Brussels, 28/05/2009 (Agence Europe) - With the provisions of the audiovisual services directive coming into effect in December 2009, the European Commission published an independent study on Thursday 28 May that reveals that European and independent films and television programmes enjoy huge popularity. In 2007 European programmes and films represented 74% of viewing time, and even 75.5% between 6.00pm and 11.00pm. The study reveals that the majority of video-on-demand services provided by television channels offer almost exclusively European content: more than 90% of the television channels interviewed stated that European content represented over 75% of their on-demand listings. However, independent video-on-demand services promote European productions far less: 25% state that they offer less than 25% European viewing time in their listings. The Commission takes the view, then, that “it is important to monitor the development of video-on-demand available in the EU in order to support the promotion of culturally diversified content”. “We must utilise the potential of on-demand services in order to promote local and European content throughout Europe, thereby furthering cultural diversity and independent production,” said Jacques Barrot, currently the commissioner responsible for the information society and the media in a press release. (O.L./transl.rt)