European VOD Networks and Operators (CREA-MEDIA-2026-VODNET)

The call is implemented under the Creative Europe Programme – MEDIA strand and managed by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA).

The objective is to support European Video-on-Demand platforms screening a significant proportion of non-national European audiovisual works and improve their competitiveness and attractiveness.

Projects are expected to:

• increase the global audience of European audiovisual content;
• improve its visibility and accessibility;
• strengthen cross-border cooperation among platforms;
• develop innovative business models.

Eligible applicants

Applicants must be legal entities (public or private bodies) established in eligible countries, including:

• EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories);
• EEA countries and other countries associated with the Creative Europe Programme.

Entities must be established in countries fully participating in the MEDIA strand of Creative Europe.

International organisations are eligible regardless of the country eligibility rules.

Types of eligible entities

The call is open to European VOD services.

A VOD platform is defined as an on-demand audiovisual media service that provides programmes for viewing at a time chosen by the user, based on a catalogue curated by the media service provider.

Applicants must have editorial responsibility for the catalogue and operate under a clear brand identity.

VOD platforms operated by broadcasters or internet service providers are also eligible.

Consortium requirements

Proposals must be submitted either by:

• a consortium of at least two VOD services from at least two countries participating in the MEDIA strand; or
• a single VOD platform providing services in at least two such countries.

Affiliated entities may participate where necessary.

European dimension of the catalogue

Applicant VOD platforms must demonstrate a minimum European dimension in their catalogue.

The catalogue (or aggregated catalogue) must:

• contain at least 500 audiovisual works;
• include at least 30% works originating from MEDIA participating countries;
• include works from at least five participating countries and five different official languages.

Most of the European audiovisual works should be produced by producers established in MEDIA participating countries.

These criteria must be fulfilled at the start and throughout the duration of the project.

Main funding parameters

• Total call budget — €8,000,000.
• Maximum grant amount per project — not limited.
• Costs are reimbursed according to a 60% funding rate defined in the grant agreement.

It is important to note that:

• grants cannot generate profit, meaning that total revenues plus the EU grant cannot exceed the project’s eligible costs;
• for-profit organizations must declare revenues, and any profit will be deducted from the final grant amount;
• the final grant amount may be reduced if the grant agreement conditions are not respected or if obligations are not properly fulfilled.

Financial capacity of applicants

Applicants must demonstrate stable and sufficient financial resources to implement the project and contribute their share.

Financial capacity is assessed on the basis of:

• balance sheet;
• profit and loss statement;
• business plan or audit report certified by an approved external auditor;
• other financial documents for the last closed financial year.

The analysis considers financial indicators as well as:

• dependency on EU funding;
• financial results from previous years.

Financial capacity checks are normally performed for project coordinators, except for:

• public bodies and international organizations;
• cultural and creative sector entities that received more than 50% of their income from public sources during the last two years;
• projects requesting a grant not exceeding €60,000.

If financial capacity is insufficient, the programme may require:

• additional financial information;
• enhanced financial responsibility arrangements;
• pre-financing paid in instalments;
• pre-financing guarantees;
• no pre-financing or rejection of the proposal.

Supported activities under the grant programme

The grant programme supports joint cross-border collaborative projects aimed at strengthening the competitiveness and attractiveness of European VOD platforms and expanding the audience of European audiovisual content.

Main objective of supported activities

Supported projects should:

• enhance accessibility, visibility and discoverability of European audiovisual content;
• increase the global audience of European VOD platforms;
• develop innovative and coherent strategies for content promotion;
• contribute to strengthening the European VOD ecosystem.

Examples of supported activities

Projects may include activities such as:

• collaborative initiatives between networks of European VOD platforms to improve the quality and competitiveness of the sector;
• development of technological tools, editorial lines and marketing approaches;
• facilitating copyright licensing mechanisms for cross-border exploitation of content;
• promotion and development of cross-border offers of European content;
• improving visibility and discoverability of content, including multilingual and accessible subtitling;
• developing innovative digital promotion, marketing and branding strategies.

Additional activity requirements

• Projects should include clear indicators for measuring and sharing results.
• Particular attention should be given to audience development and data analysis, including consumer behaviour research.
• Applications should incorporate strategies supporting environmental sustainability, gender balance, inclusion and diversity.

Supported activities are expected to be implemented over a period of up to 2 years.

• Call opening: 30 Sep 2025;
• deadline: 8 Apr 2026;
• evaluation: Apr–Aug 2026;
• results: Sep 2026;
• grant signature: Jan 2027.

Applications under this call must follow the procedures established within the Creative Europe programme.

Key steps for submitting an application include:

• Reviewing the “European VOD Networks & Operators 2026” call document to understand the eligibility requirements and participation conditions.
• Submitting the proposal through the European Commission Funding & Tenders Opportunities Portal (F&TP).
• Following the submission instructions provided on the portal when preparing and submitting the application.

Additional information about the submission process and portal access is available on the Funding & Tenders Opportunities Portal.

Applications under the grant programme are assessed through a standard submission and evaluation procedure. Proposals are reviewed by an evaluation committee, which may be supported by independent external experts.

The process includes:

• verification of eligibility and admissibility of proposals;
• qualitative evaluation of the project content against predefined criteria;
• ranking of proposals according to the scores received.

All applicants receive an evaluation result letter. Proposals with the highest scores are invited to proceed to the grant preparation stage.

It should be noted that an invitation to prepare a grant does not constitute a formal funding commitment, as legal and financial checks are still required.

Scoring system

The maximum score is 100 points, distributed across four main evaluation criteria:

• Relevance — 40 points
• Quality of content and activities — 35 points
• Project management — 10 points
• Dissemination — 15 points

The overall passing threshold is 70 points.
Proposals that do not reach this threshold are rejected.

1. Relevance (40 points)

Evaluation considers:

• the European added value of the project compared to current VOD platform activities;
• the contribution to improving accessibility, visibility and promotion of European content;
• the scope and European dimension of the project, including coverage of diverse territories and audiences;
• strategies ensuring environmental sustainability in the sector;
• measures to ensure gender balance, inclusion and diversity.

2. Quality of content and activities (35 points)

This criterion evaluates:

• the quality and adequacy of the methodology to achieve project objectives;
• market analysis and cooperation arrangements among VOD platforms;
• the innovative aspects and quality of promotion and marketing activities;
• the effectiveness of actions aimed at promoting European content across borders;
• the feasibility and cost-efficiency of the project, including the co-financing structure;
• opportunities for cost optimisation and sharing of resources.

3. Project management (10 points)

Evaluation focuses on:

• the effectiveness of partnership structures for knowledge exchange within the VOD ecosystem;
• the distribution of roles and responsibilities in relation to the project objectives.

4. Dissemination (15 points)

This criterion assesses:

• the methodology proposed for evaluating the impact and results of the project;
• mechanisms for sharing knowledge, best practices and replicable activities;
• actions to increase the visibility of EU support;
• strategies for ensuring the mid-term sustainability and expansion of VOD services.

Proposal ranking

If several proposals obtain the same score, priority is determined based on the following order:

1. score under the Relevance criterion;
2. score under the Dissemination criterion;
3. score under the Quality of content and activities criterion.

Proposals that exceed the 70-point threshold may be selected for funding within the limits of the available call budget.

• Application Form Part A.
• Application Form Part B.
• Part C.
• Information on Subscription, Revenue and Catalogue.
• Declaration on independence and ownership.

Reporting and compliance under the grant programme

The reporting and payment arrangements are defined in the Grant Agreement. These provisions determine how funding is disbursed, reported and verified during project implementation.

Pre-financing

• After the grant agreement is signed, beneficiaries normally receive pre-financing to start the project.
• The pre-financing amount is typically around 50% of the maximum grant amount.
• The payment is made within 30 days after the grant agreement enters into force or after a financial guarantee is provided (if required).

Additional payments and final balance

• No interim payments are foreseen.
• One or more additional pre-financing payments may be made based on a pre-financing report.
• The final payment is calculated at the end of the project based on the approved financial report.

If the total of earlier payments exceeds the final grant amount, the beneficiary must repay the difference.

Financial compliance requirements

• All payments are made to the project coordinator.
• Payments may be automatically adjusted if the beneficiary or consortium members have outstanding debts toward the EU or other EU bodies.
• Beneficiaries must keep records of all work performed and costs declared.

The call is implemented under EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 and Regulation (EU) 2021/818 establishing the Creative Europe Programme.