HBO Max agrees to French animation and documentary quotas as rivals fight in court

France's recent amendment to the SMAD decree requires streaming platforms to devote a larger share of their French-European budgets to animation and documentary production. HBO Max has reached agreements with industry bodies—including SACD, SCAM, USPA, AnimFrance and SPI—to meet these sub-quota obligations for its 2026 and 2027 fiscal years. Executives from HBO Max highlighted the move as a continuation of their support for French creative works and a way to reach both domestic and global audiences.

Meanwhile, Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+ have each lodged appeals before the Conseil d’État, contending that the sub-quotas were introduced without sufficient negotiation and constrain editorial independence. French officials and guild leaders defend the measures as essential for balancing streaming investment across the audiovisual sector, especially to protect animation jobs threatened by AI. The dispute underscores the tension between European cultural policy and the business models of global streaming giants.