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European and Canadian independent producers have formalized a closer working relationship: the European Audiovisual Production Association (CEPI) has accepted the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) and the Association Québécoise de la Production Médiatique (AQPM) as its first international observer members. The move signals deeper cooperation between two markets that have been aligning politically and culturally in recent years.
A new transatlantic link
CEPI, which represents roughly 3,000 independent production companies across 17 countries through 19 national associations and one European association, will now include the two Canadian bodies in its observer ranks. That status is intended to strengthen dialogue and improve coordination on issues affecting independent producers on both sides of the Atlantic.
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The shift follows other signs of closer ties between Canada and Europe. Over the summer, CBC/Radio‑Canada became the first non‑European network to join the European Broadcasting Union as a full member, and Canada is set to participate in the next Eurovision Song Contest.
Shared priorities for advocacy
CEPI said it will work with CMPA and AQPM to advance common policy goals. The groups will focus on ensuring fair terms for domestic production and on adapting rules to the changing digital landscape.
- Regulation of streaming services
- Domestic production requirements
- Intellectual property and rights ownership
- Co‑production frameworks
Those topics were central to a joint statement the three organizations and other producer associations from Australia and Europe issued at the Toronto International Film Festival last month, calling on governments to protect local storytelling and domestic production capacity.
What leaders say
Anthony Muldoon, President of CEPI, described the Canadian memberships as a response to the industry’s increasingly international character. “While Europe and Canada may be an ocean apart, the challenges and opportunities facing our independent production sectors are remarkably similar,” he said, adding that both regions are committed to supporting independent producers and original local stories.
CMPA President and CEO Reynolds Mastin emphasized the practical overlap in priorities. “Canadian and European independent producers face many of the same challenges, from modernizing regulations for the digital age to ensuring that local stories continue to be told, and to making sure domestic producers have a fair opportunity to own their work,” he said. “We are stronger when we tackle these challenges together.”
Hélène Messier, President and Executive Director at AQPM, called joining CEPI “a great privilege” and highlighted concerns such as generative AI, the diversity of cultural expression and the preservation of cultural sovereignty as issues the organizations will address together.
