On March 26 in Lille, the first international legal framework dedicated to the independent co-production of series for TV and streaming platforms will be signed.
Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset will chair the opening ceremony for the signing of the new Council of Europe Convention on the Co-production of Audiovisual Works in the form of series on March 26, as part of the Series Mania Forum.
The signing will take place at 11:30 a.m. at the Théâtre Marie Curie at Lille Grand Palais. It will mark the launch of the first international legal framework specifically dedicated to the independent co-production of series for television and streaming platforms.
The convention represents an important step for the European and international audiovisual sector, as it aims to strengthen cultural cooperation, support independent producers, and enhance transparency in an increasingly dynamic production environment.
“Series are one of the defining cultural forms of our time, reaching audiences across borders and bringing different perspectives into our homes,” said Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe. “With this convention, we are opening a new international framework to support independent producers and strengthen cooperation. I encourage all 46 Council of Europe Member States — as well as countries beyond the organization — to join this effort to make culture a force for cooperation and democracy.”
For her part, Laurence Herszberg, Founder and General Director of Series Mania, highlighted that the agreement represents a key step forward for the industry. “We are honored to host this historic signing at Series Mania as part of the Lille Dialogues, our international summit bringing together political decision-makers and leading industry figures to shape the future of Europe’s audiovisual sector. This convention marks a major step forward for the industry. It will help bring more diverse series to audiences across Europe and beyond, a mission that has always been at the heart of Series Mania,” she said.
During his visit to Lille, Berset will also deliver the opening speech at the Lille Dialogues, the international summit that brings together political decision-makers and audiovisual industry leaders to discuss the sector’s major strategic challenges as part of the Series Mania Forum program.
