Brussels, 02/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 2 July, the European Commission adopted a new communication on state aid for the funding of public service broadcasters. The aim of the scheme is to establish a clear framework for the development of public service broadcasting and provide greater legal certainty for investment by public and private media alike. The new communication replaces the Commission's 2001 Broadcasting Communication. The main changes include an increased focus on accountability and effective control at the national level, including a transparent evaluation of the overall impact of publicly-funded new media services.
The main changes in the new Communication concern: - the ex ante control of significant new services launched by public service broadcasters (balancing the market impact of such new services with their public value); - clarifications concerning the inclusion of pay services in the public service remit; - more effective control of overcompensation and supervision of the public service mission on the national level; - and increased financial flexibility for public service broadcasters.
The communication is designed to ensure high quality public broadcasting services on a variety of platforms, ranging from the internet to screens in public places. Moreover, European citizens and stakeholders will be able to give their views in public consultation exercises before any new services are put on the market by public service broadcasters. Finally, as taxpayers, citizens will benefit from a more accountable, transparent and proportionate use of public funding in this sector.
The adoption of the Communication follows extensive public consultation and builds on the fundamental principles of the financing of public service broadcasting in the Amsterdam Protocol (http: //europa.eu/eur-lex/en/treaties/selected/livre347.html). In particular, the Communication recognises the member states' discretion to define the mission of public service broadcasters and focuses on the Commission's task of preserving fair competition. The text of the Communication is available at: http: //ec.europa.eu/competition/state_aid/legislation/specific_rules.html#broadcasting. (O.L./transl.jl)