The German government wants to legally oblige streaming services and broadcasters to invest in German productions in future - and promises a sense of proportion. Minister of State Wolfram Weimer (BKM) made this clear in Berlin: "The investment commitment will be constructive."

The planned Investment Obligations Act is intended to strengthen the domestic film and series industry, especially independent producers. "It is about sustainable value creation in Germany as a production location," says the Federal Chancellery. International platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime or Disney+ would thus be held more accountable - but without deterring them.

Opening clause as a signal to the industry

Weimer particularly emphasises the planned Opening clause. It is intended to allow the requirements to be handled flexibly if special circumstances arise. In this way, the government is attempting to achieve a balancing act: Clear investment obligations on the one hand, and scope for different business models and programme orientations on the other.

This balance is particularly crucial in international competition. France and Italy, for example, have long since introduced strict quotas and fixed investment rules. Germany is now focussing on a more "constructive" variant - without a rigid crowbar.

"Effective and balanced" instead of a bureaucratic monster

The Federal Chancellery not only wants to trigger a culture boost with the law, but also prevent international providers from withdrawing. Weimer promises: "The law will be effective and balanced. It should realise the potential of the industry."

In concrete terms, this means

• Mandatory investments in German productions, especially independent producers.

• Flexibility through an opening clause.

• No blockade of international playersbut a partnership-based integration.

Brussels looks on with

The investment obligations for streaming services are not a purely German project. They are based on the EU Audiovisual Media Provision Directive. Germany has lagged behind in its implementation to date, but now wants to catch up - and set its own priorities at the same time.

Reactions from the industry

While producers largely welcome the plans, the question remains: is flexibility enough to secure real investment? Critics fear that overly soft rules could open up loopholes - while hard rules in turn harbour the risk of driving streaming giants into other markets.

The government promises to present the draft law "soon". Until then, it remains unclear how far the "constructive" design will actually go - and whether German producers will soon benefit noticeably.