The European audiovisual industry finds itself in something of an unusual position. While the European audiovisual sector is facing potential cuts in traditional forms of public subsidies and while millions of people around Europe have restricted access to the physical cinema theaters, online streaming platforms such as Netflix and Disney+ are finding their services soaring in popularity. These new circumstances caused in great part by COVID-19 bring both challenges and opportunities for European policymakers.

The new AVMSD has been the EU’s most recent major policy attempt at increasing the visibility of and accessibility to European audiovisual content. Its Article 13 stipulates that the global streaming platforms operating in Europe are obliged to invest in production of local European content while 30 per cent of the titles in their catalogues must be of European origin. Article 13 is certainly a policy action that will diversify financing, distribution and audiences of European audiovisual content. But is it enough? What does the experiences of the EU countries that have already transposed Article 13 show? The goal of the webinar is to provide some answers to these questions.

This webinar consists of two parts. The first part will provide an overview of national policy frameworks regarding the obligations for streaming platforms towards European works. The association of the European Film Agency Directors (EFAD) as well as researchers from the KREAS research project from the Charles University Prague have already investigated how Article 13 has been transposed and implemented in various EU countries. The webinar will open with a presentation of their research results. During the second part of the webinar, a number of relevant stakeholders from different EU countries will discuss the major benefits and challenges in the implementation of Article 13.

The webinar is organized by the Center for Modern European Studies (CEMES) in collaboration with the research project Creativity and adaptability as conditions for the success of Europe in an Interrelated word (KREAS) and Co-production Research Network (CORN).