ACT welcomes Parliament’s clear message to keep AV out of geo-blocking regulation

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BRUSSELS, 13 DECEMBER 2023. On 13 December 2023, the European Parliament assembled in Plenary in the Strasbourg hemicycle voted to amend problematic language proposed in the IMCO Committee INI Report on the Geoblocking Regulation.

In so doing, MEPs across party lines have demonstrated their support for and understanding of the foundational principles governing the financial structure of the audiovisual industry. Moreover, they have responded to the call from more than 700 organisations[1] across Europe – under the banner of #Vote4Culture – to support Europe’s audiovisual sector.

Grégoire Polad, Director General of ACT, stated: “We salute the decision taken today in the European Parliament. This is a strong and powerful signal sent to all legislators and particularly the European Commission. Both the European Parliament and the European Council of Ministers[2] have now made it abundantly clear that there is no political support for any present or future inclusion of the audiovisual sector in the scope of the Geoblocking regulation. Territorial exclusivity and the practice of geoblocking are not a limiting factor but rather an enabler[3] for strong audiovisual production, supply and offers across the European Union”.

[1] Joint statement: Vote for Culture in the European Parliament INI Report on the EU Geo-blocking Regulation, December 8, 2023

[2] See Slovenian Presidency, November 2021, Council Presidency Conclusions, paragraphs 46&48; Portuguese Presidency, May 2021, Council Presidency Conclusions, paragraphs 9, 34 & 44.

[3] As confirmed by the analyses of the European Audiovisual Observatory, Film and TV content in VOD catalogues, European Audiovisual Observatory, April 7 2022; highlighting an increase a steady increase ein the number of works available across the European Union