Parliament demands measures to boost EU-based video-game development and increase efforts to develop and retain European talent. A draft report by the Culture Committee says the criteria to receive funding from the “Creative Europe” and “Horizon Europe” programmes do not always match the needs of small and medium-sized video game developers. MEPs also suggest exemptions in EU state aid rules to allow member state support for video game developers. Statement by Laurence FARRENG (Renew, FR), rapporteur and extracts from the debate.

digital agenda (T)

Brussels

statement

debate

plenary session

sport and health (T)

FRANKOWSKI, Tomasz (EPP, PL)

FRITZON, Heléne (S&D, SE)

FARRENG, Laurence (Renew, FR)

BOTOŞ, Vlad-Marius (Renew, RO)

NIENASS, Niklas (Greens/EFA, DE)

E-sports and video games: statement by Laurence FARRENG (Renew, FR), rapporteur, and extracts from the debate (09/11)

Title:  E-sports and video games: statement by Laurence FARRENG (Renew, FR), rapporteur, and extracts from the debate (09/11) (EBS)

SOUNDBITE (French), Laurence FARRENG (Renew, FR), Rapporteur, I am very proud of the first report on video games and sports from the European Parliament. Why? Because a major sector of our European cultural and creative industries is in question, the first to grow since the pandemic. It explodes. It concerns one out of two Europeans who are players.

SOUNDBITE (French), Laurence FARRENG (Renew, FR), Rapporteur, It is a sector worth 23.3 billion euros in added value. Nearly 100,000 highly qualified jobs. And so, we can see that this sector deserves to be considered. And that is the whole purpose of this report to say we have talents, we have large companies, we have nearly 5000 creative studios, which are at very high technological levels and that we must help and support and recognize. So this report aims to adopt a genuine European strategy for video games and sport. And what I want is to influence the European Commission in its work programme.

SOUNDBITE (French), Laurence FARRENG (Renew, FR), Rapporteur, First of all, a strategy in favour of the eSports video game means consolidated data. Secondly, that means more funding, because today what exists is not enough. It also means considering the importance of video games in the educational and cultural fields, in terms of influence and European soft power. And then, it projects us into the future because, through video games, it's a question of skills, of know-how.

SOUNDBITE (French), Laurence FARRENG (Renew, FR), Rapporteur, And so we talk about digital sovereignty. We know very well that the video game is very advanced, which is the precursor of meta and therefore we have a lot to gain by investing in this sector.

SOUNDBITE (French), Laurence FARRENG (Renew, FR), Rapporteur, I would also like to make a point about sports and sport. In fact, today, at the level of public decision-makers, nobody really knows what it is and we need to provide a clear definition. eSports is the practice of video games in competition and therefore it is very different from sport because it is based on the exploitation of private licenses. It's not just soccer, it's tennis, but it's all forms of video games, and there are big video game stars who rely on intellectual property. So that calls for rules that are also a bit different.

SOUNDBITE (French), Laurence FARRENG (Renew, FR), Rapporteur, So that's it.This report is a call for recognition of an important sector which concerns many Europeans, one out of two, of all ages and of everything, and women and men.

SOUNDBITE (French), Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market, The European Commission supports the video game sector. For all the reasons that I explained, it is considered to be of strategic importance. It is part and parcel of the more general audiovisual ecosystem and that is why it can draw on funds linked to Creative Europe and the media programme. You talked about Media Invest. It's an investment tool to help the audiovisual industry and the video game sector to become more resilient and innovative. We are currently implementing a pilot project called Understanding the Value of a European Video Gaming Society, which looks at the economic and societal value of the entire video game ecosystem. And we're hoping to present the findings before the summer of 2023.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Tomasz FRANKOWSKI (EPP, PL), It is worth underlining that video games do play a positive educational role and e-sports can help develop many skills. Video games can be a useful teaching tool. Engaging students in the curriculum and developing their creative thinking and digital skills. Half of the players are women. It has been proven that girls who play video games are three times more likely to start mathematical studies. We need an ambitious and long-term strategy in Europe.

SOUNDBITE (Swedish), Hel&#233;ne FRITZON (S&amp;D, SE), How can the EU support innovation and growth? How can we deal with challenges such as greater tolerance and inclusivity? Young boys and young girls. Often, if a young woman plays a video game, she is ostracised. But we need more women in the sector. We need greater diversity.

SOUNDBITE (Romanian), Vlad-Marius BOTO&#350; (Renew, RO), As regards online sports, we need specific legislation. This cannot be compared and shouldn't be treated like classic sports. These games and sports are a genuine industry, as the commissioner has said from the people writing the screenplay and designing the games. We need a framework in the EU that protects game developers. This industry represents millions of euros, ultimately at a global level.

SOUNDBITE (English), Niklas NIENASS (Greens/EFA, DE), We also need to fight for a good gaming experience for all that means inclusion and protection of minors and vulnerable groups. And in this light is important that we clearly fight against loot boxes. The current use of loot boxes creates gaming kind addictions, threatening children and people with addiction problems, creating a harmful environment. And it's just bad for the gaming experience as a whole.