On September 26th, 2022, EUMEPLAT representatives gathered in Brussels, hosted by the European Research Executive Agency, for the first project policy roundtable, an outstanding opportunity to present the first research findings and results of the project and to exchange with relevant policy makers and stakeholders on the current European media context and debate and its implications to draft future recommendations and policies.

The morning session, devoted to Evolving European media landscapes and Europeanisation: Emerging trends and key policy challenges, was organised jointly with three other Horizon 2020 projects: MEDIATIZED_EU, MEDIADELCOM and MediaFutures, together with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD).

Following an introduction by Dr. Lucía Recalde Langarica, Head of Unit of Audiovisual Industry and Media Support Programmes from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT), and Dr. Katja Reppel, Head of Unit of Democracy and European Values from DG RDT, the representatives of the four projects presented the main activities and the first results of their research, with a focus on the policy scoping issued from the work undertaken so far and to be further developed till the end of the projects.

EUMEPLAT representatives introduced the results regarding the trends in media production and consumption in Europe and the role of regulatory bodies, programs quotas and support to Public Service Media. Among the research outcomes presented, stakeholders expressed much interest in the reasons behind American hegemony in movie and TV series consumption in Europe.

The agenda of the morning session is available here.

The afternoon session, entitled State of health of European media, and what to do, was entirely devoted to the EUMEPLAT project and was the occasion to deepen some of the points raised in the morning with external stakeholders.

In particular, the speakers presented the existing best practices in the field of media regulation and policy, providing also some inputs for the future and taking into account the role of the media sector in fostering a democratic European public sphere.

With regard to the cultural Europeanization and the promotion of European works, the importance of a renewed trust and support from the European Union to the Public Service Media was underlined. Possible solutions to face the American hegemony, such as the use of quota, the introduction of a fiscal levy or the implementation of European co-productions, were also debated.

The agenda of the afternoon is available here.

Further discussions with relevant stakeholders and policy makers, also presenting the recommendations that will result from the project, will be organised in the months to come.