European organisations and networks from the film and audiovisual sector have come together to express their strong support for the Creative Europe MEDIA Programme and its continued role within the new AgoraEU framework.

Thousands of cinema professionals, including prominent directors, screenwriters, actors and industry leaders from across Europe and beyond, have united around one message: Europe needs cinema. Cinema needs Europe.

We, representatives of the European film and audiovisual sector and the press sector, welcome the European Commission’s ambition to strengthen support for culture, audiovisual, media and democratic values under the future AgoraEU programme.

We, the European organisations representing the entire European film and audiovisual sector, would like to highlight the pivotal role played by the Creative Europe – MEDIA Programme, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. This milestone demonstrates the programme’s value and impact and makes it a true European success story.

“I wrote my first feature film ‘Girl’ together with Lukas Dhont, 12 years ago. It took us three years of work for which I received €12,500. At the time, we both had second jobs to be able to pay our bills. The film started its career in Cannes. Thanks to my authors’ rights, I could develop my next project and afford a living. However, I’m one of the privileged ones compared to many colleagues who struggle in a precarious system.”  said Belgian screenwriter Angelo Tijssens. This real-life example set

The Constitutional Court ruled largely in favour of streamers' contributions to audiovisual production and cultural diversity in Belgium. This decision constitutes an important and largely positive step for the future of audiovisual creation in French-speaking Belgium: the Court has rejected most of the criticisms raised by Netflix against the system of mandatory contributions to audiovisual production.

The Federation of European Screen Directors, the Federation of Screenwriters in Europe and the Society of Audiovisual Authors, welcome today's adoption by the European Parliament in plenary of its resolution on Copyright and Generative Artificial Intelligence – opportunities and challenges, led by MEP Axel Voss. The three organisations call on the European Commission to turn this clear political mandate into concrete action without delay.

Today, the SAA is publishing its first annual Flash Report on the European audiovisual market. The report reveals that audiovisual authors' royalties collected by SAA members amount to just 0.53% of a sector worth €141 billion, while non-European players capture 89% of streaming and video sharing platforms (VSPs) revenues. While their creativity forms the basis on this vibrant industry, screenwriters and directors face low income, precarious working conditions, fragmented rights and an unfair playing fi

At its 47th session that closed at the end of last week, the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) discussed and adopted the proposal of the African group for a global study on "The Rights of Audiovisual Authors and their Payment Mechanisms for the Exploitation of their Works".

Adopted on 19 November at the Regional Seminar, 'Authors First: Copyright as the Cornerstone of Creativity and Culture in the Audiovisual Sector' in Skopje, North Macedonia.

"I get to live at the intersection of my three passions: policymaking, collective action, and art. As long as these three things remain at the heart of the SAA, you can count on me." These were the opening words by Cécile Despringre, SAA Secretary General, at our 15th anniversary conference on 4 November. With more than 100 guests filling the room, Despringre reflected on the journey from the notary's office to an organisation that now represents 33 collective management organisations across 25 European

This article was originally written by Cécile Despringre, SAA Secretary General, for the SAA member AIPA in Slovenia to mark their 15th anniversary. It was published in the first issue of the first volume of the journal "Twelve: Film, Media & Entertainment", by the Copyright Law Institute in Slovenia.