Brussels Pushes Back on Germany's 8% Streamer Investment Obligation; Berlin Says No EU Approval Needed

The FAZ reported on 9 September that the European Commission has criticised Germany's planned investment obligation — 8% of streamers' annual net revenue into European works, with subquotas and rights-reversion rules — as a disproportionate restriction on providers' commercial freedom. Culture ministry BKM told DWDL the Commission's remarks are a routine notification step requiring no EU approval, that no fundamental incompatibility with EU law was found, and that it still expects the law to take effect early next year while it reviews proportionality adjustments.