WARSAW: FNE has teamed up with the Brussels based team of the International Union of Cinemas (UNIC) to bring you regular updates on EU cinema policies that impact all industry professionals across Europe. Click here for FNE UNIC EU Cinema Policy Update.
COVID -19: EU Response
25/11: MEPs call on EU leaders to end MFF deadlock without giving in on rule of law – European Parliament
EP group leaders and the Commission advise Hungary and Poland to take the EU to Court on rule of law, instead of penalising EU citizens by blocking the budget.
25/11: Streamlining public procurement within the EU for more efficient public spending – Council of the EU
The Council adopted a set of conclusions centred on how efficient public procurement rules and practices, combined with increased public spending, can accelerate the economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and lead to a sustainable and more resilient EU economy.
Copyright enforcement
24/11: EUIPO IP Perception study 2020 – EUIPO Observatory
To what degree are intellectual property rights respected, and in what form? The EUIPO tracks this through a series of wide-ranging and in-depth surveys, published at regular intervals, which – taken together – provide a full picture of the evolution of citizen perception of intellectual property rights in the EU.
EU Geo-blocking Regulation
30/11: Commission publishes its short-term review of the Geo-blocking Regulation – European Commission
The European Commission published the conclusions of its first short-term review of the 2018 Geo-blocking Regulation, which prohibits unjustified geographical restrictions in the sale of goods and services within the EU. This review includes the Commission report and the accompanying Staff Working Document (SWD).
EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD)
23/11: Audiovisual Media: Commission opens infringement procedures against 23 Member States for failing to transpose the Directive on audiovisual content – European Commission
The European Commission launched infringement procedures against 23 Member States and the United Kingdom for failing to enact the new rules governing EU-wide coordination of all audiovisual media, both traditional TV broadcasts and on-demand services, and video-sharing platforms. These new EU rules aim to create a regulatory framework fit for the digital age, leading to a safer, fairer and more diverse audiovisual landscape.
Action Plan on Intellectual Property
26/11: Creativity Works! welcomes the IP Action Plan – Creativity Works!
Creativity Works!, a leading European coalition of the creative and cultural sectors, welcomes the 25 November Action Plan on Intellectual Property as a way of “making the most of the EU’s innovative potential”.
25/11: Commission adopts Action Plan on Intellectual Property to strengthen EU's economic resilience and recovery – European Commission
The Commission published a new Action Plan on Intellectual Property to help companies, especially small and medium-sized companies (SMEs), to make the most of their inventions and creations and ensure they can benefit our economy and society.
Accessibility
10/11: Open for feedback: Accessible web & digital content for people with disabilities – review of EU rules – European Commission
The Web accessibility directive aims to make public-sector websites and mobile applications in the EU more accessible to the public, particularly people with disabilities.
Events
1 December: Council of the EU - Culture and AV Ministers meeting
1 December: European Parliament ITRE Committee meeting
1 December: European Parliament JURI/FEMM Committee meeting
2 December: European Parliament CULT Committee meeting
2 December: European Parliament IMCO Committee meeting
2 December: European Commission Media and Audiovisual Action Plan – TBC
3 December: European Parliament JURI Committee meeting
4 December: European Parliament Cultural Creators Friendship Group (CCFG) event
7 December: European Parliament JURI Committee meeting
9 December: European Commission proposal for the Digital Services Act package
10 December: European Audiovisual Observatory (EAO) elections for the Advisory Board & workshop on inclusion and diversity
10-11 December: European Council Meeting
10 December: Know Your Business Customer: Protecting European consumers and businesses from online harms, webinar
14 December: Creative Europe trilogue
BRNO: EKOFILM has moved most of its competition films online, following the closing of cinemas due to the declaration of a State of Emergency in the Czech Republic.
TRIESTE: The coproduction forum When East Meets West (WEMW) has extended its deadline for four 2021 programmes until 4 December 2020.
After the successful world premiere in Japan, the Georgian animated film "Abandoned Village" is preparing for the European premiere.
TALLINN: Ten projects received awards at the Industry @ Tallinn & Baltic Event ceremony held on 26 November 2020. More than 850 guests attended the week of online presentations, with Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia and Croatia taking home seven prizes.
TALLINN: The Bulgarian film Fear won Best Film at the 2020 hybrid edition of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, which concluded on 29 November 2020. The director Ivaylo Hristov and the producer Pro Film shared the prize money of 10,000 EUR.
VALLETTA: The US film Romancing the Cure directed by Matt Shapira has just wrapped shooting in Malta.
Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, taking place on November 23-27, presents 14 TV and drama series projects in development: five participating in Script Pool TV competition and nine taking part in the MIDPOINT TV Launch 2020 3rd workshop.
According to Marge Liiske, Head of Industry@Tallinn &; Baltic Event, it has been repeatedly pointed out that 2020 is a year when the demand for content has increased significantly, and drama series are now a natural part of many film industry events. “I am thrilled that together with MIDPOINT TV Launch, we have several new drama series projects from Europe onboard. In addition to the public pitching, we offer them a platform to set up one-to-one meetings with our industry guests, in order for them to find collaboration partners to proceed with their projects,” she adds.
