Apple TV+ Could Face Ban in Europe Unless It Meets Proposed Requirement of 30% European Content

Irish lawmakers implementing European Union directives are proposing new legislation that would require streaming services, including Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix, to host at least 30 percent European content or face being shut down across the EU.

Apple TV Ray Light

These clauses of the "General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill" come in response to the overwhelming amount of U.S.-centric content on video streaming services. The law, if ratified, will require all streaming services to feature at least 30 percent content that may be classified as "European Work." A new Irish Media Commission would oversee the administration of the law for the entire EU and determine if streamers are meeting their obligations.

The proposal, and its potential threat to ‌Apple TV‌+ in particular, was highlighted by journalist Adrian Weckler on Twitter, who pointed out that the Irish Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport, and Media Catherine Martin has specifically taken aim at ‌Apple TV‌+:

Other video streaming services, such as Netflix, produce a more balanced library of content in Europe, and would therefore find it much easier to meet the required quota. Out of the 42 movies and series on ‌Apple TV‌+, there has only been one European show thus far, British comedy "Trying." Apple would need to add 17 more European programs simply to meet the required quota, without adding any further non-European shows.

Curiously, the Q&A published alongside the proposed legislation states that "European Work" is broader than strictly EU content, which may afford streamers some flexibility. This means that video content produced in the United Kingdom, for example, which has now left the EU, would still be counted as "European Work." Trying was a British ‌Apple TV‌+ series produced by BBC Studios, so it would still be eligible towards Apple's "European Work" quota.

In spite of this, the vast majority of upcoming content for Apple TV+ continues to be U.S.-centric. If implemented, the legislation will force Apple to heavily invest in European content for ‌Apple TV‌+ or pull the service out of the EU entirely.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

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Top Rated Comments

deannnnn Avatar
60 months ago
I mean of course a majority of content on steaming services is from the US since most media content is produced in the US. If anything they should be encouraging more European productions with tax credits and other incentives, not mandating the streaming services...
Score: 50 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zorinlynx Avatar
60 months ago
Apple TV+ is a US-based streaming network; why should it be forced to carry European content? This makes no sense.

It's as if the BBC were to offer a streaming network in the US but then be forced to carry US content. It's a foreign network!
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr. Awesome Avatar
60 months ago
Goodness the EU loves their tech restrictions.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BeefCake 15 Avatar
60 months ago
As an American, I welcome more EU content! European shows have been consistently getting better than the US stuff.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MikhailT Avatar
60 months ago
Not sure I understand what they're trying to accomplish here.

What if European companies start a new streaming service or let's use BBC America for an example and then US mandates that 30% of content be made in US for BBC to stream in US? And then China has the same mandate and other countries and eventually, it just becomes impossible to have a global service because of these rules.

This smells like the silly "USA first" policy that is actually an isolationist policy and anti-globalism at best.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
superlawyer15 Avatar
60 months ago
So Europe putting Europe first is fine, but when America tries to put America first everyone loses it.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)