On Thursday, Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset spoke at Series Mania about the new Convention on the Co-Production of Audiovisual Works in Series Form.
“This is the first international framework for series production. It aims to empower independent producers, enhance cooperation, and provide greater market clarity and predictability amidst ongoing transformations. Essentially, it is a concrete international commitment to support your work on a national level,” Berset explained at Series Mania, highlighting the need for a reliable framework for independent producers.
The convention will be open for signature on March 26, with Berset attending the ceremony.
“Our friends from Georgia, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Poland, and Portugal will be signing. Afterward, it will be open to others who wish to join. We hope for its rapid development,” Berset stated.
“This convention is a strategic signal for the future resilience and competitiveness of European production. Join us! We are stronger when policymakers, creators, public service media, and industry collaborate. This is the goal of our text.”
The convention is available to all 46 Council of Europe members. It is described as a significant step for the European and international audiovisual sector: fostering cultural cooperation, supporting independent producers, and enhancing transparency in a rapidly changing world.
“National identity is not nationalism. Protection is not protectionism. Currently, the choice is not between cooperation or competitiveness. We need both. The world outside is not waiting for culture to catch up.”
Berset commended series for their unique blend of imagination and connection.
“We all recognize a pilot that surprises us, characters we care about, and cliffhangers that draw us in, episode by episode. No other medium connects in the same way. Looking at this room, I think Europe has forgotten how to tell its own story. What wouldn’t Europe give for a storytelling tool as powerful as yours? A way to remind people who we are, what we built, and why it still matters.”
He invited the audience to imagine “the opening scene.”
“University of Zurich, 1946. What does it mean for Europe, which is still in ruins? Churchill takes the podium, arguing that Europe has only one way forward: reconciliation with former enemies. This is not fiction; it happened, and it’s how the Council of Europe was born.”
As Europe faces challenges, Berset called for unity instead of accepting a new reality.
“When Europe invests in military security, what are we doing to strengthen democratic security? It starts with institutions people trust. It sounds obvious, but it’s not. The audiovisual sector relies on the same democratic conditions: independent productions, creative freedom, and fair access to audiences. Not access distorted by opaque algorithms and market forces concentrating power in a few hands. This is where our worlds meet, and why we need to collaborate more.”
He emphasized the importance of coordinated investment in Europe’s ability to create, finance, and circulate its own stories on a large scale.
“We know investment works, but it’s not enough. We also need the right framework, and for that, we need rules,” he said, adding that “democracy remains the greatest story of all.”
Prior to Berset’s remarks, Anne Bouverot, President of Series Mania, commented on the current world of rising tensions.
“With increased political polarization and rapid technological disruption, including A.I., the audiovisual sector is not standing still. It’s proving resilient, forging bold new alliances to adapt, innovate, and reimagine the future.”
Bouverot noted that while the U.S., a long-standing force in global storytelling, is focusing more on its domestic market, other regions, particularly in Asia, are stepping up. They are opening new dialogues, building shared financing mechanisms, and creating unprecedented partnerships. In Europe, institutions are bolstering the audiovisual sector economically and financially, recognizing its role as a pillar of democratic values.
Initiatives like the convention are helping to strengthen an industry undergoing significant transformation.
