BERLIN, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Germany will introduce

investment requirements for streaming platforms and TV

broadcasters and nearly double government funding for the

domestic film industry to boost its appeal as a film-making hub,

the culture ministry said on Thursday.

"This ‌is not a symbol, but a real investment stimulus: for

jobs, value creation, and creative ​excellence," Culture Minister

Wolfram Weimer said in a statement, a week ‍before the German

capital welcomes industry players for ⁠the Berlin Film ⁠Festival.

Streaming services such as Netflix ( NFLX ) and Amazon ( AMZN )

, as well as major broadcasters, will ‌be obliged to

reinvest at least 8% ​of the annual revenue they earn in Germany

back into the local industry.

However, the measures state that if ⁠the streamers and

broadcasters opt to ‍invest ​12% or more, they will be exempt from

complex regulations obliging them to, for example, produce films

in the German language.

While ‍German production has enjoyed a surge thanks to demand

from streaming platforms, the sector has also struggled in

recent years with rising labour, energy and materials costs.

With the measures, Germany, one of Europe's largest

streaming markets, will join at least a dozen other ​European

countries ‍including France and Italy that now obligate streamers

to invest in domestic production.

In addition, the government has agreed to ​increase funding

for film production to 250 million euros ($295.2 million) a

year, nearly double the previous level.

"Now the ball is in the court of the streamers and

broadcasters on the one hand, and the producers on the other,"

said Weimer.

According to German media, a corresponding law is expected

to be approved ​by the cabinet before early April. It is not yet

clear what, if any, penalties might be levied on streamers if

they do not comply with the ‍proposed regulations.

($1 = 0.8470 euros)