EFAD General Assembly : Berlinale 2026
European Film Agencies Directors association held its first General Assembly of 2026 during the Berlinale, discussing European priorities and film & audiovisual sectors developments.
AGORA EU: EFAD calls for a strong audiovisual pillar within AgoraEU to secure Europe’s cultural and democratic future
EFAD members expressed strong support for the ambition to bring together culture, media and democratic values under one coherent framework. At the same time, they stressed that this ambition can only succeed if the audiovisual sector is given a clear, robust and well-resourced place within the new programme architecture.
‘’In a time of geopolitical uncertainty, technological transformation and intense global competition for audiences, Europe’s capacity to create and circulate its own stories is an essential component of its strategic autonomy. A strong audiovisual pillar within AgoraEU is therefore not a sectoral demand, but a European necessity. Europe’s stories are a public good. Investing in them means investing in Europe’s future”, EFAD members stated
EFAD members had the honour to welcome MEP Mr Zoltán Tarr (EPP, Hungary), the CULT Committee shadow rapporteur on Agora EU and the rapporteur of the European Parliament report on AI in the Cultural and Creative Sectors, and exchange views on the current developments in AI and on shared perspectives on the future of Creative Europe programme.
Mr Tarr stated: ‘’At a time when democracy is under pressure and cultural sovereignty is challenged, dialogue between institutions and stakeholders is essential to ensure AgoraEU delivers clarity, transparency, strong European cooperation and meaningful support for the audiovisual sector.”
AVMSD: Strengthening the level playing field
EFAD members discussed the forthcoming AVMSD evaluation, stressing the importance of national flexibility needed to reflect diverse cultural and market ecosystems. Cultural diversity is one of the core objectives of the Directive, which offers a balanced approach respecting editorial freedom and cultural objectives. AVMSD has played a critical role in the development of a thriving European audiovisual and film industry while reinforcing the diversity of its cultural expressions, in line with the principles of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.
The evaluation of the Directive’s provisions on the promotion of European works must keep the focus on this core objective, while preserving the subsidiarity principle and the sovereignty of Member States in the field of cultural policies, allowing them to transpose the provisions according to national cultural traditions and the realities of their audiovisual sector.