Brussels, 12/07/2005 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the European Commission published the preliminary conclusions of its consultations of experts and interested parties on the future Community legislation on audiovisual content. This new legislation is to cover all services with audiovisual content, linear or non-linear, irrespective of the platform used to provide the service: traditional broadcasting, broad band and high-speed links, third-generation mobiles. The objective is to give services with audiovisual content in Europe a flexible framework which is conducive to competitiveness, the Commission underlines. Interested parties have until 5 September to submit their comments. After this final phase of consultations, the Commission will present a proposal for the new Community legislation, to replace the “Television Without Borders” directive of 1989. In order to structure the final debate on the new Community legislation, the services of the Commission have published five synthesis documents summarising the results of discussions as they stand. These synthesis documents deal with the following subjects: -modernisation of the legislation on audiovisual content: scope and issues of who is responsible for doing what; -commercial communications; -protection of minors and human dignity, right to reply; -cultural diversity; -right to information and right to short extracts. These synthesis documents will therefore be put to public consultation from 12 July. They will be used to prepare for a conference on audiovisuals, organised jointly with the UK Presidency in Liverpool, from 20 to 22 September 2005. This conference will deal with issues put forward in the synthesis documents and will also include exchanges of views on the pluralism of the media. “I want this new European legislation on audiovisual content to be an example of better regulation”, said Commissioner Viviane Reding, who is in charge of the Information Society and Media. “The new rules should unfold the new opportunities of the emerging multimedia world which will offer increased competition and consumer choice, while clearly spelling out general public interest objectives such as cultural diversity and protection of minors”, she added. The synthesis documents are available at http: //europa.eu.int/comm/avpolicy/revision-tvwf2005/consult_en.htm.