The European Commission co-finances projects executed by the European Audiovisual Observatory in the framework of the Creative Europe Programme. The list of these projects is long and includes, for example, the studies on the AVMS Directive, the mapping of media literacy practices, VoD distribution and the role of aggregators.
The important role of the Creative Europe Programme with respect to the funding of projects executed by the European Social Partners in the European Audiovisual Social Dialogue Committee (AV SDC), is crucial for preserving the audiovisual value chain and fostering the promotion of a competitive audiovisual sector, in Europe and beyond. Moreover, the Creative Europe Programme has provided instrumental support towards the European Audiovisual Observatory including this year’s reports on the circulation of EU nonnational films, TV fiction production in Europe, live streaming services, trends in the SVOD sector, the EU online advertising market, visibility of European works on VOD and the pilot study on monitoring of simulcast and catch-up services, which are all co-financed by the Creative Europe Programme.
For this reason, the European Social Partners in the AV SDC acknowledge the importance and usefulness of the information services provided by the European Audiovisual Observatory to the audiovisual industry and highlight the importance of strengthening the Creative Europe Programme to preserve the role of the European Audiovisual Observatory in the years to come.
In doing so, the AV SDCstressesthe unique value of the services provided by the Observatory, which is based on 25 years of experience in a highly specialized area, unique research tools and European-wide networks as well as its strict adherence to its statutory principles of neutral, reliable and fact-based research and analyses.
The AV SDC recognises the pivotal role of the European Audiovisual Observatory in providing reliable and independent statistics for the benefit of the EU audiovisual sector as well as for public authorities, which contribute to throwing light on elements at stake in current and future European political debates affecting the audiovisual sector. The AV SDC is of the opinion that it is important to sustain the funding of the services provided by the European Audiovisual Observatory. Therefore, we call on the European Union to ensure that the next Creative Europe Programme secures the membership of the EU in the Observatory and to facilitate the conditions under which the Commission can commission studies and services from the Observatory in order to gain efficiency. We further highlight the needs of the European audiovisual sector for reliable and frequently updated statistics on the contribution of the sector to the EU economy and employment market.
Download the full statement here.