Search FAQ

How do I search for specific content on the Audiovisual Portal using keywords or phrases?

To search for content using keywords or phrases on the Audiovisual Portal, follow these steps:

On any Audiovisual Portal page, look for the search box at the top-right corner.
Type your desired keyword or phrase into this search box.
Click the "Search" button or simply press the "Enter" key on your keyboard.

Alternatively, when you're on the advanced search page or a search result page (https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/search), or on specific sections of the Audiovisual Portal (e.g., https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/illustrationphotos/?thematic=none), you can also enter your keyword or phrase in the provided keyword field located on the left side.

How do I search for an exact keyword or phrase on the Audiovisual Portal?

To search for an exact keyword or phrase, you should enclose the expression within double quotes (" "), like this: "Common agricultural policy". This way, the search results will specifically match the exact phrase you've enclosed in quotes.

How does searching with multiple keywords or terms work on the Audiovisual Portal?

When you use multiple keywords or terms in your search, the default operator is "AND." This means that if you search for "mechanism, European and stability," it's equivalent to searching for "mechanism" AND "European" AND "stability." In this case, the search results will include content that contains all of these terms.

Search results are sorted by default by relevance, calculated for multiple keywords through a system of weights. If you wish to change the sorting of the search results, you can do so by selecting the option to sort by publication date. When you sort by publication date (chronological order), the least recent items will appear at the top of the results, with newer items listed below.

Is it possible to search for a specific phrase instead of separate words?

Absolutely! If you put the phrase inside double quotes ("), the search will find that exact phrase.

Is it possible to search using a keyword that includes special characters?

Yes, if you include the searched string in between double quotes, it will look for the exact string (including special characters).

How can I exclude specific keywords/terms from search results?

You can exclude specific keywords or terms by simply adding a minus sign (-) before them in the Keyword field.

For instance, if you type "Commission-European", you'll get results with "Commission" but without any mention of the word "European."

Is there a way to narrow down or refine my search to get rid of less relevant results?

You'll find several filtering options in the left column of the advanced search. These tools can help you refine your search and focus on the most relevant results.

The type of media
You have a few options to select from: “all media” or “video”, or “video shot”, or “photo” only. Keep in mind that you can only pick one media type for each search.

The categories
Categories help you find specific topics in audiovisual content. For example, if you're looking for photos to illustrate a particular subject, you can choose the "illustration photos" category. The good news is, you can select more than one category for a single search.

The shooting date
You can use the date pickers that allow you to enter either a start date, an end date, or both, to search for audiovisual content created within a specific date range.

Thesaurus, personalities and locations
The thesaurus, personalities and locations are keywords pre-indexed and attached to the media, allowing for a more accurate search of a given media. To use the thesaurus, personalities or locations filter, just type the term inside the dedicated search box and select it from the list if the term exists.

The topic
You can use the topic filter to narrow down your search results to find media that specifically illustrate or relate to events connected to the priorities listed in the European Commission members' portfolios.