A very happy new year from the SAA team to all our readers! So, what lies ahead in 2015 in terms of policy and court cases of interest to Europe’s screenwriters and directors?

Is the Audiovisual Media Services Directive still fit for purpose? This was the very important debate launched by the Italian Presidency of the Council at a conference on the audiovisual market and regulation on 23 and 24 October in Rome.

Today is the big one. SAA and anyone else in the audiovisual sector is now under no doubt of which hearing they need to follow. Günther Oettinger.

SAA, FERA and FSE have put forward 7 areas where the European Parliament can make concrete progress for screenwriters and directors over the next 5 years.

The popular winner in the press after the European Parliament elections is ‘others’, a mix of national eurosceptic, extreme right and anti-establishment parties that together represent the 3rd highest grouping (estimates put EPP at 213 seats, S&D at 189 seats and other at 105 seats).

Joint FERA, FSE and SAA contribution to converged media green paper underlines importance of AVMS Directive in guaranteeing future health of EU audiovisual production.

European Commission Green Paper preparing for a fully converged audiovisual world: growth, creation and values

And by out, we mean out there, being watched.

Eurocinema, Europa Cinemas, EuropaDistribution, Europa International, FIAD, SAA and UNIC welcome Commissioner De Gucht’s commitment to maintaining Europe’s cultural diversity and call for him to guarantee this formally in the negotiating mandate.

September in Brussels is always a funny thing.

I traditionally spend a few days in Cannes for the International Film Festival in May to (of course) see films and discover the brilliant selection concocted by Thierry Fremaux, the most trusted cinema lover in the world, but above all to participate in events and meet people at this big international fair.

Jean-Marie Cavada, MEP (France, EPP) rapporteur for the non-legislative report of the European Parliament on the online distribution of audiovisual works, organised a workshop on 27 February to discuss the issues with a panel of stakeholders representing authors, performers, producers and broadcasters[1].