Netflix and Amazon face European quotas under new EU rules aimed at creating a ‘single digital market’
The European Commission today unveiled its proposed new rules for video streaming companies such as Netflix and Amazon – with the aim of creating a so-called 'single digital market'.
However, Netflix claims the new measures will not help achieve this aim.
The Commission wants to impose a 20 per cent quota on streaming sites, which would mean firms must devote one fifth of their content in Europe to European films and TV shows. The Commission also proposed that member states should be able to ask on-demand services available in their country to contribute financially to European works, but stopped short of calling for a tax.
"We have a European film culture and we think European content should be in those programmes," said Guenther Oettinger, the German EU commissioner for digital economy.
He added that 20 per cent "is a reasonable figure", and said businesses will have "some room for manoeuvre to show non-European products".
Netflix, which currently devotes 21 per cent of its content to European productions, has previously said it is against both quotas and making contributions.
In response to today's announcement, the company said: "We appreciate the Commission's objective to have European production flourish, however the proposed measures won't actually achieve that."
The firm also pointed out that its investment in European programming, including Netflix original titles created in Europe, is growing.
Earlier this month, unofficial Brexit campaign Leave.EU jumped on the proposals in a bid to sway voters in the upcoming referendum – warning that EU membership may soon disrupt people’s plans to “Netflix and chill”.
The plans still have to be approved by EU member states and the European parliament.