Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Anger & alarm as EU proposes reducing UK's 'disproportionate' share of Eurozone's post-Brexit market for film and video broadcasts

Anger & alarm as EU proposes reducing UK's 'disproportionate' share of Eurozone's post-Brexit market for film and video broadcasts

The EU has kicked off a storm after reportedly looking to curb the “disproportionate” influence of British TV and film programming by excluding its content from quotas protecting the “cultural diversity” of European productions.

The EU’s ‘Audiovisual and Media Services Directive’ (AVMSD) mandates that European content must account for the majority of airtime on TV channels. As well as this, at least 30% of the catalogue on video-on-demand (VOD) platforms like Netflix and Amazon must comprise European titles.

Despite becoming a “third country” outside the Eurozone after Brexit, films and TV series produced by the UK’s entertainment industry have continued to enjoy privileges since they are still classified as “European works” under the AVMSD’s definition.

“The high availability of UK content in VOD services, as well as the privileges granted by the qualification as European works, can result in a disproportionate presence of UK content within the European VOD quota and hinder a larger variety of European works (including from smaller countries or less-spoken languages),” noted an internal EU document accessed by The Guardian.

The leaked document, which was tabled with EU diplomats on June 8, reportedly cautioned that this “disproportionality” may adversely affect the “promotion of European works and cultural diversity” as required by the AVMSD.

In line with the document’s recommendation to reassess the “presence of UK content in the aftermath of Brexit,” the European Commission is said to be preparing to order a study on the impact of British programming. Unnamed diplomatic sources told The Guardian that this would be the first step towards their reclassification.

According to the document, the classification issue can be attributed to the ‘European Convention on Transfrontier Television’ (ECTT) adopted by the Council of Europe, to which the UK “remains a party.” Under the ECTT, 20 EU countries must allow “freedom of reception” to British films and shows.

The AVMSD, which currently defines European works on the basis of the ECTT, is due for a mid-term review in three years – at which time, unnamed EU sources told The Guardian, changes to the definition may come into force.

However, those sources also suggested that France would take the initiative forward when it assumes the bloc’s presidency next January. In this, it is expected to be supported by Spain, Greece, Italy and Austria, among others.

But Steve Green, a former chair of the bloc’s European Capitals of Culture selection committee, noted that such a move would be “nothing new” since “the French did the same on languages when they last held the EU presidency.”


Green claimed that a “change in 2025/26 on definitions” would simply mean “UK media companies will need to do more co-productions/funding with EU based companies, or set up subsidiaries.”

However, the majority of social media users said the move to exclude British content would be a “devastating” blow for the UK’s entertainment industry, which brings in some £1.4 billion ($1.94 billion) in revenue from the sale of international rights to its shows.

In a series of tweets, actress Catherine Russell said the move would be terrible for the UK but made sense from a European point of view and noted that Brexit was a “present (that) really does just keep on giving.”


Other users echoed that sentiment, bemoaning the loss of British “soft power” with one person claiming the UK will “really be Little Britain soon” owing to its diminishing influence.


But some users questioned whether this was really as serious an issue as it is being made out to be, since “the internet means people can watch whatever they want.”

A number of people also criticised the EU for indulging in “petty” politics, with one person claiming this was one more example of how the bloc was “nationalism upscaled to the regional level.”

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×