Netflix has reached or exceeded the required local content quotas of 30% in Europe’s major markets, outpacing its global streaming competitors, according to a new study by Ampere Analysis. The programming quota applies to all streamers operating in Europe and is part of it European Commission Directive on Audiovisual Media Services.
Disney +, which was launched in November 2019, fluctuates around 10% of the European content rating, but has recently increased the commission of local original productions.
The study shows that Netflix in the UK and Ireland lags behind with 27% of European titles, as well as in France, Belgium and Switzerland, which are just below the 30% mark. Ampère says Netflix in the UK will need to either add 408 European titles or remove 953 non-European titles to meet the quota.
Amazon also exceeds the quota of 30% in Germany, Switzerland and Italy and is on par with Netflix in the UK, where 27% of titles in directories are of European origin. In other markets, Amazon accounts for 16% to 28% of European content. HBO Max, meanwhile, exceeds 25% of European content in most of its markets.
The study claims that the increase in the number of European titles available on streamers is due to “regulatory pressures to increase the acquisition and production of European film and television” and that global players are now competing directly with local and regional players for custom content. It is also worth noting that streamers and broadcasters have begun collaborating on ambitious series in key markets.
“Quietly, while no one was watching, Netflix has increased the share of its European titles in catalogs to such an extent that compliance with the new quota rules should not have a negative impact on regional business,” said Guy Bison, director of research at Ampere Analysis. .
Bison said that other than Netflix’s “30% milestone,” another surprising fact was that “some of the new major studio players are already rapidly approaching a similar share of European content in their local directories.”
