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Audiovisual Media Services Directive obligations in the transatlantic dialogue

TA-10-2025-0256 · P10_TA(2025)0256 · PE775.467

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 4 Sept 2026

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

Parliament's resolution defends the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) against US criticism, urging the Commission and member states to keep audiovisual services out of trade agreements and uphold EU cultural diversity.

Key points

  1. Calls on the Council and member states to support the Commission in defending the AVMSD and the EU's cultural exception in trade negotiations, keeping audiovisual services excluded from commitments.
  2. Stresses that AVMSD measures are legitimate public-interest regulation protecting cultural diversity, freedom of expression, media pluralism and democratic values; backtracking would undermine the European cultural model.
  3. Recalls that cultural policy is primarily a member state competence under Article 167 TFEU and that subsidiarity safeguards cultural diversity against concentration of power by external actors, especially American companies.
  4. Welcomes Council conclusions of 2 May 2025 underscoring the AVMSD's role in ensuring a diverse, fair, safe, trustworthy and competitive audiovisual market and independent, reliable, culturally diverse European content.
  5. Urges the Commission to reject any attempt to treat the AVMSD as a trade distortion and to defend it as essential for cultural diversity, sovereignty and soft power in trade agreements and the 2026 evaluation.

Who is affected

  • US streaming services and audiovisual companies operating in the EU, which face obligations under the AVMSD such as European works quotas and financial contributions.
  • EU member states, which must implement and defend the AVMSD and maintain their cultural policy competence.

Figures and deadlines

  • 30 % share of European works required for on-demand audiovisual media services under member state jurisdiction.
  • 100 % tax on films made outside the United States, as stated by President Trump.
  • 69 % of cinema admissions in Europe in 2023 were US films.
  • 9 of the 10 leading television and video on-demand groups in Europe are US-owned.
  • 85 % of time on subscription video on-demand platforms in Europe is spent on three US services.

Legal basis: Article 3 TEU and Articles 6 and 167 TFEU