Performers, audiovisual authors’ and their representative organisations came together in the European Parliament at an event co-hosted by MEPs Marc Joulaud (EPP), Mary Honeyball (S&D) and Helga Trüpel (Greens/EFA), to highlight the realities and needs of performers and audiovisual authors in the Digital Single Market.

29 May, 2018 - Today, performers, audiovisual authors’ and their representative organisations came together in the European Parliament at an event co-hosted by MEPs

The situation of screenwriters and directors differs across the globe, but the solution to secure that they actually get remuneration for the exploitation of their works is universal: a legal mechanism of a right to remuneration is what is needed.

The Federation of European Film Directors (FERA), the Federation of Screenwriters in Europe (FSE) and SAA were partners of the 4th edition of the EU Audiovisual Authors' Workshop, hosted by DSR (Directors’ Guild of Slovenia) and AIPA (Collective Management Organisation) in Ljubljana, Slovenia. 

The 4th edition of the “One Day in Strasbourg” event was organised by SAA in partnership with European Parliament LUX Prize, and took place on the day of the announcement of the winner of the prize in plenary session.

The Federation of European Film Directors (FERA), the Federation of Screenwriters in Europe (FSE) and SAA invited Members of the European Parliament to a lunch-briefing on fair remuneration for audiovisual authors, hosted by Pervenche Berès (S&D).

The Federation of European Film Directors (FERA), the Federation of Screenwriters in Europe (FSE) and SAA invited Members of the European Parliament to a breakfast-briefing chaired by MEP Jean-Marie Cavada (ALDE), on Copyright in the Digital Single Market.

Drafting the eighth activity report of the organisation for our General Assembly meeting on 27 March was harder work than in previous years. For the last two years, due to the legislative agenda of the European Commission in our fields of interest, the level of activity has been intense and in 2017 it reached a peak.

SAA welcomes adoption of European Parliament Broadcasting Regulation negotiating mandate on 12 December and thanks members of Parliament who supported importance of territorial exclusivity.

Today, the European Parliament Industry and Culture committees voted in favour of an unwaivable right to fair remuneration for authors and performers for the making available of their works. Supported by the European audiovisual authors’ community, such a remuneration right would ensure that screenwriters and directors receive royalties when their works are exploited on on-demand services, wherever in Europe, thanks to its collective mechanism.

Freedom of contract is seen as a corner stone of much of modern business and is often a key argument against regulation. But sometimes contractual freedom is a fiction and to defend it is to perpetuate injustice.

Ahead of the deadline for amendments of 12th April in the lead committee of the European Parliament, audiovisual authors call for a concrete measure to turn the positive rhetoric on the need for authors to be fairly remunerated into reality.