Brussels, 15/12/2003 (Agence Europe) - At the initiative of Viviane Reding, the European Commission has adopted a communication on the future of European regulatory audiovisual policy which defines the short and medium term priorities of such a policy within the enlarged Europe. The communication comes in the wake of broad consultation on the TVWF Directive (Television without Frontiers), as well as a debate with representatives of the Member States that have helped to determine the areas where future action is necessary (see EUROPE of 3 July, p.17). It proposes a two-phase approach: - short term, increased legal security may be provided by an interpretative communication on TV advertising in so far as no revision of the directive is necessary. This communication will mainly clarify the extent to which the current directive is applied to the new advertising techniques; - in the medium term, a number of issues should be the subject of more indepth reflection and discussion that could result in amendments of the TVWF directive at a later phase. The Commission will consult experts (in advertising, audiovisual and information law) and will commission independent studies (on the impact of advertising regulations, the thresholds fixed for European production and co-regulation in the media) during the whole of 2004. This is work in preparation for the 5th Commission report on implementing the TVWF directive to come out in 2005.
The communication provides, among other things, a description of the audiovisual landscape in Europe and the recent changes that have occurred on the technology and market front in the audiovisual sector, information law and production promotion. It also announces the updating of the recommendation on the protection of minors and human dignity in the audiovisual sector (see above). Commenting on the communication, Viviane Reding noted that nothing for now justified a complete change in the TVWF directive, which had been amended in 1997. But she said she was convinced that, "in the medium term, technological developments and changes in the structure of the audiovisual market will force us to reconsider whether any changes to regulation for the different distribution channels for audiovisual content is necessary. The present communication provides the roadmap that should lead to this update of the TVWF directive".