SEDEC members adopted today unanimously the draft opinion of PES member Jácint Horváth, Member of Nagykanizsa Municipal Council (Hungary), responding to a revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD), proposed by the European Commission last May in light of rapidly changing market realities. The new directive is part of the Commission's Digital Single Market strategy and seeks a better balance of the rules applying to traditional broadcasters, video-on-demand providers and video-sharing platforms, especially when it comes to protecting children.
While welcoming the Commission proposal overall, the rapporteur regrets the fact that the regional dimension is not taken into account. He also underlines the need to involve local and regional authorities in implementing the directive, as in several Member States, some local and regional bodies own media services companies. Horváth welcomes the derogations from the country of origin principle, which allow the interests of the destination country to be taken into account. "Audiovisual media services from outside the EU may cause disturbances to media services, and more precisely to the public sphere, in certain Member States. Although the country of origin principle does not apply to these services, the freedom of Member States concerned to take measures against them must be duly acknowledged", explained the rapporteur. This is a concern that had been voiced also in the CoR own-initiative opinion on the AVMSD revision, drafted by Jean-François Istasse (PES/Belgium) and adopted by the CoR in October 2015.
The draft opinion criticises the lack of clarity of the regulatory framework applicable on two cases: first, video sharing platforms, whose provider has no interest in moving to European Union territory, but makes their service available to European citizens; and second, the resale of content outside of infrastructure (over-the-top services). Last but no least, the draft opinion insists on the crucial importance of the independence of national regulatory authorities, both from public authorities, audiovisual actors and political parties as this is a cornerstone of the European Audiovisual Media Regulation. "Member States must ensure this at all costs, because it is the primary guarantee of the diversity of information and a pluralistic media market at European, national, local and regional level" concluded the rapporteur.
