| State aid: Commission consults on revised broadcasting communication – 04/11/2008 |
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On November 4th, 2008 the European Commission published a draft Communication on the rules it is intending to apply to state funding of public service broadcasting. Member states and stakeholders are now able to submit their views and opinions by January 15th, 2009 on the proposed text.
Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes announced she wants “to help stakeholders in the broadcasting sector to meet the challenges of the new media environment”. This review is also intended to take into account the case-law based on the current Broadcasting Communication.
The European Commission has now come to its proposal for a revised Broadcasting Communication, with a view to adopt it in the first half of 2009.
Seven years have passed since the Broadcasting Communication was adopted in 2001 and during this time European media markets and legal environment have changed a lot. The aim is to modernise the Broadcasting Communication by enhancing legal certainty and by building on the fundamental principles applicable to the financing of public service broadcasting as laid down by EU law and in particular the Amsterdam Protocol. It is also to include the recognition of Member States’ wide discretion to define the mission of public service broadcasters and the Commission’s task to preserve fair competition.
The draft Communication proposal aims to apply principles mentioned above for the control of state aid in the broadcasting sector to the new media environment. The European Commission’s proposal seeks to foster subsidiarity through increased responsibility at national level as it affirms that it is primarily for States to assess through a transparent and accountable process the needs of society, the value for the public new services, and their impact on the market. Furthermore, the draft suggests increasing flexibility for public service broadcasters by building up reserves on public service mission and by withstanding cost fluctuations. The suggested rules would also require reinforced control mechanisms at the national level to avoid overcompensation and cross-subsidisation of commercial activities. Next Steps:
- Deadline for submission of opinion and views on the draft Broadcasting Communication: January 15th, 2009 For further information:
To access the draft Broadcasting Communication, please click here:
To access an explanatory note, please click here: |
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