Future of European cinema should not be jeopardised

The European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee will vote today on modifications to the SatCab Directive. A draft Regulation with new rules on the exercise of copyright and related rights for certain online transmissions and retransmissions of TV and radio programmes was originally proposed by the European Commission as part of the package to reform EU-wide copyright rules. However, by trying to clear the way for favourable conditions for cross-border distribution of television and radio programmes made online, the European Commission largely set up conditions that would negatively impact the European producers and right holders.

“A general application of the country of origin principle, as proposed by the European Commission, would negatively affect all types of content - international, European and independent local productions. The EPP Group is defending a line that would balance the interests of internet users and will protect the European film industry at the same time, as for the EPP Group, cultural diversity and creativity in Europe are core values that need to be safeguarded”, said Angelika Niebler MEP who is responsible for the dossier.

“We agree that online services that relate to news and current affairs programmes should be accessed by consumers in all Member States. However, applying the country of origin principle in full for all programmes means jeopardising the existing rules that don't just govern the film industry in Europe. I wonder why the S&D Group and its Rapporteur Tiemo Wölken largely ignored the voices from the European creative content community that would be negatively affected, or do they want to see the film industry in Europe collapsing? The week following the ceremony of the LUX Prize, this would be a terrible message from the European Parliament. The EPP Group will not support this”, concluded Niebler.