History - AVMSD Consultation process
History: AVMSD Consultation process
The review of the regulatory framework for audiovisual services was launched with the Fourth Communication from the Commission (COM(2002) 778 final) on the application of the "Television without Frontiers" Directive. The Commission proposed a work programme for the modernization of rules of audiovisual services and a timetable for future actions.
Public
Consultation 2003
The Commission presented discussion papers, which were followed up by public hearings. Interested parties were invited to transmit written contributions by 15 July 2003. The Commission received more than 150 submissions (1 350 pages). Most contributions agreed that the Directive has provided a flexible and adequate framework for regulation by Member States and support the Commission's pragmatic approach in reviewing the regulatory framework. But the contributions also highlighted issues where further thinking was needed.
As a result from the consultation process the Communication on the future of European regulatory audiovisual policy (COM(2003)784 final) proposes a two step approach:
In the short-term more legal certainty could be provided by an interpretative Communication on television advertising. This interpretative Communication, which clarifies the way in which the Directive applies to the new advertising techniques, was adopted on 23 April 2004.
The Communication also announced an update to the Recommendation on the protection of minors and human dignity.
For the medium term the Communication identified a number of issues that would need further thought and discussion and which finally would lead to amendments of the TVwF Directive at a later stage. For these issues the Communication stated that the Commission takes the advice of experts (focus groups on regulation of audiovisual content, advertising and the right to information) or commission independent studies (on the impact of advertising regulation, the impact of measures concerning the promotion of the distribution and production of TV programmes and on co-regulation in the media).
The Focus Groups met during September 2004 and February 2005.
Public
Consultation 2005: From Luxembourg to Liverpool
The outcome of the Focus Groups was discussed with Member States at a seminar in Luxemburg on 30/31 May 2005.
On 11 July 2005 the Commission published issues papers which summarized the various inputs concerning the future legislative framework for audiovisual content services and interested parties were again invited to submit their written observations. The consultations culminated in a stakeholder conference during the UK Presidency in Liverpool major audiovisual conference: "Between Culture and Commerce", Liverpool, 20-22 September 2005 which led finally to the adoption of the Commission proposal.
