The Eurovision Song Contest has for the first time introduced an official code of contact for contestants taking part in next year’s competition.
The code of conduct mostly codifies rules already in place in one document but will include some changes, including the introduction of no-filming zones backstage, more closed-door rehearsals and improved rehearsal schedules to ensure artists can rest and even enjoy their time in the host city, which next year will be Basel, Switzerland. As previously intimated, Eurovision will also appoint a welfare producer who will be the key point of contact for artists and staff in the event of any issues.
Crucially, the code of conduct will apply to everyone accredited for the event, from the artists themselves to their entourages and even attending media.
The European Broadcasting Union, which owns the pan-continental singing contest, introduced a raft of new measures following a number of controversies at the 2024 edition, which was held in Malmo, Sweden in May, together with the fact that the event has become the world’s largest live music event, with this year’s grand finale watched by 170 million globally while Eurovision’s social media channels reached over 555 million accounts on Instagram and TikTok.
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Some of the controversies this year included the disqualification of Netherlands’ entry Joost Klein on the morning of the grand final after he was accused of “threatening” behaviour by a female crew member. The complaint was referred to Swedish police.
There were also accusations of bullying both by and from the Israeli delegation, with Israel’s entry, 20-year-old Eden Golan, facing a barrage of abuse over her participation, forcing her to be largely confined to her hotel room for security reasons. During a joint press conference, some of Golan’s fellow contestants also rolled their eyes and pretended to fall asleep while she was speaking. Meanwhile other entrants, including Ireland, claimed they were videoed backstage without their consent by members of the Israeli delegation.
Following the conclusion of the competition, which saw Swiss entry Nemo walk away with the trophy after winning the most number of votes, the EBU revealed it planned to review the contest’s rules and welfare protocols, including bringing in a new director role to report directly to the EBU. Martin Green, who produced the 2023 Eurovision competition in Liverpool as well as the London 2012 Olympic Games, was appointed to the role in October.
Ahead of the code of conduct being unveiled on Wednesday, Green sat down with Variety to discuss the changes and the future of Eurovision, which is set to celebrate its 70th edition in 2026.
What are the main changes that are being introduced and why?
The contest has grown exponentially over the past few years. It is now the most monstrous success, both in terms of its still appointment-to-view linear television self, with 170 million people watching last year, but also the absolute growth in our digital platforms. There is a general view that sometimes you have to look around and go, “This thing’s got really big now, are we managing it the right way?” And that’s what led the EBU to say, actually, it’s probably time we brought in a really senior role of director of the whole thing to sit across what we currently do, but also look at where we can grow in the future as a show and a brand.
What we stand for is very positive in the world at the moment, bringing people together through music. We think more people would enjoy that as we go forward… If you have a great competition, you have to nurture it and protect it as the world changes around you.
And so what the reference group, who is the governing body who looks over Eurovision on behalf of all the 38 participants, and the [EBU] team have done this year, is ask them, “How can we make life better for our artists, particularly, but also our staff and our audience?” as any show should do on a year-round basis. And that’s led us to introduce a proper code of conduct and a duty of care. Let’s look at what we can do backstage to make people’s lives better, to take care of their welfare. It is a highly intense atmosphere these – invariably young – artists, are aware the world is watching them, technology means the world is closer to them than ever before. And so that’s what we’re announcing, just these changes that we want to make sure to just keep the show brilliant and open and a great community celebration, and make sure that we are treating everyone fairly and looking after them.
Is this the first time there has been an official code of conduct?
It is an evolution, because 99% of the contents of the code of conduct existed already, but they were [across] contracts and rules and bits of paper. What we’ve done is brought them all together in one easy-to-understand space.
We’re going to publish it. Anybody can read it. We don’t want to hide it. A lot of it is absolutely obvious: let’s respect each other; let’s take care of each other; let’s acknowledge that we are performing to every age on a primetime Saturday night show; let’s honor what Eurovision stands for and always stood for. But then, yes, the technicality is, when you go onto the computer system to sign up for your accreditation, you will be asked to read and then acknowledge you have read and agreed with the code of conduct.
We’ve symbolically but importantly said that if you want to get your accreditation into Eurovision, you will have to agree to abide by the code of conduct. So if you’re walking around Eurovision with a lanyard on, you have therefore agreed to abide by the code of conduct.
Last year there were some well-publicized instances of contestants being disrespectful towards one another. Will that kind of behavior now be explicitly forbidden?
You have to look at this for a number of angles. Yes, we’re asking people to respect the competition, respect everybody and everything it stands for, and maintain it as a really joyous celebration of music and community. But also we’re asking ourselves, should we really make people do press conferences after they’ve done a 12-hour work day live to 170 million people? That’s why we’re going to make some of the backstage areas a no-film [zone] so artists can relax safe in the knowledge that no one’s going to poke a camera in their face. We’re also going to look at making more of their rehearsals off-camera rehearsals, because a lot of the artists have told us, “Can we just have a few more runs before you let the cameras in?” to build their confidence. So I think I never look at anything from one direction. I think you look at it from every direction, saying, look, if something has happened, yes, let’s try and find a way to make that not happen again. But also, let’s ask ourselves if it is something about the way we run it at the moment that might cause that. So we’ve taken a real 360-degree view of the whole thing.
Previously, has it been the case that if you’re an artist you’re expected to encounter filming wherever you go backstage?
Yes, more or less. This is why every year we do sit down and have a look and say, “Can we do things better?” And yes, there are some instances that particularly prompted this year, but it’s important to say that every year we review what’s going on. When it was literally someone with a heavy camera on their shoulder that you could only have if you were an official television station, letting cameras more or less everywhere was fine. These days, everybody’s got one in the palm of their hand. So it becomes much more important for the welfare of our artists and our staff, and our audiences, to say there needs to be spaces where you know you can take the makeup off, put your feet up, and no one’s going to poke a camera in your face. And I think everyone’s going to appreciate that. Our audience is still going to get loads of content online, the shows are still going to be great, but what hopefully they will see is more confident, more relaxed artists who’ve had the time to prepare for this unbelievable moment.
Will the no-filming policy in those zones apply to the artists themselves as well as their teams, from dancers to managers to make-up artists?
We’re going to look at that and ask them to respect certain areas. Because by doing it, they’re respecting themselves and the rest of their community as well. So I think if we say, there are just going to be a few places backstage where people can truly relax and I think it’s always good if there is one rule for everything, rather than little exceptions, because then it’s very clear to people. If I want to film you for a Tiktok for five seconds, I just have to go outside that door and do it, I’m just not going to be able to do it here. And we’ll also make sure that everyone’s briefed properly and they understand.
Will the new code of conduct also include sanctions for those who contravene it?
There’s always been a process that sat behind the rules and the contracts anyway. We don’t tend to make that public-facing, but there has always been a process by which that if anybody feels that the code of conduct has been infringed or broken it can be raised in a number of places, dealt with through a clear process, and then whatever the decided result of that is clearly communicated to and with that person. So yes, of course, if you’re going to have a code of conduct, you must have a way of imposing it and dealing with it, but again, in a great, respectful, procedural way that makes sure that people have their voice heard.
Last year’s Eurovision obviously became highly politicized – are contestants going to be asked to try and leave politics at the door this year?
I think it’s a constant dialogue with artists and audiences. Obviously, something like a code of conduct, something like [rule] changes are very physical ways we can underline what the competition and what Eurovision stands for. We live in a complicated world, everybody has their views of that complicated world. With Eurovision, we ask that the world is suspended ever so slightly for a few hours on a Saturday night. We show the world how a world could be, rather than how it necessarily is, and music and sport have always been ways that can do this. And I think we’ll be in constant dialogue with everybody to say, “Look, let’s keep Eurovision as a space where we bring people together and we celebrate what we have in common, just like we’ve done for 69 years.”
We want to make sure that it continues to do that as it goes from strength to strength. And taking care of everybody, and our artists and our audience and our staff is a key way to do that.