FNE and UNIC Present EU Cinema Policy News

FNE has teamed up with the Brussels based team of the International Union of Cinemas (UNIC) to bring you regular updates on EU cinema policies that impact all industry professionals across Europe.

Each two weeks the UNIC team of experts will update FNE readers with a selection of information on the most important developments in cinema policy in the areas of the Digital Single Market, copyright, new research on audience development, policy meetings and events and other vital information that the leaders of the European cinema need to keep abreast of to do their jobs.

These are issues that have an impact on all of us and will determine the future direction of our industry and indeed even its survival.

UNIC policy update 09/07/2019

Call for application

04/07: Call for proposals: Preparatory Action "Cinemas as Innovation Hubs for Local Communities" – European Commission

The Commission is launching a 2M € call for proposals to create innovative cultural hubs around cinema theatres, notably in areas where there is limited cinema and cultural infrastructure.

EU Geo-Blocking Regulation

27/06: Digital Single Market: Survey shows Europeans are well aware of rules against unjustified geo-blocking – European Commission

Seven months after new rules against unjustified geo-blocking began to apply, general consumer awareness of the new rules against restrictions for online shopping and cross-border sales is already high.

EU Top Jobs

03/07: EU Top jobs: Class of 2019 biographies – The Parliament Magazine

The European Council discussed and agreed on nominations for the EU's top jobs at the Special European Council on 30 June, 1 and 2 July 2019 in Brussels. The European Council elected Charles Michel as the new President of the European Council and proposed Ursula von der Leyen as candidate for the President of the European Commission.

European Parliament

03/07: The new European Parliament Vice-Presidents – European Parliament

All 14 European Parliament Vice-Presidents were elected in three rounds of voting for a two-and-a-half-year term. Eleven Vice-Presidents were elected in the first ballot, two in the second and the remaining one by a relative majority in the third.

04/07: Full members of the Culture and Education Committee announced – European Parliament

MEPs approved the size of all Parliament’s committees and subcommittees. The Committee on Culture and Education will consist of 31 MEPs.

04/07: EP Quaestors elected, Parliament Bureau complete – European Parliament

The five new Quaestors for the first two and a half years of the 9th legislative term were elected by acclamation in Strasbourg.

02/07: Parliament starts new term with seven political groups – European Parliament

Ever since the results of the European elections have been in, newly-elected MEPs have been organising themselves into political groups, which bring together representatives from different EU countries based on their political affinities. MEPs have formed seven political group.

Creative Europe Media

/07: Creative Europe MEDIA publishes an overview of good gender practices – EAO Newsletter

During the 72nd Cannes Film Festival, the European Commission, represented by Creative Europe MEDIA, launched the first edition of “Women on the Move” day, unveiling a brochure summarising gender-equality good practices followed by the EU’s audiovisual industry and policymakers.

Events

10 July: CULT, JURI, ITRE, IMCO Committees’ constitutive meetings, Brussels
15-18 July: Second European Parliament Plenary, Strasbourg
16 July: European Parliament vote on Commission Presidency, Strasbourg
10-11 September: Finnish Presidency conference - Creation, innovation and promotion – competitiveness of European audiovisual industry, Helsinki
25-26 September: EUIPO Observatory PLenary Meeting, Alicante
September/October: Hearings of candidate Commissioners
October/November: Election of new European Commission
1 November: European Commission comes into office

09-07-2019

UNIC policy update 14/06/2019

Single Market

27/05: Council calls for an ambitious approach for a competitive single market - Council of the EU

The Council adopted conclusions on "A new level of ambition for a competitive single market". These conclusions are the Council's response to recent calls from the European Council for an integrated, forward-looking approach to the single market, which should connect all relevant policies and remove remaining unjustified barriers and avoiding creating new ones, in particular on freedom to provide services and on digitalisation.

2020 EU Budget

05/06: EU budget 2020: Commission focuses its proposal on jobs, growth and security – European Commission

The Commission has today proposed an EU budget of €168.3 billion for 2020 for a more competitive European economy, and for solidarity and security in the EU and beyond.

05/06: Draft EU Budget 2020 – Questions and Answers – European Commission

The goal of the proposed 2020 EU budget is to contribute to a more competitive European economy, and to ensure solidarity and security in the EU and beyond. It is designed to optimise funding for existing programmes as well as new initiatives and to boost the European added value in line with the Juncker Commission's priorities. See other questions and answers at the above link.

European Commission

06/06: Manfred Weber hits back at criticism of his suitability to be next European Commission president – The Parliament Magazine

Weber’s comments come against a backdrop of growing calls from senior political figures for an alternative candidate for the EU’s top job.

Council of the EU

07/06: Post-2020 digital policy − Council adopts conclusions – Council of the EU

Today the Council adopted conclusions on the future of a highly digitised Europe beyond 2020: 'Boosting digital and economic competitiveness across the Union and digital cohesion'.

EU Elections 2019

31/05 : A new European order - Setting the political agenda for the next 5 years – Europe Analytica

The run-up to the 2019 European elections has been long and filled with projections, campaigning, debates and rallies - some more successful than others. After European citizens cast their votes between 23 and 26 May, it is now the time to take stock of the results and analyse their impact on the Parliament and the European Union as a whole.

Events

17-20 June: CineEurope 2019, Barcelona
17 June: European film Forum @ CineEurope (Barcelona)
17 June: EAO conference - "Cinema windows across Europe," Rome
19-20 June: Conference on New Challenges regarding Copyright in the Digital Single Market, Bucharest
20-21 June: European Council Summit
21 June: Provisional deadline for Commission Presidency 
24 June: Composition of European Parliament political groups
1 July: Finnish Presidency of the Council of the EU
2-4 July: First European Parliament Plenary, Strasbourg
15-18 July: Second European Parliament Plenary, Strasbourg
10-11 September: Finnish Presidency conference - Creation, innovation and promotion – competitiveness of European audiovisual industry, Helsinki 
September/October: Hearings of candidate Commissioners 
October/November: Election of new European Commission
1 November: European Commission comes into office

14-06-2019

UNIC policy update 31/05/2019

EU Copyright Directive

20/05: How to Implement Article 17 DSMD? Have Your Say! - Kluwer Copyright Blog

A pilot debate organised on June 13 to discuss Article 17 (ex-13) of the Copyright in the Digital Single Market Directive (DSMD) and its implementation.

20/05: Open Letter: Copyright Working Group Must Include NGO Voices - Civil Liberties Union for Europe

The open letter signed by Liberties and more than 40 other human and digital rights organizations calls for their inclusion in the implementation process of the EU Copyright Directive.

EU Online Broadcasting Directive

17/05: Creativity Works! reiterates the importance of territorial exclusivity for the creation, financing, production and distribution of creative content - Creativity Works!

Following the final adoption of the Online Broadcasting Directive, Creativity Works! issued a statement to reiterate and stress the importance of the territoriality of copyright and exclusive licensing to the creative sectors in Europe and to protect these principles going forward.

Audiovisual Policy - Council conclusions

22/05: Draft Council conclusions on improving the cross-border circulation of European audiovisual works, with an emphasis on co-productions - Council of the European Union

The Audiovisual Working Party has prepared the draft conclusions with a view to their adoption at the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council.

EU Single-use Plastics Directive

21/05: Council adopts ban on single-use plastics - Council of the European Union

The EU is cracking down on plastic pollution. The Council adopted a directive which introduces new restrictions on certain single-use plastic products. The formal adoption of the new rules by the Council is the final step in the procedure.

EU Elections

27/05: Voter turnout in EU elections up 10 per cent on previous vote - The Parliament Magazine

EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager has sounded a note of caution over the larger-than-expected turnout in the European elections.

27/05: 2019 European election results - European Parliament

The election results including seats per political group and country are presented.

Culture

20/05: Joint Statement by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini and Commissioner for Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Tibor Navracsics on the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development - European Commission

Events

7 June: European Film Forum @ Transilvania International Film Festival (Cluj-Napoca)
12-13 June: International Forum on IP Enforcement, Paris 
13 June: IPKat/BLACA – 'The EU DSM Directive: End of the Story?', London
13 June: European Copyright Roundtable: 'How to implement Article 17 DSMD?'
17-20 June: CineEurope 2019, Barcelona
19-20 June: Conference on New Challenges regarding Copyright in the Digital Single Market, Bucharest
20-21 June: European Council Summit
24 June: Composition of European Parliament political groups
1 July: Finnish Presidency of the Council of the EU
2-4 July : First European Parliament Plenary, Strasbourg
15-18 July : Second European Parliament Plenary, Strasbourg
- Possible election of European Commission President
21-24 October: Election of new European Commission

02-06-2019

UNIC policy update 10/05/2019

EU Broadcasting Directive

/05: Directive on copyright and online transmissions of broadcasting organisations and retransmissions of television and radio programmes – EAO Newsletter

The stated purpose of the Directive under the new Article 1 is to lay down rules to enhance cross-border access to a greater number of television and radio programmes by facilitating the clearance of rights for the provision of online services that are ancillary to the broadcast of certain types of television and radio programmes and for the retransmission of television and radio programmes. 

Competition

/05: Court prohibits arbitrary changes to pay-TV programme package – EAO Newsletter

In a recently published judgment of 17 January 2019 (Case no. 12 O 1982/2018), the Landgericht München (Munich district court) decided that customers were unreasonably disadvantaged by a unilateral, groundless change to programme packages sold by pay-TV provider Sky Deutschland.

EU Elections

03/05: European Elections 2019 Campaign Tracker – European Parliament

To help media keep track of the European election campaigns, the EP Press service provides a daily newsfeed on country-specific electoral facts, events and debates in all member states.

02/05: European elections: unprecedented viewing figures for Parliament’s campaign film – European Parliament

With over 75 million views in a week, the film "Choose Your Future", part of an EP awareness campaign based on the feeling of togetherness, has had an exceptional impact.

Events:

18 May: European Audiovisual Observatory event, Cannes Film Festival

18 May: Creative Europe MEDIA, Cannes Film Festival:
– “European  Authors’ Remuneration – Where do We Stand?” Panel discussion (10 am)
– EAO presentation on the newly launched online platform LUMIERE VOD (5 pm)

19 May: Europa Cinemas conference, Cannes Film Festival

19 May: CNC, Cannes Film Festival
– The CNC Rendezvous (11.30 am)
– SACD-CNC round-table: What does the future hold for cinema in a world dominated by platforms? (3.30 pm)

20 May: Creative Europe MEDIA, Cannes Film Festival:
– “Copyright Conundrum”: Chat with Giuseppe Abbamonte, Director Media Policy, EC (10 am)
– "Audiovisual Markets: Trends & Investments”: Panel discussion (11.15 am)
– “A Europe of Talents – Empowering Creativity” European Film Forum (3 pm)

21 May: Creative Europe MEDIA, Cannes Film Festival
– Presentation by NutAlone, digital platform for European indie films (10 am) 
– CannesXR (5 pm)
22-23 May: Council of the EU - Education, Youth, Culture & Sports Council 
23-26 May: EU Elections 2019
7 June: European Film Forum
12-13 June: International Forum on IP Enforcement, Paris 
17-20 June: CineEurope 2019, Barcelona
19-20 June: Conference on New Challenges regarding Copyright in the Digital Single Market, Bucharest

1 November: Deadline for appointment of new European Commission

12-05-2019

UNIC policy update 23/04/2019

EU Copyright Directive

15/04: Statements on EU Copyright Directive: The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Poland, Italy & Finland; Estonia; Germany – Council of the EU  

The objectives of this Directive were to enhance the good functioning of the internal market and to stimulate innovation, creativity, investment and production of new content, also in the digital environment. The signatories support these objectives.

15/04: EU adjusts copyright rules to the digital age – Council of the EU

The EU is amending its legal framework on copyright to make it fit-for-purpose in today's digital environment. The Council today adopted a directive that modernises existing EU copyright law to pave the way towards a true digital single market. The new rules ensure adequate protection for authors and artists, while opening up new possibilities for accessing and sharing copyright-protected content online throughout the European Union.

EU Broadcasting Directive

15/04: EU set to enhance cross-border access to online content – Council of the EU

The EU is taking steps to increase the number of TV and radio programmes available online for European consumers. The Council adopted a directive which will facilitate the licensing of copyright-protected material contained in such programmes so that they can be made available throughout the EU.

 EU Terrorist Content Regulation

17/04: Terrorist content online should be removed within one hour, says EP – European Parliament

Internet companies should remove terrorist content within one hour after receiving an order from the authorities, to combat radicalisation and contribute to public security.

Culture

16/04: CULT Activity Report 2014-2019 – CULT Committee

European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education has published its activity report for the past five years.

Creative Europe MEDIA/European Audiovisual Observatory

16/04: LUMIERE VOD: launch of the first directory of European films to increase transparency concerning the VOD markets - EAO

Launched by the European Commission with the European Audiovisual Observatory who is managing the project, this new directory of European films will help professionals, the public authorities and citizens to find information about European films and their availability on-line in video-on-demand (VOD) services throughout the European Union.

16/04: Factsheets on LUMIERE VOD: the first online directory of European films – European Commission

The European Commission launched a new Directory of European films that aims to help professionals, public authorities and citizens to find out information about European films more easily and to know about their availability online.

Horizon Europe

17/04: Statement by Commissioner Moedas on the European Parliament's vote on Horizon Europe – European Commission

The European Parliament endorsed the provisional agreement reached by the co-legislators on Horizon Europe, the EU research and innovation programme for the next budget period from 2021 to 2027.

Council of the EU

16/04: The Informal Meeting of the Ministers of Culture in Bucharest – romania2019.eu

Within the framework of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the informal meeting of the EU Ministers of Culture took place on 16 April 2019, at the Palace of Parliament, in Bucharest.

InvestEU

18/04: ‘InvestEU’ programme: big boost for jobs, growth and investment – European Parliament

MEPs have approved a provisional and partial deal with EU ministers on a new EU programme to support investment and access to finance during 2021-2027.

Events

18 May: European Audiovisual Observatory event, Cannes Film Festival
19 May: Europa Cinemas conference, Cannes Film Festival 
23-26 May: EU Elections 2019
17-20 June: CineEurope 2019, Barcelona

24-04-2019

UNIC policy update 02/04/2019

EU Copyright Directive

27/03: European Parliament approves new copyright rules for the internet – European Parliament

Creatives and news publishers will be empowered to negotiate with internet giants thanks to new copyright rules which also contain safeguards on freedom of expression.

26/03: Texts adopted (provisional edition): Copyright in the Digital Single Market – European Parliament

Full text of the European Parliament legislative resolution of 26 March 2019 on the proposal for a

directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on copyright in the Digital Single Market.

27/03: Questions and Answers on issues about the digital copyright directive – European Parliament

This Q and A provides answers to some of the more regularly raised issues regarding the directive on copyright in the digital single market. 

26/03: Copyright reform: the Commission welcomes European Parliament's vote in favour of modernised rules fit for digital age – European Commission

The European Parliament voted in favour of the new Copyright Directive designed to bring tangible benefits to citizens, all creative sectors, the press, researchers, educators, and cultural heritage institutions.

Creative Europe Programme 2021-2027

28/03: Creative Europe: Parliament votes for mobility of artists and circulation of works – European Parliament

MEPs voted on Thursday to double the budget of the 2021-2027 Creative Europe programme and to enhance international circulation of works, supporting better mobility for artists. 

28/03: Cultural and creative sectors contribute to youth employment and to social cohesion, says S&D MEP Silvia Costa – S&D Group

The European Parliament backed the report drafted by S&D MEP Silvia Costa to strengthen the Creative Europe programme for the period 2021 to 2027.

EU Broadcasting Directive

28/03: More online radio and news broadcasts across borders – European Parliament

Plenary approved on Thursday the new rules facilitating online broadcasting of current affairs and radio programmes across the EU. 

28/03: Commission welcomes European Parliament's vote on new rules facilitating access to online TV and radio content across borders – European Commission

Following the European Parliament's approval of modernised copyright rules earlier this week, today the Parliament endorsed another crucial piece of legislation to make the copyright rules fit for the digital age. The Commission welcomes the positive vote for the Directive that will simplify cross-border distribution and retransmission of television and radio programmes. 

28/03: Questions and answers: Directive on television and radio programmes – European Commission

This Q and A provides answers to some of the more regularly raised issues regarding the directive on television and radio programmes.

EU Single-use Plastics Directive

27/03: Parliament seals ban on throwaway plastics by 2021 – European Parliament

Parliament approved a new law banning single-use plastic items such as plates, cutlery, straws and cotton buds sticks. 

27/03: Circular Economy: Commission welcomes European Parliament adoption of new rules on single–use plastics to reduce marine litter – European Commission

The European Parliament agreed on the ambitious measures proposed by the Commission to tackle marine litter coming from the 10 single-use plastic products most often found on European beaches, as well as abandoned fishing gear and oxo-degradable plastics.

Group positions & responses: EPP GroupS&D GroupECR Group

EU Elections 2019

29/03: Projections of seats of next Parliament – European Parliament

In collaboration with Kantar Public, Parliament’s Public Opinion Monitoring Unit is allocating projected seats calculated on the basis of voting intentions polls from each member state to Parliament´s currently existing political groups.

Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU 

27/03: Ensuring young people’s access to culture and supporting creativity – important priorities for the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council – Romania2019.eu

The conference placed an emphasis on the importance of encouraging young people’s creativity at European level, as a prerequisite for facilitating their insertion on the labour market, and also for enhancing social inclusion, active citizenship and civic responsibility. 

European Audiovisual Observatory

28/03: European Audiovisual Observatory announces this year’s Cannes conference! - EAO

The conference will look at how today’s European films are financed. Who are the new financial players? How does public policy channel money into film funds and financing mechanisms? How is the structure of film financing in Europe changing?

InvestEU

27/03: InvestEU: EU ambassadors confirm common understanding reached with Parliament – Council of the EU

EU ambassadors confirmed the common understanding reached by the Romanian Presidency and the European Parliament on InvestEU, which will bring together under one programme 14 different financial instruments currently available to support investment in the EU.

Events

8-12 April: EUIPO Working Group meetings, Alicante

24 April (TBC): EU Terrorist Content Regulation Committee Vote (LIBE)

23-26 May: EU Elections

17-20 June: CineEurope 2019, Barcelona – Register here!

Recent Studies

EUIPO – Trends in Trade in Counterfeit and Pirated Goods – March 2019European Audiovisual Observatory – Mapping of national rules for the promotion of European works in Europe – February 2019Göteborg Film Festival - 6th Nostradamus Report – “Relevance in a New Reality” - February 2019 Institute for Information Law (IViR) - Film Financing and the Digital Single Market: its Future, the Role of Territoriality and New Models of Financing - January 2019

02-04-2019

UNIC policy update 15/03/2019

EU Copyright Directive

26/02: Copyright: MEPs back provisional agreement – European Parliament

The Legal Affairs Committee approved the reform of EU copyright rules provisionally agreed with EU Ministers.

Antitrust

07/03: Antitrust: Commission accepts commitments by Disney, NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros. and Sky on cross-border pay-TV services – European Commission

The European Commission has made commitments offered by Disney, NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros. and Sky legally binding under EU antitrust rules. These commitments address the Commission's concerns regarding certain clauses in these studios' film licensing contracts for pay-TV with Sky UK.

Circulation & Promotion of European Films

26/02: European movies on the move: ten actions for better circulation across Europe – European Commission

The Open Method of Coordination (OMC) group of experts on circulation of films has published a paper featuring good practices and recommendations to enhance the circulation of European films across the EU.

Gender Balance

08/03: Public Consultation – Gender equality in the EU – European Commission

The Commission is launching a public consultation to gather opinions from all interested groups about the current situation regarding gender equality in the EU and the priorities for the next 5 years.

07/03: Statement by the European Commission on the occasion of International Women's Day 2019 – European Commission

“Women remain underrepresented in politics. In the upcoming European elections, we would like to see more women across the EU not only voting, but standing and succeeding as candidates. The Commission also calls for more women to be represented in the highest level of all EU institutions, including as Commissioners”, states the European Commission Statement.

2019 European Elections

05/03: Party leaders to join ECR group after EU elections – The Parliament Magazine

Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, who leads French party Debout la France, and Thierry Baudet, who leads Dutch party Forum for Democracy, both signed declarations with ECR co-leader, Ryszard Legutko.

Moldova

/03: New Audiovisual Code – EAO Newsletter  

The new law replaces an earlier Audiovisual Code from 2006 (see IRIS 2006-9/27). It brings national legislation more into line with the AVMS Directive, especially in the fields of the protection of minors, the protection of consumers (commercial communications), incitement to hatred, events of major importance, the right of reply, material scope, jurisdictional issues, non-linear audiovisual media services, and the promotion of European works.

Studies & Data

/03: EFARN Film Research Library: Studies & data from the European film agencies – EFARN

Events

14 March: EAO Advisory Committee Meeting 
25-28 March: EU Single Use Plastics Directive - European Parliament plenary sitting
27 March: EU SatCab Directive - European Parliament plenary vote (TBC)
27 March: 28 Shades of AVMSD - A Changing and Challenging Digital Market 
27/28 March: EU Copyright Directive - European Parliament plenary vote (TBC)
8-12 April: EUIPO Working Group meetings
23-26 May: EU Elections

17-03-2019

UNIC policy update 22/02/2019

EU Copyright Directive

13/02: Agreement reached on digital copyright rules – European Parliament

Creatives and news publishers will be empowered to negotiate with internet giants thanks to a deal reached on copyright rules which also contains safeguards on freedom of expression.

13/02: EU copyright rules adjusted to the digital age – European Council

The EU is amending its copyright legal framework to make it fit-for-purpose in today's digital environment. Representatives of the Romanian presidency of the Council  reached a provisional agreement with the European Parliament on a draft directive that introduces changes to existing EU copyright rules as part of creating a true EU digital single market.

13/02: Digital Single Market: EU negotiators reach a breakthrough to modernise copyright rules – European Commission

The European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the Commission found a political agreement to make the copyright rules fit for digital era in Europe and bring tangible benefits to all creative sectors, the press, researchers, educators, cultural heritage institutions, and citizen.

EU Platform-to-Business Regulation

14/02: Online platforms required by law to be more transparent with EU businesses – European Parliament

EU lawmakers agreed on a set of measures to halt unfair practices in the digital market. More than a million EU enterprises trade via platforms to reach their customers.

14/02: Questions and answers – EU negotiators agree to set up new European rules to improve fairness of online platforms’ trading practices – European Commission

EU Elections 2019

18/02: First seat projections for the next European Parliament – European Parliament

Parliament released the first seat projections, based on a cross-section of national polls, for the composition of the next (9th) European Parliament.

Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU 

12/02: Romanian EU Council Presidency: Presenting a united front – The Parliament Magazine

The Romanian EU Council Presidency comes at a time of multiple challenges for Europe, writes Claudia Ţapardel.

Events

19-20 March: EP Creative Week

25 March: EU SatCab Directive - European Parliament plenary sitting

25-28 March: EU Single Use Plastics Directive - European Parliament plenary sitting

8-12 April: EUIPO Working Group meetings

24-02-2019

UNIC policy update 7/02/2019

EU Copyright Directive

22/01: Statement by Vice-President Ansip on copyright reform - European Commission

“This reform will bring much needed and direct advantages for teachers to improve their courses; for cultural heritage institutions to digitise their collections, for Europeans to conduct text & data mining, essential for our emerging AI capacities. All these points are largely agreed between negotiators. But not agreeing now would mean losing these fundamentally necessary copyright reforms”, stated VP Ansip.

EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive

/01: Obligations on on-demand audiovisual media services providers to financially contribute to the production of European works An analysis of European Member States' practices (Study) – VUB

The revised directive aims to strengthen European culture by requiring providers of on-demand audiovisual media services to ensure at least 30% of European works in their on-demand catalogues and a good visibility for that content.

Digital Single Market

29/01: Council and Parliament agree on new rules for contracts for the sales of goods and digital content – European Council

The Council and Parliament negotiators agreed on a package comprising a directive on contracts for the supply of digital content and services (Digital content directive - DCD), and a directive on contracts the sales of goods (Sales of goods directive - SGD). This provisional political agreement will now have to be confirmed by the two institutions.

29/01: Cross-border e-commerce: Commission welcomes agreement on proposal to facilitate sales of goods and supply of digital content and services in the EU – European Commission

Andrus Ansip, Vice-President for the Digital Single Market, and Věra Jourová, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality welcomed the agreement mentioning that: “today's agreement will boost consumers' confidence and therefore also business. Ultimately, an increased supply of both digital content and goods across Europe will bring more choice at competitive prices to consumers, and this is what the Digital Single Market is all about. We hope to see the same level of commitment from the European Parliament and the Council on two other EU priority files, namely the proposed modernised copyright rules to make them fit for the digital world and the proposed Regulation on Privacy and Electronic Communications”.

Digital regulation & taxation

29/01: International community makes important progress on the tax challenges of digitalisation - OECD

Countries and jurisdictions participating in the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) will step up efforts toward reaching a global solution to the growing debate over how to best tax multinational enterprises in a rapidly digitalising economy.

Recent Studies

Göteborg Film Festival - 6th Nostradamus Report – “Relevance in a New Reality” - February 2019 

Institute for Information Law (IViR) - Film Financing and the Digital Single Market: its Future, the Role of Territoriality and New Models of Financing - January 2019

EAO - The legal framework for international co-productions - January 2019 

Hadopi - The unlawful ecosystem of dematerialised cultural goods - January 2019

Events

8 February: COREPER – Copyright Directive 

w/o 11 February: Possible Trilogue - Copyright Directive (TBC)

11 February: European Film Forum @ The Berlinale

14 February: EUIPO conference - IP in Education

20 February: European Parliament vote on Future of Creative Europe MEDIA Programme

19-20 March: EP Creative Week

25 March: EU SatCab Directive - European Parliament plenary sitting

25-28 March: EU Single Use Plastics Directive - European Parliament plenary sitting

8-12 April: EUIPO Working Group meetings

07-02-2019

UNIC policy update 24/01/2019

EU Copyright Directive

13/01: Working Paper: Working Party on Intellectual Property (Copyright) – Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU

The working paper included compromise suggestion on Article 13 and proposal for a new Article on exclusion of software developers.

11/01: Q & A on the draft digital copyright directive – European Parliament

This Q and A provides answers to some of the issues regularly raised regarding the European Parliament’s position during the ongoing process to hammer out the digital copyright directive.

EU Broadcasting Directive

17/01: Analysis of the final compromise text with a view to agreement – Council of the EU & Council of the EU

Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL laying down rules on the exercise of copyright and related rights applicable to certain online transmissions of broadcasting and retransmission of television and radio programmes.

European Audiovisual Observatory

18/01: Independent producers’ coordinator takes over European Audiovisual Observatory’s Advisory Committee Chair – EAO

The Advisory Committee of the European Audiovisual Observatory has a new Chair. Elena Lai, Secretary General of the European Coordination of Independent TV Producers (CEPI), has been elected to head up the Observatory’s Advisory Committee.

16/01: Italy takes over the Presidency of the European Audiovisual Observatory for 2019 - EAO

The Strasbourg-based Observatory, part of the Council of Europe, has been providing facts and figures on the film, television and video industries in Europe since 1992. Each January a different Observatory member country takes over the yearly rotating Presidency. In 2019 Italy took over the  the Presidency from France.

EU Film Contest

17/01: Launch of the 3rd edition of the EU Film Contest – Creative Europe MEDIA

Love European Films? Test your knowledge and join the competition! There are 10 trips to the Cannes Film Festival in May 2019 to win, travel and hotel included. This will be your chance to get a glimpse into the European audiovisual sector and meet film professionals.

Presidency of the Council of the EU

18/01: MEPs voice concern over Romanian EU Council presidency – The Parliament Magazine

Romania assumed the EU Council presidency on 1 January, the first time it has been at the helm of the EU since it joined the bloc in 2007.But its government has repeatedly faced criticism from MEPs and others about the rule of law, a crackdown on civil society and alleged civil rights abuses in the country.

Events

11 February: European Film Forum @ The Berlinale
14 February: EUIPO conference - IP in Education
20 February: European Parliament vote on Future of Creative Europe MEDIA Programme
8-12 April: EUIPO Working Group meetings

Recent Studies

EAO - Brexit: The impact on the audiovisual sector - December 2018

EAO - YouTube and Facebook together net over 50% of the online video advertising market - December 2018

24-01-2019

UNIC policy update 19/12/2018

EU Broadcasting Directive

13/12: Digital Single Market: EU negotiators agree to facilitate access to online TV and radio content across borders – European Commission

The negotiators of the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council, have reached a political agreement on the proposed copyright legislation on TV and radio programmes.

EU Budget

12/12: EU budget 2019 approved: focus on the young, innovation and migration – European Parliament

After Council formally approved the conciliation agreement with Parliament on the 2019 budget on 7 December, Parliament approved the budget on Wednesday by 451 votes to 142, with 78 abstentions. It was then signed into law by President Antonio Tajani.

Digital Taxation

13/12: MEPs agree on new rules to tax digital companies’ revenues – European Parliament

The plenary proposed widening the scope of the directives on taxing digital businesses operating in the EU.

Copyright Enforcement

07/12: Counterfeit and Piracy Watch List – EUIPO

The European Commission has published its long-awaited Counterfeit and Piracy Watch-List.

EU Elections

07/12: European Parliament aims to reverse voter apathy with new election awareness campaign – The Parliament Magazine

The European Parliament has launched a new campaign designed to boost voter turnout in the elections next May.

Gender Balance

10/12: EU actions progress -Women in Digital – European Commission

This factsheet gives an overview of all key issues related to the trend in participation of women in the digital sector and the EU actions in progress to address them.

Recent Studies

EAO - Brexit: The impact on the audiovisual sector - December 2018

EAO - YouTube and Facebook together net over 50% of the online video advertising market - December 2018

Events

14/15 January: Trilogue - EU Copyright Directive

20-12-2018

UNIC policy update 05/12/2018

EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD)

28/11 : EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) published in official EU Journal – Official Journal of the European Union

Creativity Works!

22/11: ‘Technology is not culture’: how platforms can help shape a healthy ecosystem online – Creativity Works!

Online platforms are an integral part of today’s digital economy. They increase the speed at which information is shared and introduce consumers to a wide variety of digital goods and services. But their dominant rise casts concern about the largely unregulated role they play in disseminating creators’ content and raises questions about what steps should be taken to safeguard a fair and competitive online ecosystem. The topic was debated at an event in the European Parliament hosted by MEP Christian Ehler.

EU Copyright Directive

29/11: Authors’ Group comments ahead of the Council IP Working Group - FERA

Ahead of the IP Working Party meeting held on November 30, the Authors’ Group called attention to several aspects of the compromise solution on the proposed Copyright Directive Chapter 3 “Fair remuneration in contracts of authors and performers”, which are of critical importance to the EU creative community.

05-12-2018