Belgium

[BE] EMFA implementation in the French Community of Belgium and extension of the remit of the Higher Audiovisual Council (CSA)

IRIS 2026-6:1/22

Olivier Hermanns

Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel Belge

The legislature of the French Community of Belgium, also commonly known as the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, has amended the Decree of 4 February 2021 on audiovisual media services and video-sharing services with a view to implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1083 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 establishing a common framework for media services in the internal market and amending Directive 2010/13/EU (European Media Freedom Act).

The amending decree was promulgated on 2 April 2026. Its main provision is to designate the Higher Audiovisual Council of the French Community (Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel de la Communauté française – CSA) as the authority with jurisdiction to monitor the application of the EMFA, insofar as matters fall within the remit of the French Community.

According to the preparatory documents for the amending decree, the CSA “shall, in particular, monitor the application of paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of Article 5, Articles 18, 20, 22 and 24 [and] establish the database referred to in Article 6" of the EMFA.

The amending decree also introduces new procedural rules concerning media market concentrations (Article 22 EMFA), information requirements regarding political advertising (Article 6 EMFA) and the procedure for the appointment and dismissal of senior managers and directors of local public service media providers, i.e. local audiovisual media services (Article 5 EMFA). Finally, the CSA’s participation in the work of the Media Board is formalised.