European Parliament releases Study on “Buyout contracts imposed by platforms in the cultural and creative sector”

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This study, commissioned by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the JURI Committee, provides an analysis of buyout practices and assess their economic and cultural impact on the creative sector, including on audiovisual authors based on the 2019 FERA/FSE European study on the remuneration of audio-visual authors. Policy recommendations are formulated in relation to EU creators’ protection, in light of EU and member states’ implementations.

Recommendations’ highlights include:
– A study on creators’ right to be collectively represented in order to improve their collective barganing power, in a context of structural underfunding of their professional organisations, and a recognition of their right to collective representation, to also ensure access to social protection.
– The harmonisation of collective management practices in Europe, and the implementation of an unwaivable right to fair remuneration for authors and performers collectively managed on a mandatory basis.
– Linking EU support to the cultural and creative sector to minimum standards on working conditions and social protection.

FERA welcomes research work on abusive contractual practices that still prevent audiovisual authors to build sustainable careers, and for Screen Directors in particular to reach a socio-economic situation consistent with their responsibility and obligation to deliver the finished audiovisual work – in all types of production’s context, and often under severe time and cost pressure which they have to bear throughout the creative production process.

To go further:
Full study available here: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/IPOL_STU(2023)754184