As the Council of Europe prepares to open its newly adopted convention on the co-production of audiovisual works in the form of series (read the news) for signature, the Pilot Programme for Series Co-Productions is reaching the end of its first three-year cycle. Programme manager Alex Trăilă reflects on the initiative’s achievements, the structural challenges facing cross-border series production, and how both the programme and the new convention aim to strengthen creative autonomy, cultural diversity and long-term sustainability for independent producers across Europe.

Cineuropa: As the first three-year cycle of the Pilot Programme for Series Co-Productions comes to an end, what do you see as its most significant achievements?
Alex Trăilă: The first cycle is now reaching its conclusion, and it gives us a clear picture of what this programme has been able to unlock. Participation itself tells a story. We began in 2023 with 13 countries backing the programme, and we close 2025 with 21 of them. This expansion shows how multilateralism functions and delivers in practice, and reflects governments’ growing commitment to series as cultural works in their own right. Across three calls, the programme supported 22 series involving 74 production companies from 26 countries. Budgets ranged from €1.2 million to €21 million, proving the mechanism works across vastly different capacities. Half of the supported projects were created by women, and the portfolio represents 22 languages on screen. Eleven series have already been delivered and can be seen on television or platforms, with many travelling to more than 12 European territories as well as Canada, the USA and China.

The real achievement is that the programme proved how a flexible and transparent financing tool can boost cross-border production without weakening creative identity. Its slate speaks for itself. Ireland and Finland joined forces on Stories from Backwoods, a youth animation mixing humour and learning. Belgium and Slovenia paired up on Arcanes [see the news], a high-concept drama rooted in the social tensions of the 1990s. Belgium and Ireland, backed by the New8 alliance, delivered This Is Not a Murder Mystery [see the news], a surreal, character-driven whodunit that subverts its own genre. Spain and Belgium delivered Puberty, an intimate, raw coming-of-age story about identity and belonging. Estonia, Latvia and Italy partnered on Detective Von Fock [see the news], a historical crime-drama adapted from a classic. These projects span genres, themes and audiences, yet share one conclusion: when the right conditions are in place, diversity, ambition and international reach reinforce each other, rather than compete.

What recurring challenges did the Pilot Programme reveal in cross-border series co-production, particularly regarding the role of broadcasters?
A major challenge we observe is the uneven role of broadcasters in cross-border series production. Public broadcasters are essential: they secure audience reach, anchor the financing and give a project its first window. In every supported series, their involvement proved decisive.

But practices vary widely across countries. In some markets, confirming a broadcaster is straightforward. In others, it is extremely difficult. A film often proceeds without knowing where it will premiere; series cannot. Without a broadcaster or platform, the project simply does not fly. The reasons differ, from national budget constraints to a limited tradition of investing in independent original series, but the impact is the same. It reduces the variety of works that can be produced and that, ultimately, the audience can watch.

This is why we are proud that in most of the cases, without the Pilot Programme and often Creative Europe, these series would not have been made or broadcast. Our support helped unlock commitments that otherwise would not have happened and widened the space for European stories to reach audiences. It shows that targeted public intervention can complement the market-risk approach.

The new Council of Europe convention focuses on rights allocation and revenue participation. From your experience, how will this shape creative autonomy and long-term financial sustainability for European series?
Clearer rights and revenue rules strengthen both sides of the equation. Producers can negotiate from a position of certainty, which protects the creative vision. Transparent ownership also secures access to revenues, which is essential for reinvestment and growth. We saw in the programme that projects with balanced rights structures were more resilient. The convention now turns that good practice into a shared standard across Europe for independent series co-productions.

The Pilot Programme served as a testing ground for new collaboration models. Which key lessons from the programme do you hope the convention will embed across Europe?
The first lesson is that flexibility is not a luxury, but a necessity. The programme supported two-country and multi-country co-productions, a wide range of budgets and every major format. This responsiveness to the market is something the convention can further enhance by providing a stable legal foundation that still allows creative and financial configurations to evolve.

A second lesson is the importance of institutional pluralism. The programme demonstrated that multilingual, multi-genre and multi-territory works thrive when different institutions contribute according to their mandates and missions. Some instruments optimise market efficiency; others protect cultural diversity and ensure that audiovisual works remain a public good. Both approaches operate simultaneously. This is the balance that allows Europe to strengthen market integration without cultural homogenisation. It recognises institutions as complementary, rather than competitive, and positions the Council of Europe as an essential partner that enhances cultural sovereignty and democratic renewal alongside economic objectives, in step with the organisation’s wider agenda, through the New Democratic Pact for Europe, to reinforce democratic life and civic confidence.

A third lesson is the role of alliances among broadcasters. The programme showed that coordinated commitments from public broadcasters or alliances like New8 or the European Alliance can dramatically enhance circulation and visibility. These practices can inspire the implementation phase of the convention.

As the convention opens for signature in 2026, what practical changes should producers expect in their day-to-day co-production practices?
Producers can expect clearer rules from the outset. The convention will provide a common framework that should shorten negotiations and strengthen the position of independent producers. It will also help create more predictable and stable partnerships across borders.         

The Council of Europe will continue to anchor this ecosystem by upholding cultural rights, creative autonomy and democratic values alongside economic goals. Through the Pilot Programme and the convention’s implementation, as it already does for film via Eurimages and the cinema conventions, the Council will remain a central reference for cross-border cultural cooperation. Its role is to ensure that European series production grows in ways that enhance diversity, trust and cultural uniqueness while contributing to a competitive and dynamic audiovisual sector.

Looking ahead to 2026-27, what should producers expect from the new biennium of the programme?
We are in the final stretch of securing renewed commitments from contributing countries, and we expect new participants to join. Together with our national representatives, we are identifying specific ways to consolidate what works while diversifying our measures. We also want to expand the conversation. Beyond market metrics, how do we understand the cultural and democratic impact of the works we support? What do audiences actually take away from these stories, beyond strong craft and compelling plots?

We are exploring partnerships that can further strengthen the mission the programme has, including in areas that remain fragile compared to our core focus on production. The next two years give us space to listen, analyse and refine our instruments with greater precision. And perhaps this will pave the way for a long-term programme in the future, offering a more predictable environment for producers and creators.