Historic European Co-Production Agreement Unveiled at Series Mania

Saying European television can be a force “for cooperation and democracy,” Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset unveiled a historic co-production agreement at the Series Mania television festival on Thursday.

The treaty, the Convention on the Co-production of Audiovisual Works in the form of series, was adopted by the Council of Europe, the continent’s leading human rights organisation, last November.

It is the first international treaty specifically designed to support the independent co-production of series for television and streaming platforms. The treaty is designed to streamline administrative procedures, making it easier for independent producers from different countries to work together and access state media funding in their respective countries for their joint projects.

The political goal of the treaty is to encourage “cultural cooperation across borders [fostering] a richer mix of languages, perspectives, and storytelling traditions in the serial works available to citizens in Europe and beyond.”

The convention is now open for signature by Council of Europe member countries and will enter into force upon ratification by three countries.

High-quality international co-productions, the convention maintains, are public goods “that nurture linguistic vitality, pluralism and democratic participation, in line with the Council of Europe’s mission to safeguard democracy.”

Berset, in a statement, called series “one of the defining cultural forms of our time, reaching audiences across borders and bringing different perspectives into our homes. With this convention, we are opening a new international framework to support independent producers and strengthen cooperation. I encourage all 46 Council of Europe Member States – and countries beyond – to join us in making culture a force for cooperation and democracy.”

“This Convention marks a major step forward for the industry,” said Series Mania founder and general director Laurence Herszberg. “It will help bring more diverse series to audiences across Europe and beyond, a mission that has always been at the heart of Series Mania.”

Beset’s presentation opened Series Mania’s Lille Dialogues, the festival’s international summit that brings together industry leaders with political decision makers to discuss the major strategic challenges facing the audiovisual sector.