The United Commissions of Finance and Public Credit and Legislative Studies of Mexico approved that digital video platforms include 30% of national content. The initiative would take effect from next April.
According to the newspaper El Universal, the document seeks to establish “as an obligation for pay television service providers via the internet (OTT), whether national or foreign, to have within their catalogs at least 30% content nationals ”, which includes platforms such as Claro video, Amazon Prime Video, Blim, HBO Go and Netflix.
The initiative indicates that restricted television service providers through internet platforms that obtain the status of authorized before the Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) will have four months to comply with 20% of national production from the entry into force of the decree. Meanwhile, they will have a year to comply with the 30% agreed.
Likewise, the project seeks to broaden the definition of a law on pay television services “so that they also include those that are provided over the Internet in exchange for the periodic payment of a pre-established amount.”
In addition, it is proposed that the IFT adapt the requirements to request authorizations so that they include the information that those interested in providing pay television services over the internet must submit, within 90 calendar days after the decree comes into force.
The initiative reinforces the issue of the payment of Value Added Tax (VAT) of digital platforms that offer services in the country, in which the provider will be considered as a taxpayer and the user who views or downloads the multimedia audio content on national territory and / or associated video, will be obliged to collect and pay the tax ”.
Likewise, almost one year after the entry into force of this decree, after 360 days, Congress will establish a special tax on companies that offer services through the internet, “whose annual sales to clients or subscribers within the national territory are the same or higher than 800 million pesos ”.