Barcelona’s Animation BCN concluded today after three days of intensive discussions, roundtables, and networking events aimed at addressing the challenges facing the global animation industry. This year’s event brought together 90 delegates from 60 European industry organizations representing 24 countries. The focus was on key themes such as artificial intelligence, sustainable animation practices, media regulation, and the benefits of co-production.
The participants, including producers, distributors, broadcasters, film fund organizers, and government representatives, engaged in four targeted working groups to discuss the future of European animation. Notable attendees included Lucia Recalde from the European Commission, Patricia Hidalgo from the BBC, and Edgar Garcia Casellas from ICEC, the Catalan governmental culture industry division.
The working groups at the event reached several important conclusions:
1. Strengthening Media Regulation: The need for greater child protections on digital platforms like YouTube and TikTok was emphasized. The working group recommended applying the Audiovisual Media Services Directive to all platforms providing audiovisual content and reinforcing the definition of “European work” for quota purposes.
2. Fostering European Animation Co-Productions: With a focus on addressing the global animation crisis, the co-pro working group stressed the importance of better co-production tools and collaboration between financial institutions and broadcasters. They also recommended enhanced tax initiatives to support European companies and the relevance of content in a European context.
3. Embracing Ethical AI: The AI-focused group suggested implementing AI technology with a human-centered approach and developing a Best Practice Guide for its ethical and sustainable use in the animation industry.
4. Driving Sustainability: The sustainability group highlighted the need for common green production standards to support European co-production efforts and agreed to join an international working group dedicated to creating these standards.
Following through on previous commitments, Animation in Europe has launched Anima Mundi, an academic initiative focused on the European Animation Industry Ecosystem. Backed by funding from the European Commission, Anima Mundi aims to address key issues in IP management, content distribution, and cross-border collaborations.
Looking ahead, Animar BCN plans to host spin-off workshops focused on specific topics in different locations across Europe. The next workshop will be held in Nova Gorica, Slovenia, in March, with a focus on sustainable animation practices in Eastern European territories. Additionally, two more spin-offs are planned for the Annecy Animation Film Festival in 2026 and 2027, addressing the distribution of European animated titles worldwide.
