Streamers such as Netflix, Amazon and Disney + will be forced to allocate between 20 and 25% of their income to support the creation of European and French content as part of the plans drawn up by French lawmakers.
According to the decree published in the Official Journal from the French government yesterday, on-demand service providers must devote 25% of their annual income if they release at least one full-length cinematographic work per year within 12 months of its theatrical release in France.
Services which do not broadcast films less than 12 months after their theatrical release will be obliged to allocate 20% of their income to European works.
The requirement presupposes a modification of the French film windowing regime which is currently the subject of renegotiation and is seen as a government concession proposal to balance the obligation to invest in local production that will be imposed on platforms. streaming within the framework of the implementation of the European Directive on audiovisual media.
The planned reform of the cinema window – currently set at 36 months – as it stands would allow streamers to broadcast films 12 months after their release.
Within the framework of the reforms currently envisaged on the table, three quarters of the amount allocated to film production and two thirds of the amount intended for audiovisual production should be allocated to independent productions. A specific part – 40% – of the amount allocated to European creation should be earmarked for original French production.
Streamers would be forced to sign an agreement with the media regulator, the CSA, regarding their obligations.
