Public Service Broadcasting and the European Union

Nico van Eijk Institute for Information Law (IViR, University of Amsterdam)‘The Future of Public Service Media in the Information Age’

Jerusalem, 2 January 2006

2

Topics

• Liberalisation of the broadcasting market

• State Aid

3

Liberalisation of the market

• Pressure to open up markets

• ‘Television without Frontiers’-directive aiming at harmonising:– Access to other markets– Advertising– Sponsoring– Etc…

4

Effects of liberalisation

• New commercial entrants (national and foreign)

• ‘Commercialisation’ of public service broadcasting

• Minimum standards become maximum standards

• Dilution of the public service remit

5

The EU Routine

• Altmark Criteria– Clear public service obligations– Pre-established parameters for

compensation– No over-compensation– Tender or ‘well-run undertaking’-test

• Communication European Commission on state aid and public service broadcasting

• Services of general economic interest• Maastricht treaty

6

Issues at stake

• Public funding system

• Public service remit

• Separation of accounts/financing

• Over compensation/proportionality

• Competitive behaviour

7

Public service remit in the information age

• Focus today on commercial

issues and state aid

• Paradigm shift needed

• Finding the ‘ten

commandments’ of public

service broadcasting

8

9

Prof. dr. N.A.N.M. van EijkInstitute for Information Law (IViR)University of AmsterdamEmail: vaneijk@ivir.nlwww.ivir.nl