Netflix, Amazon and Disney declare 217 million in Spain for European production required by law

The platforms of streaming that dominate the international scene meet again with the General Law of Audiovisual Communication that requires them to allocate at least 5% of their real turnover in Spain to the financing of European productions. Groups of the size of Netflix, amazon and disney have already obtained approval from the National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) after complying with the requirements in most categories with a joint investment of 217 million euros in 2024, which represents 25% more than that disbursed a year ago.

This is the second year in which large platforms are fully subject to the new ‘audiovisual law’ after the extension of the scope of the financing obligation to providers established in other countries of the European Union that operate in Spain, which began to be applied with practical effects in 2023. A year earlier, in 2022, the regulatory body concluded that European series concentrated around three quarters of the 380 million accumulated by Spanish audiovisual groups in that period.

In the last year, while waiting to hear about the HBO audit, the collection of the large platforms increased thanks to Amazon, after raise its estimate from 47.5 to 125.3 million euros in one year. The company that provides its services through the British parent company presents an investment surplus in all areas except in the category of productions in Aranese, given that the law also requires these firms to finance independent Spanish cinema, in co-official languages ​​and made by women.

The resolution dates back to December 1, when the Regulatory Supervision Chamber chaired by Ángel García-Castillejo also endorsed the ‘rate’ paid by Netflix, through its parent company Netflix International BV. In full investment commitment of the company in Spain, the group fulfilled, with surpluses in all categories, its regulatory obligation to finance European work with 53.4 million compared to the 69.8 million deposited a year ago.

Also included in this review folder is Disney, which provides its service under the Dutch The Walt Disney Company Benelux BV. Like Netflix, the firm reduced its financing to 38.7 million compared to the 58 million allocated a year before. To make matters worse, the Competition report reflects that Disney presents a financing deficit in productions in Aranese, Catalan, Galician and Valencian that, as dictated by law, will accumulate to the following year.

The supervisory board of the regulator also reviews RTVE, whose obligation amounts to 6% of its eligible income to finance European works, with reserves for works by independent producers, documentaries and animation, within which some works must be in one of the official languages ​​of the autonomies. In your case, The amount allocated to European works has grown from 58.9 to 76.3 million with surpluses in all categories, except for production in Aranese.

Mediaset’s picture is similar, despite the fact that its obligation is directed to 5% of its computable income due to its private nature. In the last exercise, the group allocated 39.8 million, compared to 28 million that was recorded in the previous one. In line with its counterparts, Mediaset España did not reach the minimum percentage of financing required for production in Aranese. It should be noted that, in addition to the CNMC, the regional governments carry out the same control for the platforms that provide services in their territories.