EU Audiovisual Media Services: History, amendments & consolidation

In this blog post we set out on the long march from national television broadcasting monopolies towards a European internal market in audiovisual services, by looking at the history through the Television without Frontiers Directives 1989 and 1997.

At the same time, we offer first examples of how legal acts have been adopted and amended in the European Economic Community (EEC), the European Community (EC) and the European Union (EU), as well as how consolidated legislation helps readers to access legislation in force.





Television without Frontiers Directive 1989




In 1989, under the EEC Treaty, the Council adopted:

Council Directive 89/552/EEC of 3 October 1989 on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by Law, Regulation or Administrative Action in Member States concerning the pursuit of television broadcasting activities; published in the Official Journal 17.10.1989 L 298/23.


This Directive became known as the Television without Frontiers Directive, and it introduced some minimum standards applicable in all EEC member states.

The TVWF Directive was adopted by the Council, in cooperation with the European Parliament.



New Television without Frontiers Directive 1997



Now in the European Community (EC), the European Parliament was mentioned as a legislator together with the Council:



Directive 97/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 1997 amending Council Directive 89/552/EEC on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the pursuit of television broadcasting activities; published in the Official Journal 30.7.1997 L 202/60.



The Commission’s web pages offer summary explanations of the updated rules in the TVWF Directive, on General Provisions; Jurisdiction; Access of the Public to major (sports) events; Promoting the distribution of European Works; Television advertising, teleshopping and sponsorship; Protection of minors; Right of Reply.



Consolidation 1997




An original legal act, especially with major or plural amending acts are difficult to handle for users. Unofficial updated versions are often published on Eur-Lex, in order to let readers access the legislation in force.

For the convenience of users, an “amalgamated”, consolidated version of the 1989 Television without Frontiers Directive and the “new”, or amending 1997 TVWF Directive was published 30 July 1997, at the same time as the amending Directive: consolidated TVWF Directive.



Forward


In future blog posts we follow the development of EU television broadcasting (audiovisual services) rules until the situation today.




Ralf Grahn



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