Know Your Organization

The European Audiovisual Observatory was set up by the Council of Europe as a Partial Agreement. Its legal basis is Resolution (92) 70 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, 15 December 1992. The idea for the Observatory originated at the European Audiovisual Assizes in 1989, and was actively pursued by Audiovisual Eureka during the years 1989 to 1992.

The observatory provides statistical and analytical information on the fields of: film, television, video/DVD, new audiovisual media services and public policy on film and television.

This information is available in the form of: Market reports, statistics and financial analyses as well as legal reports and news up-dates. The information is distributed by the Observatory in the form of products and services, some available for purchase, many free of charge: Print publications, information on-line, databases and directories, and contributions to conferences and workshops.

The Observatory collects, processes and distributes information on the audiovisual sector in its member states as well as on the work of international organisations. Occasionally it also follows developments in other territories.

The information provided by the European Audiovisual Observatory is aimed at professionals working within the audiovisual sector: producers, distributors, exhibitors, broadcasters and other media service providers, international organisations in this field, decision-makers within the various public bodies responsible for the media, national and European legislators, journalists, researchers, lawyers, investors and consultants.

The European Audiovisual Observatory is based in Strasbourg, France. The budget of the European Audiovisual Observatory is mainly funded by direct contributions from its member states and the European Union, represented by the European Commission, and partly through revenues from the sale of its products and services.

The Executive Director, Susanne Nikoltchev, heads a multi-cultural team from several different European countries. Structurally, the Observatory is divided into two departments: The Department for Information on Markets and Financing headed by Dr André Lange, the Department for Legal Information headed by Dr. Maja Cappello.

These two departments are responsible for the collection, processing and editing of all the Observatory's information which is distributed in the form of products and services. The Observatory also hosts the secretariat of the European Platform of Regulatory Authorities (EPRA) thus allowing cooperation between the two bodies in the field of information collection. The official languages of the European Audiovisual Observatory are English, French and German.

The Observatory is housed in the famous Art Nouveau Villa Schutzenberger in Strasbourg's 'European quarter'. This office space is made available by the City of Strasbourg.

The European Audiovisual Observatory has 40 member states. The European Union, represented by the European Commission, is also a member. The members of the Observatory are represented on its Executive Council, which meets twice a year in order to adopt the Observatory's action plan and approve its budget. The representatives within the Executive Council usually come from those ministries and national institutions which deal with cultural or audiovisual policy.

Members of the European Audiovisual Observatory;


Formation	1992
Type	International organisation
Headquarters	Strasbourg, France
Membership	41 active members (40 countries plus the European Union represented by the European Commission
Website	www.obs.coe.int