The European Parliament's Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) held a public hearing on audiovisual policy and creative freedom on 5 May 2026, followed by an exchange with Commissioner Ekaterina Zakharieva on research, innovation, and the future EU budget. MEPs and experts debated the upcoming revision of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD), platform regulation, and the visibility of European content.
Mark Cole of the University of Luxembourg argued for coherent cross-border rules across AVMSD, the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), and the Digital Services Act (DSA), but preferred targeted fixes over a full rewrite. Sabine Verheyen (EPP) questioned the distinction between broadcasters and YouTube-like services, while Emma Rafowicz (S&D) pushed for defining algorithmic curation as editorial activity. Film producer Marta Krzeptowska stressed that platforms' control over data and discoverability threatens cultural diversity and called for transparency and fair contribution. Film director Tarik Saleh defended European cinema as a space of authorship and warned against Silicon Valley dominance. Adeline Hulin of UNESCO advocated proportionate regulation for influencers, with thresholds and training.
On funding, Nela Riehl (Greens/EFA) asked for earmarked Horizon Europe funds for culture, but Zakharieva rejected earmarking, arguing Horizon funds projects, not organisations. On university alliances, Zakharieva supported synergies but opposed dedicated budgets. Zsuzsanna Borvendég (European Student Network) raised Hungarian universities' exclusion from Erasmus+ and Horizon; Zakharieva linked it to governance concerns.
Consensus emerged on the need for real visibility of European works, protection of minors, and media literacy. The Commission expects an AVMSD proposal in Q3 2026.
Stakeholder impact - EU audiovisual producers and creators: would benefit from stronger discoverability obligations and transparency requirements on platforms, potentially increasing revenue and cultural diversity. However, if regulation is too heavy, it could stifle innovation and limit distribution channels. - Online platforms (e.g., YouTube, Netflix): face new compliance costs from potential editorial liability for algorithmic curation and data transparency rules. This could increase operational costs and reduce flexibility in content recommendation. - EU consumers: may gain access to a wider range of European content and better protection of minors, but could experience reduced personalisation if algorithms are regulated. - National regulatory authorities: would need to enforce new cross-border rules, requiring coordination and resources. Targeted fixes may ease implementation, but a full rewrite could increase administrative burden.