The EU Ministers for Culture of France, Spain, Germany and Italy have succeeded in creating a majority to raise the minimum quota to 30% of European audiovisual contents in VOD services. This decision has been taken after the meeting on May 23 in Brussels between the Ministers for Culture of the Member States. Another consequence of the resolution is that these services are required to highlight the European contents on their online platforms using banner ads and search tools. Moreover, traditional television services are obliged to give an important place to these products in their schedules and the 10% of the broadcasting time to independent works.
The European Council has also discussed about the possibility that VOD services are actively involved in producing European films and TV series with a direct investment or a contribution to national support funds (including those established in another Member State). This decision has been contested by Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and the United Kingdom.
The Council has also approved the extension of the directive for sharing videos to platforms, social networks and all the services where the provision of audiovisual works is an essential part of such services. Regulations concern the diffusion of harmful materials, such as hate speech, discrimination, violence and terrorism.
About commercial advertising, the Council decided that films, TV series and news programmes can’t be interrupted more than once every 30 minutes and TV advertising can’t exceed 20% of the broadcasting time, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to midnight.
The final text of the legislation will be debated during a tripartite dialogue between the European Council, the Commission and the Parliament. The procedure will start in the coming weeks.
