The European Coalitions for Cultural Diversity (ECCD) express their bewilderment and deep disappointment at the Canadian government’s announcement that it is rolling back the investment obligations imposed on video-on-demand platforms.
Just as Canada had embarked on an ambitious path, envisioning a significant contribution from platforms to the funding of creative production, this decision sends a troubling signal. It amounts to undermining a fundamental principle that is gaining ground in many parts of the world, most recently in Australia and Brazil: audiovisual operators that derive their value from the works they distribute must contribute to their funding.
The European experience clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of these policies. Implemented in most European countries, they have helped sustain the vitality of local content creation, strengthen the audiovisual sectors, and ensure sustainable and predictable funding mechanisms, without having any impact on subscription prices.
In this context, replacing obligations on platforms with public funding, as proposed by the Canadian government, cannot constitute a sustainable or equitable solution.
The European Coalitions express their full solidarity with the cultural and audiovisual sectors of Quebec and Canada, whose future must be based on ambitious and coherent public policies.
They call on Canadian authorities to reconsider their position and to maintain a rigorous regulatory framework, ensuring an effective and significant contribution by platforms to the funding of creative production and cultural diversity.