarantor. The relevant signatures shall be verified on-site. |
Application
12.1
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Applicant should log in to CDF’s online application system with a physical user account of Macao Public Service One Account (“Macao One Account”), fill out an application form and upload the following documents:
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12.2
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Applicant needs to ensure the accuracy of the information submitted and the uploaded documents. The information cannot be changed once the submission of the application is confirmed online. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12.3
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Language used in the application: Chinese, Portuguese or English. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12.4
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Rules and notes on application:
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Preliminary analysis
13.1
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Preliminary analysis will be conducted based on the application package, should any of the following circumstances occur, CDF will reject the application and not proceed to the review process:
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13.2
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If the documents outlined in points 12.1.1 to 12.1.8 are not submitted or non-compliant, CDF may require the applicant to submit the relevant documents within 5 days. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13.3
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Should there be no objection to the application, the Administrative Council of CDF will send the application package to the Activity and Project Assessment Committee for review. |
Review and grant decision
14.1
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Three to seven experts from the expert list of the film and TV, academics and commercial sectors will be invited to be the members of the Activity and Project Assessment Committee by the chairperson of the Administrative Council according to the nature of the project that needs to be reviewed. | ||||||||||
14.2
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Meeting of the Activity and Project Assessment Committee could only be held when more than half of the total number of members is present, and minutes need to be taken with the record of review results and important matters in each meeting. | ||||||||||
14.3
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The representative of the applicant shall attend the review meeting to introduce the content of the proposed project and answer the questions raised by the review panel. If the applicant cannot attend the meeting due to a rational justification, a document review will be conducted based on the submitted documents, or the application will be considered abstained. | ||||||||||
14.4
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The Activity and Project Assessment Committee will rate according to the following assessment criteria:
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14.5
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If the visiting camera crew is an entity legally established in a foreign country (particularly from the Belt and Road and Portuguese-speaking countries and regions), extra points, up to 10 points, may be granted to the proposed project. | ||||||||||
14.6
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An application will be considered passed with a score of no less than 60. | ||||||||||
14.7
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A decision will be made by the granting entity after fully considering the following opinions and records:
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14.8
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The Administrative Council of CDF may request the applicant to adjust the content of the proposed project within a specified period based on its own review or opinions from the Activity and Project Assessment Committee and the Trustee Committee. | ||||||||||
14.9
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The amount of the approved subsidy depends on the budget scale and assessment score of the proposed project. | ||||||||||
14.10
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The Administrative Council of CDF may decide not to approve subsidy under the following circumstances:
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Agreement
15.1
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An agreement containing the content of the grant decision must be signed between CDF and the beneficiary. |
15.2
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Consequences of failure to sign the Agreement: If the beneficiary fails to sign the Agreement during the period (generally within 30 days of notification), at the time and at the place specified by CDF, the approval shall become invalid, unless the failure is due to force majeure or for reasons which, in the opinion of the Administrative Council of CDF, are not attributable to the beneficiary. |
Changes to project content
16.1
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Forasmuch as the changes do not involve deviation from the core of the project, for example, changes in the plan of creation including filming techniques, script content (not involving changes in the “synopsis”), non-key members, etc., the beneficiary can make flexible adjustments according to the actual situation, and provide explanation when submitting the report. | ||||||||||||||
16.2
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Should the change of the project content involve the following circumstances, the beneficiary must submit an application for prior approval by CDF:
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16.3
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CDF does not accept changes to the type of the project. |
Submission of progress report, summary report and report on the implementation of agreed procedures
17.1
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The beneficiary must inform CDF in writing of the certified public accountants, accounting firms, accountants who can provide accounting and taxation services, and accounting firms who can provide accounting and taxation services for the project within 60 days from the day after signing the agreement and submitting the relevant Engagement Letter. | ||||||||
17.2
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The beneficiary is required to submit the following reports on time and in the format specified by CDF:
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17.3
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The format of the Engagement Letter referred to in point 17.1 and the report on the implementation of agreed procedures referred to in point 17.2.2 must comply with the “Instructions for the Inspection of Subsidised Activities or Projects” (No.001/GPSAP/AF/2023) issued by DSGAP. | ||||||||
17.4
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Supporting documents attached to the report: When submitting the project progress report and summary report, the beneficiary is required to attach supporting documents, including but not limited to the following:
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17.5
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Application for delay in report submission: If the report cannot be submitted within the period specified in point 17.2 due to force majeure or other reasons not attributable to the beneficiary, the beneficiary shall notify CDF within 7 working days from the date of occurrence of the relevant fact. | ||||||||
17.6
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In the aforementioned cases, subject to the approval of the Administrative Council of CDF, the period for submitting the report shall be within 30 days from the day following the disappearance of the abovementioned reasons, without prejudice to the application of the following provisions. | ||||||||
17.7
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In exceptional and justified cases, the Administrative Council of CDF may approve one extension of period, as mentioned in point 17.2, but not exceeding 90 days. | ||||||||
17.8
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Should CDF deem the documents unclear or incomplete, the beneficiary will have to submit supplementary documents within the period specified by CDF. Failure to submit the supplementary documents within the specified period or submission of non-compliant documents may result in project closure based on the existing submitted documents without prejudice to the consequences of late submission, except for force majeure or other reasons not attributable to the beneficiary. CDF may withdraw the subsidy, if the project does not meet the conditions for project closure. |
Recognition of expenditure
18.1
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Purposes and mandatory nature of expenditure recognition: To ascertain that the actual expenditure incurred by the beneficiary in respect of the subsidised activities and projects abides by the permissible scope as set out in this Regulation, the expenditure shall be recognised by CDF. | ||||||||||||||||||
18.2
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Method of recognition: Proceed in the form of reimbursement through the submission of the report on the implementation of the agreed procedures by the beneficiary. The beneficiary shall keep original receipts of income and expenditure of the subsidised project intact for at least 5 years for inspection by CDF, if necessary. | ||||||||||||||||||
18.3
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Requirements on receipts:
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Transactions with related parties
19.1
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For the purposes of this Regulation, “related party” refers to a party that is related to the applicant or beneficiary, the scope of which is as follows:
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19.2
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When conducting related-party transactions, the applicant or beneficiary shall ensure fair and reasonable practises, particularly the transaction price shall be market-aligned. | ||||||||||
19.3
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In the case that the related-party transactions under the following circumstances are to be made or have been made by the applicant during the application stage; or have been made by the beneficiary during the project implementation stage, the applicant/beneficiary shall declare in the application documents or summary report respectively, without prejudice to the following provisions:
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19.4
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In the event of the circumstance to be declared as mentioned in point 19.3.1 and the amount of the used CDF subsidy reaches 100,000 patacas or more, the applicant/beneficiary shall also provide supporting documents to prove that additional quotations have been made in advance to at least two non-related suppliers (i.e. suppliers other than the related parties mentioned in point 19.1), and the following provisions apply:
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19.5
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Declarations of the related-party transactions shall include:
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19.6
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For the purpose of application of point 19.5.5, the beneficiary may use the quotation documents referred to in point 19.4 as the proof of reasonable transaction price. | ||||||||||
19.7
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In the case that change occurs on the declarations of the expected or completed related-party transaction during the funding application stage, the beneficiary should update such information in the summary report. | ||||||||||
19.8
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If the applicant/beneficiary violates the provisions of this Regulation regarding related-party transactions, the Administrative Council of CDF may not approve the related expenditure. In the event of severe cases, the Administrative Council of CDF may reject the application, not approve or withdraw the subsidy depending on the actual stage of the case. |
Subsidy distribution methods
20.1
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Subsidy will be distributed according to the following proportion, without prejudice to the following provisions:
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20.2
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If the beneficiary violates the obligations under other CDF subsidy programmes, CDF may suspend the disbursement until the relevant obligations are fulfilled. |
Beneficiary obligations
21.1
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Beneficiary must fulfil the following obligations:
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21.2
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Projects subsidised by CDF shall not receive financial support from other public departments or public entities in Macao. |
Termination of operation or failure to complete activities and projects
22.1
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In case of any of the following, CDF may approve the beneficiary’s application for termination of the implementation of the project during the funding period, without prejudice to point 23.1:
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22.2
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In the case mentioned in point 22.1.1 and also approved by CDF, the beneficiary shall submit a summary report within the period specified by CDF for the purpose of the closure process. | ||||
22.3
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In the case mentioned in point 22.1.2 and also approved by CDF, the beneficiary shall, within 30 days from the date of receipt of the notification on approval of the application, return in full the subsidy it has collected, otherwise, CDF will make a compulsory withdrawal and reject all subsidy applications made by the beneficiary within two years from the date of expiration of the return period. | ||||
22.4
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If the application referred to in point 22.1 is not approved, the beneficiary shall continue to implement the relevant project, otherwise CDF will withdraw the subsidy. | ||||
22.5
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If the beneficiary fails to complete the project due to force majeure or reasons confirmed by CDF that are not attributable to the beneficiary at the end of the funding period, CDF shall proceed to the closure procedure. If the reason is not approved by CDF, the subsidy will be withdrawn. | ||||
22.6
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If the project cannot be completed due to reasons other than those mentioned above, CDF may withdraw the subsidy. |
Withdrawal of subsidy
23.1
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Circumstances leading to compulsory withdrawal of subsidy by CDF:
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23.2
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Circumstances leading to possible withdrawal of subsidy by CDF:
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23.3
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Consequences of withdrawal of subsidy:
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23.4
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Consequences of failure to return the subsidy mentioned in point 23.3.1:
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Consequence of late submission of reports and supporting documents — Subsidy deductions
24.1
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If a beneficiary is late in submitting reports and supporting documents, CDF may make the following deductions from the subsidy:
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Written warning
25.1
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CDF may issue a written warning if the beneficiary violates the provisions of this Regulation, in particular the Beneficiary obligations under point 21. |
Others
26.1
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CDF only provides subsidy for the subsidised project and does not participate in any commercial activities or business decisions of the beneficiary. All decisions, activities, statements, etc. made by the beneficiary in relation to the project or otherwise do not represent the stance of CDF. | |||
26.2
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The beneficiary must abide by the laws of the Macao SAR, mainland China and other countries and regions. If any activities or decisions made by the beneficiary lead to civil, criminal or administrative liabilities in violation of the laws of the Macao SAR, mainland China or other countries and regions, the beneficiary shall assume their own responsibilities. | |||
26.3
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The beneficiary shall apply to relevant departments (including in Macao and outside Macao) and obtain types of licenses and permits necessary for the project. | |||
26.4
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By participating in this programme, the applicants are deemed to have read, understood and agreed to abide by all terms and conditions of this Regulation without objection. | |||
26.5
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Matters not mentioned in this Regulation will be regulated by the current laws and regulations applicable to the Macao SAR, especially the Administrative Regulation No. 40/2021 “Organisation and Operation of the Cultural Development Fund”, the Administrative Regulation No. 18/2022 “Public Financial Aid System of the Macao Special Administrative Region”, No. 5/2023 “Regulations on Funds Granted by the Cultural Development Fund”, approved by the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, and other relevant regulations on the subsidy of CDF. | |||
26.6
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CDF has the final right of interpretation and decision on this Regulation. | |||
26.7
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For enquiries:
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Only available in Chinese and Portuguese