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Perth Now
12-05-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
Coalition of over 100 film and TV groups issue open letter in wake of Trump's film imports tariffs plan
A coalition of more than 100 film and television organisations has urged global governments and European Union institutions to protect the independent screen industry, warning of growing threats to cultural diversity and artistic freedom amid new global trade tensions. The open letter — launched on Monday (12.05.25), the day before the Cannes Film Festival opened — is titled 'Our Stories, Our Voices: A Global Declaration for Artistic Freedom, Cultural Diversity and Cultural Sovereignty'. It was issued in response to escalating pressure on national and international policies designed to support independent film production, particularly following 78-year-old U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of plans to impose tariffs on film imports. The signatories span five continents and include the European Producers Club, which represents leading independent film and TV drama producers across continental Europe, Irish Equity, the Independent Directors Association of South Africa, and the Alliance des producteurs francophones du Canada. 'We are witnessing increasingly aggressive attempts by powerful political and corporate actors to dismantle the regulatory protections that ensure the diversity and accessibility of cultural expression,' the declaration said. It added: 'This includes direct challenges to essential protections such as the Audiovisual Media Services Directive in the European Union, proposed local content obligations in Australia, screen quotas in Asia, and requirements that streaming services contribute to domestic production in Canada, among others.' In Europe, Trump's proposed trade policy has prompted renewed lobbying by U.S. film studios against the EU's Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMS), which requires international streaming platforms to reinvest a portion of their revenue into local content. The Motion Picture Association — representing Disney, Netflix, Paramount, Amazon Prime Video/MGM, Sony Pictures, Universal, and Warner Bros. — sent a memorandum to the United States Trade Representative in March, before the announcement of the new tariffs, calling the investment requirements in countries such as France, Germany and Italy 'disproportionate'. Global industry groups have stressed they 'firmly oppose any political, legal, or economic initiative that seeks to undermine national or international rules designed to uphold artistic freedom and cultural diversity in the film and audiovisual sector'. Their latest appeal urges world leaders to 'stand firm and safeguard the systems that support independent film and audiovisual creation so that culture, creativity, and democratic access to diverse stories for the screen can continue to flourish'.
Express Tribune
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Global film and TV bodies unite against Trump's 100% tariff proposal
Donald Trump's proposal to impose 100% tariffs on films and TV shows produced abroad has sparked significant opposition from global entertainment organizations. Over 100 film and TV bodies worldwide have united to sign an open letter urging governments to safeguard the systems that support independent film and audiovisual creation. The letter, which comes on the eve of the Cannes Film Festival, addresses concerns over the growing dominance of global entertainment conglomerates and the rise of AI in production, alongside Trump's proposed tariffs. While the letter does not directly name Trump, it challenges the broader political and corporate forces threatening the diversity of cultural expression. It highlights the importance of public funding, cultural policy, and regulation in fostering independent production. Among the signatories are major industry bodies such as Italy's Audiovisual Producers Association, Screen Producers Australia, the European Audiovisual Production Association (CEPI), the Canadian Media Producers Association, and the European Film Academy. These organizations have joined forces to defend the right of creators to tell their own stories rooted in their cultures, languages, and identities. They argue that if the tariff plan succeeds, it will be more difficult for diverse voices to be heard, and for local cultures to thrive. Trump's proposal to levy tariffs on foreign films and TV shows, including U.S. productions filmed abroad, has raised fears internationally, especially in Europe. This move follows his previous efforts to challenge the European Union's Audiovisual Media Services Directive, local content quotas, and requirements for streaming platforms to invest in local markets. The letter also calls on governments to uphold the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and to oppose any legal, political, or economic initiatives that threaten artistic freedoms. In response to the increasing pressure, the UK entertainment union Equity has expressed readiness for industrial action should talks with producers and global streamers fail.
Irish Examiner
12-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Ireland has paid over €11m in fines for missing deadlines to incorporate EU directives into law
Delays in transposing EU law have led to over €11 million in fines being levied on government departments in recent years. Under EU law, transposition is the process of incorporating EU directives into the national laws of individual Member States. Unlike regulations and decisions, directives are not directly applicable throughout the EU but require national laws to incorporate their rules into national legislation. The Member States must adopt these national measures by a deadline, which is specified in each directive. In a recent parliamentary response to Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris revealed that a total of €9 million had been paid to the EU for transposition delays. He said over Ireland's 50 years of EU membership, approximately 4,000 directives have been transposed into Irish law. "The vast majority are transposed on time, usually two years following publication," Mr Harris's response said. "However, where this does not happen, the European Commission can open infringement proceedings against Ireland. Most infringements are resolved (once transposition is completed) at the initial stages of the infringement proceedings (Letter of Formal Notice or Reasoned Opinion). Where this does not occur, the European Commission can refer Ireland to the Court of Justice of the European Union for non/incomplete transposition." Fines for missing deadlines Mr Harris said the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) imposed a lump sum penalty in 2020 of €2million on Ireland for the delayed transposition of the 4th Anti-Money Laundering Directive, but that Ireland's completion of transposition prior to the CJEU ruling in July 2020 mitigated daily fines being imposed for any continued non-compliance. The lump sum payment of €2 million was paid to the European Commission, and the infringement case against the Department of Justice formally closed in June 2021. In 2024, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media was fined for a delay in transposing the Audiovisual Media Services Directive under which Ireland has responsibility for regulating video-sharing platforms and streaming services that are established here for the whole of Europe. This resulted in a €2.5 million lump sum fine and €2.64 million in daily fines levied at €10,000 daily. In February 2024, the CJEU imposed a lump sum fine of €2.5million for Ireland's failure to notify the full implementation of the revised AVMSD into law. Mr Harris's response says the first tranche of daily payments of €1.83 million was paid in October of that year. In December 2024, the European Commission wrote to Ireland to state that by virtue of additional measures it had communicated to the Commission, it considered Ireland to have completed transposition of the Directive. The final tranche of daily payments was paid on January 31, 2025, and the infringement case is awaiting formal closure. Also in 2024 the Department of Environment Climate & Communications was hit with a €4.5 million lump sum fine for delays related to the European Electronic Communications Code (Recast) Directive, which aims to strengthen consumer protections for phone users. Ireland fully transposed the directive in November 2023, but the CJEU imposed a lump sum fine of €4.5million for failure to transpose the directive within the required time period. The lump sum fine was paid on July 3, 2024, and the infringement proceedings formally closed on October 2, 2024. Hate crime and cyber laws Last week, the EU gave Ireland two months to implement separate EU laws on hate speech, cyber security, and cross-border arrests or face being hauled before the European Court of Justice. In addition to legal action on these three EU laws, the European Commission has also started formal proceedings against Ireland for failing to correctly transpose a directive on landfills. In a statement, the European Commission detailed three laws that it says Ireland has failed to implement and has sent 'reasoned opinions' to the Government saying it has two months to address the issues or, potentially, be taken to court. Read More Ireland faces court action over EU hate crime and cyber laws
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Trump's Film & TV Tariff Plan Leads Global Entertainment Bodies To Issue Protection Appeal: 'We Unite To Defend The Right To Tell Our Own Stories'
Donald Trump's plan to issue 100% tariffs on films and TV shows filmed and made abroad has received more pushback. A group of more than 100 film and TV bodies from around the world have united to sign an open letter appealing to governments to 'safeguard the systems that support independent film and audiovisual creation.' More from Deadline UK Actors Union Is "Industrial Action Ready" If Pact & Streamer Negotiations Collapse, Says Re-elected Gen Sec Paul Fleming John Oliver Mocks Trump's Comments About Dolls: "Every Single Way This Man Refers To Girls Makes My Skin Want To Turn Inside Out" 'Shogun' Showrunner Celebrates BAFTA Win By Declaring: Good TV Is "Borderless" Amid Trump Tariff Threat The letter clearly targets Trump, but also challenges 'algorithm-driven platforms, and the growing dominance of global entertainment conglomerates,' along the rise of AI in production. The letter appears to have been timed to be issued on the cusp of the Cannes Film Festival and with the industry still reeling from the tariff proposals. Those signing include Italy's Audiovisual Producers Association, Screen Producers Australia, the European Audiovisual Production Association (CEPI), the Canadian Media Producers Association, the European Producers Club, the European Film Academy, France's Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques, Spain's Productores Asociados de Televisión de España, Screen Producers Ireland, several writing and directing guilds and other industry bodies. Trump shocked the entertainment world earlier this month when he announced plans to put a 100% tariff on movies imported from abroad – including U.S. films that shoot abroad. It later emerged TV production was included in the plan, which came after his 'special ambassador' to Hollywood, Jon Voight, had unveiled a report seeking to save the entertainment industry. The plan has gone down as well as one might imagine internationally, compounding fears that Trump will further challenge the European Union's Audiovisual Media Services Directive, local content quotas and requirements that streamers invest portions of their revenues in local markets such as Canada. An open letter titled 'A Global Declaration for Artistic Freedom, Cultural Diversity and Cultural Sovereignty' has now been issued. This letter begins by noting how public funding, cultural policy and regulation have fostered independent production, saying: 'We, creators, professionals, companies and organizations from the film and audiovisual sector, along with culturally-engaged citizens, unite to defend out right to tell our own stories – stories rooted in our cultures, languages and identities – and ensure that people everywhere can continue to access and enjoy them.' While it does not directly name Trump, who recently killed funding for PBS and NPR through an executive order, it goes on to state: 'Today, the support for independent film and audiovisual storytelling is under growing threat. 'We are witnessing increasingly aggressive attempts by powerful political and corporate actors to dismantle the regulatory protections that ensure the diversity and accessibility of cultural expression.' The letter states these actions are taking place alongside wider attacks on pluralism and freedom of expression,' and adds that, 'if they succeed, it will become increasingly difficult for diverse voices to be heard, for the whole ecosystem to create, produce, distribute, promote and exhibit films and audiovisual works successfully, and for local cultures to thrive.' The signatories are demanding their artistic freedoms are upheld and 'firmly' opposing 'any political, legal or economic initiative that seeks to undermine national or international rules' supporting that framework. They also call on their governments to reinforce the UNESCO Convention of the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. 'We call on all governments to stand firm and safeguard the systems that support independent film and audiovisual creation so that culture, creativity and democratic access to diverse stories for the screen can continue to flourish.' Over the weekend, UK entertainment union Equity said it was 'industrial-action ready' if talks with producers body Pact and the global streamers collapse. Equity did not sign today's open letter. Best of Deadline All The Songs In Netflix's 'Forever': From Tyler The Creator To SZA 'Poker Face' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Arrive On Peacock? Everything We Know About Celine Song's 'Materialists' So Far
