Switzerland: ‘Yes’ to Frontex funding and ‘Netflix law’

Swiss voters today agreed to increase funding for the European Border and Coast Guard Frontex by 72% and to force streaming services such as Netflix Inc, Amazon and Disney to invest part of their revenue in the Swiss audiovisual industry. in Switzerland, according to initial estimates of the results of the relevant referendums.

According to the polling institute gfs.bern, 59% of voters also accepted, as expected, a proposal aimed at increasing organ donation by adopting a model, according to which every citizen will be considered to have given their consent, unless he has explicitly and formally stated the opposite. The final results will be announced tonight.

The new audiovisual regulation, called Lex Netflix, will force streaming platforms to invest in Swiss national production 4% of their turnover in Switzerland, participating in productions or paying a tax that will serve to cinema support.

As early as 2007, national television networks had to invest 4% of their turnover in Swiss film production.

This obligation will also apply to foreign channels that broadcast specific commercials in Switzerland, such as the French TF1 and M6.

Thanks to this reform, filmmaking – which in recent years has had an average annual funding of 105 million Swiss francs (101 million euros) – will receive an additional 18 million francs a year, according to the Federal Office for Culture.

Streaming platforms should also offer 30% European content, as is already the case in the European Union.

In a separate referendum, Swiss voters approved a boost to Frontex funding.

According to projections, 72% supported the increase of this funding to 61 million Swiss francs per year by 2027, from 24 million in 2021.

Such a result would reassure Bern and Brussels, as a “no” would have made even more fragile relations between Switzerland and the EU, which have intensified since Bern suddenly decided in May 2021 to end years of talks on reaching a framework agreement with the EU.