Strengthening Guilds

Strengthening Screenwriters guilds and unions

A priority policy goal for FSE has been, and will continue to be, capacity building for existing member guilds, as well as encouraging and supporting the establishment of new guilds where they do not yet exist.

This goal was established as a priority task for FSE in its three-year plan 2015 to 2018, adopted by the General Assembly in 2015.

A basic goal is to ensure that FSE is as representative of Europe’s screenwriters as possible.

Of the 28 Member States of the European Union, only 18 have guilds which are members of the FSE.

Encouragingly, new guilds have been established by screenwriters in Slovenia and Croatia and recently in Estonia. However, there clearly is considerably more work to do on this task and FSE will work to encourage the establishment of new guilds.

Capacity Building

Capacity building for members also continues to be a priority issue for FSE. Working with colleagues in the Federation of European Film Directors (FERA) and UNI-MEI, and funded by Directorate General for Employment of the European Commission, we have been undertaking training in Collective Bargaining and establishing information facilities, such as a comparative database of audiovisual creators’ contracts, as useful tools for those guilds who wish to embark on collective bargaining.

Exchange of Experience

Information exchange has also been important in capacity building. FSE provides occasional newsletters, social media and extensive bi-lateral and multi-lateral meetings to facilitate exchange of experience.

In recent years, meetings of the FSE Executive Committee have been held at the invitation of member guilds and have included Madrid, Gdynia, Paris, Berlin, Ljubljana, etc. and which have included meetings with national guild’s members.

Strengthening and improving communication between member guilds will remain a high policy priority over the next years, particularly in the context of the implementation of recent European Union Regulations and Directives and the reviews of extant legislation, such as the Digital Rights Management (DRM) Directive.

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News on Strengthening Guilds

Denis Goulette appointed new FSE Délégué Général

2024.09.24

French lawyer Denis Goulette appointed new FSE Délégué Général to represent the interests of 34 screenwriters’ organisations across Europe. He has taken over from FSE Executive Officer David Kavanagh.

Collective Bargaining for Screenwriters and Directors. Results of a joint FERA-FSE-UNI MEI programme

2023.10.05

FERA, FSE and UNI MEI set up a programme to build capacity among audiovisual authors’ guilds and professional organizations in Europe to bargain collectively in the context of the implementation of Title IV, Chapter III of the 2019 Copyright Directive.

PRESS RELEASE – 14 June Screenwriters Everywhere. Global Day of Action & Solidarity with WGA Strike

2023.06.13

June 14, “Screenwriters Everywhere”, a day of global solidarity with the WGA strike. Members of the Federation of Screenwriters in Europe (FSE), International Affiliation of Writers Guilds (IAWG), UNI Global Union (UNI-MEI), and other supporters will hold events around the world.

Webinar for Screenwriters and Directors’ Organisations on Copyright Directive Transposition

2022.04.20

News on the 2019 Copyright Directive transposition process and available formats to collective mechanisms allowing for an effective implementation of its provisions related to authors’ and performers’ fair remuneration in exploitation contracts.

Freelance audiovisual authors: a workshop on Competition law and collective agreements

2022.02.10

FERA-FSE-UNI MEI Hold Third Online Workshop “Competition law and collective agreements on freelance audiovisual authors’ working conditions”

FERA-FSE-UNI MEI Hold Second Online Workshop “Building a Collective Bargaining Campaign”

2021.10.07

FERA, FSE and UNI MEI held the second online workshop “Building a Collective Bargaining Campaign” of the joint project “Strengthening Collective Bargaining for Audiovisual Creators” (CBW) on September 21, 2021.

FERA-FSE-UNI MEI Online Workshop “From Representation to Bargaining: Engaging the Members’ Base

2021.06.28

FERA, FSE and UNI MEI held the first online workshop “From Representation to Bargaining: Engaging the Members’ Base” of the joint project “Strengthening Collective Bargaining for Audiovisual Creators” (CBW) on June 8, 2021.

FSE 20th Anniversary : SCREENWRITERS UNITED!

2021.06.11

On the occasion of its 20th anniversary, FSE, in partnership with the French festival Série Series, looks back on 20 years of commitment through a collection of videos featuring the views of screenwriters engaged in FSE as presidents.

FSE supports the Slovenian Film Community

2020.11.12

Joint statement from several European organizations to support the Slovenian film community facing disastrous governmental pressure as public film funding is blocked.

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