The EU has reached a preliminary agreement on proposed revisions to audiovisual media legislation, to be formally introduced in June.
Revisions to audiovisual media legislation in the EU were first proposed in May 2016, in recognition of the growth of online dissemination platforms and on demand services. According to the European Commission’s data, global internet video share in consumer internet traffic is expected to rise to 80% by 2019, and the revised rules will address this as part of the commission’s broader Digital Single Market ambitions.
The proposed Audiovisual Media Services Directive aims to even the playing field across the entire audiovisual sector, including on-demand services and video sharing platforms, and will prioritise the protection of children and the prevention of hate speech across these platforms.
What will the new directive cover?
Revisions to audiovisual media legislation will increase fairness and security on online platforms, and bring about broadly targeted reforms to address a wide range of issues. These include:
- Implementing new measures to protect minors from age-inappropriate content;
- Extending current rules to include social media platforms which enable sharing of audiovisual content;
- Ensuring on-demand catalogues operating in Europe provide at least 30% European content;
- Improving clarity on which member states’ rules apply in each case; and
- Reinforcing the independence of audiovisual regulators from government bodies.
These revisions amount to a complete overhaul of some areas of European policy in the area of audiovisual content and the online platforms that facility access to it, which in other areas the proposed measures simply reinforce existing procedures.
How has the European Commission reacted?
The European Commission’s Vice-President for the Digital Single Market, Andrus Ansip, said that the revisions to the directive would reflect the different ways in which people in Europe now consume audiovisual media: “These new rules reflect digital progress and recognise that people now watch videos in different ways than before. They encourage innovative services and promote European films – but also protect children and tackle hate speech in a better way.”
Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, Mariya Gabriel, added that the rules would contribute to a fairer environment for all players in audiovisual sector, as well as serving as an opportunity to promote European cultural content.
