Creative Europe Programme: European VOD Networks and Operators

Objectives

• The general objectives of the Programme are:
  • to safeguard, develop and promote European cultural and linguistic diversity and heritage;
  • to increase the competitiveness and the economic potential of the cultural and creative sectors, in particular the audiovisual sector.
• These goals are pursued through the following specific objectives:
  • enhancing artistic and cultural cooperation at the European level, in order to support the creation of European works and strengthen the economic, social and external dimensions and innovation and mobility in Europe’s cultural and creative sectors (CULTURE strand);
  • promoting the competitiveness, scalability, cooperation, innovation and sustainability, including through mobility in the European audiovisual sector (MEDIA strand);
  • promoting policy cooperation and innovative actions supporting all strands of the Programme, promoting a diverse, independent and pluralistic media environment, and media literacy, thereby fostering freedom of artistic expression, intercultural dialogue and social inclusion (CROSS SECTORAL strand).
• The general and specific objectives of the Programme take into account the dual nature of the cultural and creative sectors, recognising, on the one hand, the intrinsic and artistic value of culture and, on the other, the economic value of those sectors, including their broader contribution to growth and competitiveness, creativity and innovation.

Themes and Priorities

• The priorities of the MEDIA strand are:
  • to enhance the circulation, promotion, online and theatrical distribution of European audiovisual works, within the Union and internationally in the new digital environment; including through innovative business model;
  • to promote European audiovisual works, heritage works, and support the engagement and development of audiences of all ages, in particular young audiences, across Europe and beyond.
• The MEDIA strand shall provide support for the following measures:
  • European Video on Demand (VOD) network(s) and operators, screening a significant proportion of non-national European works, with the aim to improve their competitiveness and attractiveness.

Funding Information and Duration

• The estimated available call budget is EUR 10 000 000.
• Projects should not normally exceed 24 months

Eligible Activities

• The activities should present innovative, coherent, and focused strategies in order to promote the offer of European content and increase the global audience of the European VOD platforms.
• Clear requirements in terms of indicators, quantification and sharing of results should be part of the activities. Transparency will play a key role in the action. Therefore, applications must contain detailed plans for the full publication of the inputs and results of the action. Particular attention should be given to communicating this information to public authorities, Member States and the audiovisual industry.
• Projects can include the following activities:
  • Common projects as a network of European VOD platforms in order to improve the quality, attractiveness and competitiveness of the whole European VOD industry including technological development, editorial line, market intelligence, facilitation of the copyright licencing process underlying panEuropean exploitation.
  • Promoting and developing an attractive cross-border offer of European content.
  • Improving the visibility, discoverability and prominence of European content including multi-lingual sub-titling activitiesDeveloping innovative digital promotion, marketing and branding strategies.

Expected Impact

• Strengthen the cross-border collaboration among European Video on Demand (VOD) platforms through joint/collaborative activities to increase the online audience of European audiovisual content
• Strengthen attractiveness of eligible European VOD platforms for cross-border audiences and online consumption at a larger scale
• Improve the digital circulation and consumption of European content by boosting its visibility, discoverability and prominence
• Develop new business models and achieve cross-border economies of scope and scale.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applications will only be considered eligible if their content corresponds wholly (or at least in part) to the topic description for which it is submitted.
• In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
  • be legal entities (public or private bodies);
  • be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
    • Creative Europe Participating Countries:
      • EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs)
      • non-EU countries:
        • listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Creative Europe Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature.
• A VOD platform offered by broadcasters or internet service providers is eligible.
• Natural persons — Natural persons are NOT eligible (with the exception of selfemployed persons, i.e. sole traders, where the company does not have legal personality separate from that of the natural person.
• International organisations — International organisations are eligible. The rules on eligible countries do not apply to them.
• EU bodies — EU bodies (with the exception of the European Commission Joint Research Centre) cannot be part of the consortium.

For more information, visit EC.