The audiovisual sector has undergone a global revolution in recent years. The digital transformation, the appearance of new business models and new technologies have drastically changed the way of producing audiovisual content, and the borders of the national audiovisual consumption markets have been blurred. 

The Plan "Spain, Audiovisual Hub of Europe" (Plan "Spain AVS Hub"), is one of the axes of the Digital Spain 2025 agenda and aims to make Spain the main audiovisual Hub in Europe by promoting audiovisual production national and the attraction of investment and economic activity, the strengthening of companies in the sector by improving their competitiveness through digitization and the support of talent, reducing the gender gap.

The Plan considers the set of activities and services of the audiovisual sector in its entirety and in all its formats: cinema, series, shorts, advertising, video games or animation, among others. It has planned a public investment of 1,603 million euros for the period 2021-2025 and its goal is to increase the audiovisual production made in Spain by 30% at the end of the period.

The measures are articulated in four axes based on three priorities: turning Spain into a pole of attraction for audiovisual production, reducing administrative and regulatory costs; improve the competitiveness of companies through the application of new technologies that allow them to compete in a digitized market; and generate talent by reducing the gender gap.

First axis: digitize, internationalize and attract investment

The first axis of the Plan includes actions to digitize both audiovisual production and audience monitoring, to promote the implementation and improvement of platforms dedicated to Spanish audiovisual production and its distribution, which favor its international marketing, especially that of those projects. that generate collaborative ecosystems between SMEs.

Likewise, a single information point and a centralized point of contact will be created, the Spain Audiovisual Hub Bureau, which will provide information, assistance and support to potential investors in the sector, both to foreign companies that wish to invest in Spain, as well as to Spanish companies interested in the internationalization of their activity.

In this area, an internationalization program for the audiovisual sector will be developed, developed by the Ministry of Culture and Sports and ICEX Spain Export and Investments, and a Program to attract filming and foreign investment. 

Second axis: improvement of financial and fiscal instruments

The second axis includes two types of measures: those aimed at facilitating access to financing, on the one hand, and those dedicated to the application of tax incentives for audiovisual production in Spain, on the other.

The type of projects eligible for financing from the Official Credit Institute (ICO) is expanded. The projects that may be financed by the National Innovation Company (ENISA) are extended to innovative projects in the field of animation, video games or visual effects. Both entities will reinforce their current lines of financing for the sector and will create new lines, with the aim of favoring its digitization and promoting the reduction of the gender gap.

Regarding tax incentives, the Spanish tax framework for these activities was modified throughout 2020 with the approval of Royal Decree-Law 17/2020, Royal Decree-Law 34/2020, as well as Law 11/2020 , of December 30, approving the General State Budgets for 2021. 

Once the aforementioned regulatory framework is approved, measures are established to facilitate their application and monitoring, providing them with the greatest certainty and predictability for investors.  

This axis also includes access facilities to bank financing and the strengthening of financial instruments to support internationalization through the Spanish Export Credit Insurance Company (CESCE), COFIDES and ICO.

Third axis: availability of talent and development of human capital

The objective of this axis is to adapt the training plans to the competencies demanded by the industry and to support the training that the companies themselves offer their workers. In collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training and the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce, a training program for employment in the digital economy will be launched. 

In addition, institutional support will be provided to carry out and disseminate training programs launched by companies in the audiovisual sector. On the other hand, this axis is complemented by measures included in the National Plan for Digital Competences, presented last January, which dedicates a specific space to the access of women to training and qualifications in the audiovisual field. 

Fourth axis: Regulatory reforms and elimination of administrative barriers

The fourth axis has to do with reforms aimed at improving regulation and eliminating administrative barriers. Among the reforms contemplated in the Plan are the General Law on Audiovisual Communication and the Cinema Law.  

This axis also includes the simplification and reduction of administrative burdens of the immigration system for reasons of economic interest and the creation of a digital window for visas and / or residence and work authorizations related to audiovisual projects in consular offices.

Finally, and in order to adequately monitor the measures of this plan, an annual report on the audiovisual sector will be prepared that includes a description of the different subsectors (cinema, series, animation, video games, eSports, film advertising, effects visuals ...), its evolution and growth prospects. ​