Google, Meta and TikTok challenge Flemish incentive scheme

Google, Meta and TikTok have gone to the Constitutional Court of Belgium to challenge the Flemish incentive scheme, Media minister Cieltje Van Achter confirmed on Friday.

The scheme requires distributors, including telecom companies like Proximus and Telenet, to invest in local Flemish productions. Starting in 2025, it will also demand contributions from video platforms such as YouTube (Google), TikTok and Instagram. Former Media minister Benjamin Dalle had championed the initiative, saying it would bring "an unprecedented increase in investments in home-grown productions".

Van Achter confirmed that the three companies are challenging the decree, adding that the case has implications beyond Flanders.

“Flanders is the first in Europe to require a contribution from video platform services,” she said. “Because of the precedent value for possible similar legislation in other member states of the European Union, Google, Meta and TikTok went to the Constitutional Court. The stakes of the case are therefore high.”

^{#FlandersNewsService | © PHOTO LIONEL BONAVENTURE / AFP}

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