The Norwegian Parliament's Standing Committee on Family and Cultural Affairs supports an investment obligation for international streaming services operating in Norway. This is a positive development that will provide predictability for Norwegian film and TV producers, according to Kjersti Mo, CEO of the Norwegian Film Institute (NFI).
The Norwegian Parliament's Standing Committee on Family and Cultural Affairs recommends incorporating the investment obligation for streaming services into the Broadcasting Act, “kringkastingsloven”. This measure is part of the implementation of the EU's AVMS Directive.
In March 2024, the Ministry of Culture and Equality submitted a proposal for amendments to the Broadcasting Act for public consultation. During the review by the The Norwegian Parliament's Standing Committee on Family and Cultural Affairs, the majority of the committee now supports introducing an obligation for providers of audiovisual on-demand services in Norway to invest in Norwegian-language audiovisual works.
The investment obligation will correspond to at least four percent of the provider’s annual revenue in Norway.
"The majority believes that a pure investment obligation will help secure stable and predictable financing for Norwegian audiovisual productions in the future. This, in turn, will promote film policy objectives, cultural and artistic diversity, and linguistic development in Norway," states The Norwegian Parliament's Standing Committee on Family and Cultural Affairs comments on the recommendation, which was submitted to Parliament on January 28th.
"We are pleased that an investment obligation is now being introduced in Norway through the AVMS Directive. This will ensure a predictable flow of funds for Norwegian film and TV production," says Kjersti Mo, CEO of the Norwegian Film Institute.
"Now that the framework for the investment obligation is in place, the next crucial step is defining the specifics of the regulations. NFI looks forward to contributing to this work," says Mo.
The Norwegian Film Association estimates that the investment obligation will generate approximately NOK 150 million annually for the Norwegian film production industry.
The introduction of co-financing requirements for international streaming operators in Norway has been under discussion by several Ministers of Culture and Equality. In 2016, the European Parliament proposed amendments to the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, known as the AVMS Directive.
In 2017, commissioned by the Ministry of Culture and Equality, NFI prepared a report on Norway's policy options within the framework of the AVMS Directive. In the report, NFI recommended that the Ministry of Culture introduce a co-financing obligation for audiovisual on-demand services.
The EU adopted changes to the AVMS Directive in 2018. In 2022, the Ministry of Culture and Equality submitted a proposal for a co-financing obligation for public consultation.
At the beginning of 2025, 16 other EEA countries have already introduced investment obligations under the AVMS Directive.
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