By adopting the Convention on the co-production of series, the Council of Europe has endorsed an ambitious definition of independent production, against the will of the European Commission. A strategic success for independent producers, at a time when discussions are opening on the future revision of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive. November 26, 2025 marks a clear political victory for Europe’s independent producers. By adopting the Convention on the Co-production of Audiovisual Works in the Form of Series, the Council of Europe has endorsed an international legal framework that explicitly enshrines the notion of the independent producer, despite the European Commission’s strenuous efforts to prevent its inclusion. For professional organizations, this is a strategic turning point, just before the evaluation of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive by the European Commission, which launched a consultation on the subject…
