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Member of the European Parliament Dietmar Köster and UNI MEI Global Union, representing 140 media and entertainment unions, jointly hosted a lively debate today about the future of audiovisual production in the digital single market in presence of Emmanuel Joly, Media Programmes Unit, European Commission and audiovisual sector representatives.

Both, industry and trade union representatives called on EU institutions to go beyond recognising the vital role of territoriality for the growth and sustainability of the audiovisual sector, its diversity and the quality of jobs. They urged decision makers to protect the integrity of territoriality, while fostering investment by adopting tailored reforms of audiovisual and copyright policies and further developing national and European public funding support schemes.

Dietmar Köster, Member of the European Parliament said: “I am pleased to underline that stakeholders and decision makers want a digital single market with a strong and sustainable audiovisual sector at its core.” Köster called “for a balance of all interests when crafting carefully these reforms to protect and strengthen the creative industry to foster growth and decent jobs, cater to the needs of cultural workers and promote consumer choice”.

Emmanuel Joly of the EU Commission underlined that “the Commission is working with the Parliament and the Council on consulting with all stakeholders and on implementing reforms that favour growth and jobs while fostering culture diversity and providing to citizens better access to audiovisual content online”.

Pierre-Emmanuel Lecerf of the French CNC (Centre National du Cinéma et de l’image animée) stressed that: “The territorial exploitation of works is at the heart of the production and distribution model and is key to preserve cultural diversity. Another priority is to adapt the AVMS Directive with a view to ensure the contribution of all operators, whether linear or non linear, to the European creation and the sustainability of the EU as a competitive ‘creative Hub’.”

Filip Bobinski, Producer and Board Member of APA and CEPI, stated that: “Independent producers are at the very heart of the creation of audiovisual content, from conception through to development and shooting and finally delivery while bearing the financial risk that the project may never be realised. “ He called “for EU institutions to help SMEs strengthen the creation and production of high quality content by preserving territorial licensing“.

Benoît Ginisty, Chief Representative of FIAPF, called for “future policies deriving from the Digital Single Market Strategy must enable the recoupment of production and distribution investments” and invited “the European institutions to assess the efficiency of future policies in terms of creation of jobs, prospect for growth for the audiovisual industry and cultural / linguistic diversity”.

Sharon Elliott of the UK trade union BECTU added: “Media & entertainment unions believe that the priorities for regulation in the AV sector are growth and sustainability of production, diversity and quality jobs. Therefore, EU policy makers should address the question: Which rules will encourage all stakeholders – companies as well as creators and all entertainment workers – to invest in creativity, in people?”