In a public consultation launched today, the European Commission aims at evaluating if EU rules on copyright licensing for TV and radio broadcasting by satellite and cable are still up-to-date in our online environment. It will also look into whether the rules have helped European citizens to get better access to TV and radio content from other Member States.

The consultation should gather views in the light of the foreseen review of the 1993 EU Satellite and Cable Directive, one of the 16 initiatives announced in May in the Commission’s plan for the Digital Single Market. In particular, the consultation will assess if the ‘EU SatCabDirective’ has facilitated consumers’ cross-border access to broadcasting services within the Internal Market. It also seeks views on the possible extension of these rules to certain online content services as part of the broader EU objective to enhance cross-border access to online content services in the EU.

To remove other barriers in the Digital Single Market, the Commission is already undertaking a consultation on the Audio-visual Media Services Directive (AVMSD), which guaranties the principle of free transmission and reception of television broadcasts or on-demand services across the EU. Furthermore, the Commission will in the coming weeks launch various public debates on such topics as eGovernment, online platforms, geo-blocking and EU telecoms rules.