Barcelona’s Animation BCN concluded this afternoon after three days of working groups, roundtables and networking events focused on how the region’s animation industry can survive the “global animation crisis”.
This year’s third edition will bring together 90 representatives from 60 European industry associations from 24 countries to discuss challenges facing the animation industry today, including artificial intelligence, sustainable animation practices, media regulation, and the benefits of co-production. The main themes and topics discussed were discussed.
The assembled experts, including producers, distributors, broadcasters, film fund organizers and government representatives, participated in a series of four targeted working groups and reached some common conclusions about the future of animation in Europe. has been handed down.
Among those in attendance was Lucia Recalde, Deputy Director General and Head of the Audiovisual Industry and Media Support Program at the European Commission DG Connect. Patricia Hidalgo, BBC Director of Children and Education. Edgar García Casellas, director of ICEC, the cultural and industrial sector of the Catalan government.
Working group conclusions
1 – Strengthening media regulation
Citing the enormous influence of free streaming platforms such as YouTube and TikTok, Animar attendees agreed that child protection on digital platforms needs to be strengthened. The working group recommends that the Audiovisual Media Services (AMVS) Directive be applied to all platforms providing audiovisual content. The group will also define what constitutes a “European work” for assignment purposes, to better protect intellectual property retention within Europe as a means of supporting the long-term growth of regional industries. He also advocated strengthening it.
2 – Promoting animation co-production in Europe
“Facing a funding shortage for children’s programming and a global animation crisis,” Animar’s co-production working group is seeking better co-production tools and further collaboration with financial institutions and broadcasters to support projects in the development stage. He emphasized the need for cooperation. The department also recommended creating enhanced tax initiatives by linking benefits to the retention of intellectual property by European companies and the relevance of content in the European context. This, they suggested, would strengthen the competitiveness of Europe’s independent sector and avoid a future in which most European animation companies were solely in the service industry.
3 – Ethical AI adoption in the human-centric European animation industry
Participants in a working group focused on AI suggested that European companies planning to implement this technology into their operations should do so with a human-centered approach. European Animation, the continent’s association of animators, further recommended the creation of a best practice guide for the legal, ethical and sustainable use of AI tools. The group also called for increased access to training programs for established industry professionals to acquire knowledge and skills that are in line with the industry’s best interests.
4 – Promoting sustainability through common green production standards
Participants at the Animation Sustainability Think Tank highlighted the urgent need for common environmental sustainability tools to support European co-production efforts. In line with this commitment, attendees agreed to involve national stakeholders in an existing international working group focused on developing environmentally friendly animation production standards. This joint initiative aims to establish a consistent approach to sustainable animation practices in Europe.
keep a previous promise
Building on the recommendations of previous Animar editions, Animation in Europe partners with a consortium of European universities to create the first academic, interdisciplinary, multi-stakeholder initiative focused on the European animation industry ecosystem. I launched an Anima Mundi.
The initiative, scheduled to run from February 2025 to July 2028 and funded with €4 million ($4.2 million) from the European Commission through the Horizon Europe programme, will It aims to address important issues regarding property, distribution of European content and the cultivation of intellectual property. Collaboration across borders.
European Animation creates a policy-making dashboard and toolkit designed to improve discoverability of European animation brands, intellectual property management and content, in addition to connecting producers and key stakeholders. I have been working on this.
I’m looking forward to it
In the future, Animar BCN plans to hold a series of spin-off workshops dedicated to a single topic in different parts of the continent. The first edition will be held in Nova Gorica, Slovenia next March and will continue the dialogue on sustainable practices in animation production and their applications in the Eastern European region.
Two further spin-offs are planned for the Annecy Animation Film Festival in 2026 and 2027, focusing on how to more effectively promote the distribution and dissemination of European animation titles around the world.
