Major streaming platforms including Netflix, Amazon and Disney+ will be required to invest at least 8% of their annual revenue generated in Germany into the country’s film industry under a draft law approved by the Cabinet on Wednesday.
The German film industry has been struggling for years. While homegrown stars like Sandra Hüller and Daniel Brühl have put the country back on the map, many award-winning productions are filmed abroad, including the 2022 adaptation of "All Quiet on the Western Front," which won the Oscar for Best International Feature.
The government hopes the legislation — which still requires parliamentary approval before it is expected to take effect in early 2027 — will channel hundreds of millions of euros in new investment from streaming services and broadcasters, which will also fall under the requirement.
“With today’s cabinet decision, we are taking German cinema to a new level in the global competition among film locations," Wolfram Weimer, Germany’s culture commissioner, said in Berlin.
"Now it's up to the industry to seize this opportunity to produce a steady stream of blockbuster films 'Made in Germany.’"
Revenue from pay-TV and streaming services in Germany reached around €5.5 billion ($6.4 billion) by 2024, according to the industry association VAUNET.
The advertising market for TV, video streaming and audio media could reach €6.5 billion by 2026, VAUNET projects.
