Two Canadian Producer Groups Join Europe's CEPI as First International Observers
Two Canadian screen industry associations have joined CEPI, the European Audiovisual Production Association, as its first international observer members. The announcement was made on 29 October 2026.
The newcomers are the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) and the Association Québécoise de la Production Médiatique (AQPM), according to Deadline. An observer is a member that follows and takes part in the group's work without holding the full rights of a voting member. This is the first time CEPI has welcomed members from outside Europe in this way.
CEPI brings together 3,000 independent production companies in 17 countries. Those companies are linked through 19 national associations and one European association. Independent production companies are the firms that make shows for broadcasters and streaming services, rather than the broadcasters or streaming platforms themselves.
The Canadian groups will work with CEPI on a set of shared issues. These include the regulation of streaming services, which are the online platforms that show films and series on demand. They also cover domestic production requirements, meaning rules that require shows to be made at home, and IP and rights, which concern who owns a story and who can sell it. The fourth area is co-productions, where companies from more than one country share the cost and the work of making a show.
The partnership has already taken a public form. At the Toronto International Film Festival, CEPI, CMPA, AQPM and other producer associations from Australia and Europe signed a joint statement. The statement calls on governments to protect domestic production and local storytelling.
For the people who make these shows, the rules set in capitals can decide how much of the work stays local. A joint voice from several countries gives producers one message to bring to those governments. The statement itself and the new membership are the clearest signs so far of how far that effort will reach.
