Film Online

Film online services are becoming a commercial reality in Europe. Seeing a film in a cinema is and will remain an irreplaceable cultural activity and cinemas are making enormous efforts to enhance this "live" experience. Film online is an additional way of accessing culture, as television and video were during the last century. What policy should the European Union put in place vis-à-vis this additional market for films online? Which good practices have been identified in this field? How can cooperation between the creative industries and the access suppliers be improved? How can online films be used as tools for promoting cultural diversity?

European Charter on Film Online

The European Charter for the Development and the Take-up of Film Online was initiated in May 2005 by Commissioner Viviane Reding and agreed by business leaders on 23 May 2006 at the Europe Day of the 59th Cannes Film Festival. These business leaders were Jean-Charles De Keyser, COO of BelgacomTV and Executive Chairman of the board of Skynet; Véronique Cayla, Director-General, CNC; Paolo Agostinelli - Head of Media and TV Department of Fastweb S.p.A.; Olivier Sichel, Executive Vice-President of Home Communication Services, France Telecom Group; Nicolas Seydoux, President, Gaumont; Pascal Rogard, Director-General, SACD; Riccardo Perissich, Chairman, Telecom Italia Media; Frank E. Dangeard, Chairman and CEO, Thomson; Jeffrey L. Bewkes, President and COO, Time Warner; John Woodward, CEO, UK Film Council; Jean-Bernard Lévy, CEO and Chairman of the Management Board, Vivendi; Peter Aalbæk Jensen, CEO and Executive Producer, Zentropa Productions ; David Thompson, Head of Films, BBC.

The Charter represents the joint accomplishment of representatives of the three groups of key players: film and content industry, internet service providers and telecom operators. The European Commission acted as honest broker during the Film Online Talks which led to the adoption of the Charter.

The objective of the European Film Online Charter - which is the first such Charter in the world - is to encourage the development and take-up of Film Online in Europe. The parties endorsing the European Film Online Charter believe that Film Online services, due to their economic and cultural potential, offer a tremendous opportunity for a wider circulation of European films, can create a more vibrant and competitive film sector and will become a powerful driver for broadband in Europe.

The parties endorsing the European Film Online Charter identify four key elements which are urgently needed for Film Online to take off:

a wide online offer of attractive films,
consumer-friendly online services,
adequate protection of copyrighted works
close cooperation to fight piracy.

The Charter identifies commendable practices for bringing Film content online via legitimate services and in a consumer-friendly way.

The European Film Online Charter will be the point of reference for business practices of the film and content industry, of internet service providers and of telecom operators. The Commission will explore in the course of 2006 how this European Charter on Film Online could become the starting point for a broader Content Online policy for the Information Society.

The European Film Online Charter, is open for endorsement by all interested parties.

If you are interested in endorsing the Charter, please contact Mr Marcel Boulogne.

Press release
Download the Charter: DE | EN | FR

List of companies and organisations endorsing the Charter: EN

Film Online Talks (Steps leading to the Charter)

On 17 May 2005, the third Europe day at the Cannes Film Festival focused on "Europe’s cinema and the Information Society" (Press release).

The EU Culture and Audiovisual Ministers discussed the effects of new means of distribution for audiovisual works, such as film online and video on demand. The renowned filmmaker Michael Winterbottom (“In this World”, “Welcome to Sarajevo”, “Code 46”) was the guest of honour at this Day. Commissioner Reding and the Ministers adopted the Cannes Declaration 2005 (Speech Commissioner Reding ).

After the morning discussion between politicians, artists and professionals, the afternoon of Europe Day 2005 was dedicated to the inaugural meeting of the "Leadership Summit on Film Online".

Under the presidency of the European Commissioner Viviane Reding, thirteen CEOs from the worlds of telecommunications, the Internet and audiovisual creation opened a dialogue with a view to reaching agreement at European level on the development conditions needed for film online in Europe. The CEOs were Jean-Bernard Lévy, CEO Vivendi Universal, Jeff Bewkes, Chairman Entertainment and Networks of Time Warner, Riccardo Perissich, CEO Telecom Italia Media, Didier Bellens, CEO Belgacom, Andy Birchall, CEO On Demand Group, Pascal Rogard, Director-General of SACD, Catherine Colonna, Chairperson of the French CNC, Mark Thompson, Director-General of the BBC, Fred Kogel, CEO of Constantin Film, John Woodward, CEO of the UK Film Council, Peter Aalbæk Jensen, CEO of the Zentropa studios, Ghislain Lescuyer, Executive Vice President, Access Platforms & Gateways of Thomson and Nicolas Seydoux, CEO Gaumont.

The Leadership Summit on Film Online was a first step towards a framework for discussion between these two industries. The objective was to brainstorm on this emerging economic model, and to identify, during the course of the year, the opportunities and challenges involved in making film online take off in Europe.

On 23 May 2006, the Film Online Talks finally resulted in the adoption of the European Charter on Film Online.