AVMS DIRECTIVE: THE ECCD WELCOME THE AGREEMENT ON SUBTANCE
The European Coalitions for Cultural Diversity (ECCD) wholeheartedly welcome the agreement on the substantial rules of the Audiovisual Media Services directive (AVMS).
The measures endorsed by the three European institutions on article 13 will strengthen the protection and promotion of cultural diversity online by underpinning an ambitious European audiovisual policy.
Indeed, the directive will foster the promotion of European works online thanks to the directive mandating a 30% quota of European works in VOD catalogues and the guarantee that those works can be easily discovered and promoted in those catalogues. This new mandatory quota enables will ensure that VOD catalogues will now contain more than the current average percentage of availability of European works online. The ECCD are confident that it will create a dynamic for more cultural diversity online as it will encourage more investment in and promotion of local audiovisual films, drama, documentary and other programmes across the European Union.
The new EU-law will also foster existing investment measures established by some Member States in order to support national and European audiovisual investment. In fact, Member States will be allowed to further encourage investment in local production by applying a levy on TV channels and VOD services, which target the local audience even when that audiovisual service is established outside that Member State.
The ECCD consider that this measure is essential to prevent some audiovisual players from circumventing national policies. Its application to TV channels and VOD services is ambitious and ensures that all audiovisual media services make a fair contribution to EU and local audiovisual production.
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“European decision makers in both the European Parliament and the Council have listened to the views of creators across Europe. VOD-catalogues will have to contain at least 30% of local audiovisual content. The European decision makers have also recognized the need to establish a genuine level playing field between all audiovisual services regarding financial contributions to EU creation. This obligation will ensure a virtuous circle of investment in European films, drama and documentaries by some of the most powerful global players who are now in direct competition with traditional national broadcasters who all invest in local production.” said Carole Tongue, Chair of the European Coalitions for Cultural Diversity.
Press contact :
Guillaume Prieur – contact@europeancoalitions.eu