New European Audiovisual Financing Obligations for TV and Platforms in Spain (2026)

Key data

Television channels and streaming platforms operating in Spain have new economic and catalogue obligations as of 13 November 2026. The Royal Decree 980/2026 develops the provisions set out in the Law 13/2022, General Audiovisual Communication Act, and converts the obligations to promote European audiovisual works, which until now remained pending development, into concrete and measurable requirements.

The regulation is not merely a matter of catalogue: it involves mandatory advance financing calculated on the operator's revenues, making it a direct business cost for any platform or channel with activity in Spain.

What does this regulation establish?

Royal Decree 980/2026 articulates two main obligations for audiovisual operators:

Additionally, the decree introduces three relevant innovations compared to the previous framework:

• Specific quotas for co-official languages: for the first time, quotas for works in Catalan, Basque, Galician and other regional co-official languages are regulated, with differentiated obligations depending on the operator's territorial scope.
• Extension to EU platforms: audiovisual services established in other EU member states that direct their activity to the Spanish market are subject to these obligations, closing a loophole that allowed circumventing the regulation through registration in another country.
• Obligation to finance works directed by women: a specific obligation is incorporated to allocate part of advance financing to works directed by women, as a measure to promote gender equality in the sector.

For smaller operators, the decree provides flexibility mechanisms that adapt requirements to their economic capacity. Additionally, it is permitted to fully or partially comply with the advance financing obligation through contributions to the Cinematography Protection Fund, offering an alternative to direct production.

Economic and operational impact

The most direct impact is advance financing calculated on revenues. This means the cost is not fixed: it scales with the operator's billing. The higher the revenue volume in Spain, the greater the amount that must be allocated to European production.

Operators must evaluate two compliance scenarios:

• Direct production or co-production: the operator finances or co-finances European audiovisual projects, assuming creative and production risk in exchange for rights.
• Contribution to the Cinematography Protection Fund: operationally simpler alternative, without involvement in specific projects, but without return on rights.

The catalogue quotas add a management cost: operators must audit and adjust their content offering to guarantee the minimum percentage of European works, which may require acquiring new titles or renegotiating licenses.

The co-official language quotas are particularly relevant for platforms with presence in Catalonia, Basque Country, Galicia or Valencian Community, as they imply additional content obligations in those languages.

Who does it affect?

• Open and pay television channels licensed in Spain (national, regional and local channels).
• Video-on-demand (VOD) platforms established in Spain: subscription, rental or purchase content services.
• Streaming platforms established in other EU countries that direct their service to the Spanish market (innovation introduced by this decree).
• Small operators that, although with more flexible conditions, are also subject to the regulation.
• Audiovisual production and distribution companies that negotiate advance financing contracts with obligated operators (as indirect beneficiaries of the regulation).

Practical example

A streaming platform established in the Netherlands that offers its service in Spain and obtains significant revenues from the Spanish market is, as of 13 November 2026, subject to the same obligations as a Spanish platform: it must comply with the minimum European works quota in its catalogue available to Spanish users, allocate a percentage of revenues generated in Spain to advance financing of European production, and respect co-official language quotas if its service is specifically directed to communities with their own language.

If that platform also operates in an autonomous community with a co-official language—for example, Catalonia—it must also guarantee a specific quota of content in Catalan within its catalogue. Non-compliance with these obligations cannot be justified by being domiciled outside Spain: the decree expressly closes that loophole.

For a small operator, the regulation provides flexibility mechanisms: it can choose to make a contribution to the Cinematography Protection Fund instead of directly financing production, which simplifies compliance without needing to be involved in specific projects.

What should companies do now?

1. Determine if you are subject to the regulation: check if your audiovisual service operates in Spain or directs its activity to the Spanish market, regardless of where you are established within the EU.
2. Audit your revenues in Spain: advance financing is calculated on revenues. Identify which revenues count for the purpose of the obligation to estimate the amount to allocate.
3. Review the composition of your catalogue or schedule: check what percentage of your current offering is European audiovisual works and whether you meet the minimum required quotas.
4. Evaluate co-official language quotas: if your service operates in communities with co-official languages, analyze whether you have sufficient content in those languages or if you need to acquire new titles.
5. Choose the compliance route: decide whether you will finance production directly, through co-production, or whether you will opt for contribution to the Cinematography Protection Fund.
6. Verify the obligation for works directed by women: check whether part of your advance financing must be specifically allocated to projects with female direction and in what proportion.
7. Consult with a specialist in audiovisual law: the flexibility mechanisms for small operators and the exact calculation criteria require technical interpretation of the complete regulation.

Official source

Consult complete regulation at official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-23759