Two European Parliament procedures over the summer

IRIS 2023-7:1/5

Justine Radel-Cormann

European Audiovisual Observatory

Two procedures opened between February and April 2023 are worth keeping an eye on as the discussions are relevant for the audiovisual sector.

EU framework for the social and professional situation of artists and workers in the cultural and creative sectors - 2023/2051(INL):

The European Parliament’s CULT and EMPL committees initiated a procedure to reflect on an EU framework for the social and professional situation of artists and workers in the cultural and creative sectors. The rapporteurs, Demec Ruiz Devesa (CULT) and Antonius Manders (EMPL) presented a draft report on 13 June. MEPs have until 4 July 2023 to table amendments. The draft report calls for a European status of artists and for securing their social rights. For instance, the draft mentions the representation of and collective bargaining for cultural and creative professionals, in cooperation with social partners. MEPs will discuss the draft and later agree on a final version with a committee vote scheduled for October 2023 and a plenary vote for November 2023. Once the MEPs endorse the report, it will be forwarded to the European Commission and the Council.

Implementation of the 2018 Geoblocking Regulation in the Digital Single Market - 2023/2019(INI):

The European Parliament’s IMCO committee initiated a procedure to look at the implementation of the Geoblocking Regulation. The rapporteur for IMCO, Beata Mazurek, published her draft in June 2023. MEPs have until 12 July 2023 to table amendments. The draft report deems necessary the development of further actions to develop more cross-catalogue availability of video content and sports events via streaming services. This could mean extending the scope of the Geoblocking Regulation to include copyright content. The draft report goes on with the need for a careful assessment of future policies that could have an impact on the diversity and financing of the creative sector.

The CULT Committee will present an opinion on the file. Currently, its draft opinion repeats the importance of excluding copyright-related work from the scope of the Regulation for the sake of the financial stability of the films and audiovisual content. Amendments to the draft opnion were tabled in May 2023. The opinion, once agreed by CULT MEPs, should be incorporated into IMCO's final report. For the time being, IMCO MEPs are expected to vote on a text in October 2023.


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This article has been published in IRIS Legal Observations of the European Audiovisual Observatory.