Dutch Senate passes bill to force streaming platforms to invest in Dutch productions

Streaming services active in the Netherlands will have to invest 5 percent of their annual turnover in Dutch audiovisual productions such as series, films and documentaries starting from January 2024. The Senate approved this bill on Tuesday.

The law was proposed by State Secretary Gunay Uslu (Culture and Media) and will come into effect on January 1, 2024. This law introduces an investment obligation that will channel more funds into Dutch audiovisual productions and increase the range of Dutch content available on streaming platforms.

"If you are a successful streaming service in the Dutch market, then you also contribute to the Dutch offerings. This allows Dutch viewers and an international audience to enjoy the wonderful productions from our country," Uslu stated.

The new law applies to streaming services with an annual turnover in the Netherlands exceeding 10 million euros, such as Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime. This is expected to generate more than 40 million euros in investments.

Streaming services are allowed to invest in all types of productions except for sports. At least half of the investment must be allocated to Dutch films, series, and documentaries, and independent producers must make a minimum of 60 percent of the productions.

An annual overview will track the types of productions invested in. After three years, an evaluation will provide insight into how the investment obligation functions in practice.