European Commission: Directive on Satellite Communications and Draft Directive on Liberalisation of Cable TV Networks (Article 90)

IRIS 1995-1:1/11

Ad van Loon

European Audiovisual Observatory

On 13 October 1994 the Commission of the European Communities adopted a Directive amending Directive 88/301/EEC and Directive 90/388/EEC in particular with regard to satellite communications. The Directive aims at the harmonisation and liberalization of the markets in satellite equipment and services. Its provisions enter into force on 8 November 1994 and Member States are to show the Commission before 8 August 1995 that they comply with these provisions.

On 21 December 1994, the Commission adopted a draft Directive on liberalisation of Cable TV Networks. The draft Directive complements the Satellite Directive of 13 October 1994 and, like the Satellite Directive, amends the telecommunications services Directive 90/388/EEC of 1990. The main goal is to lift Europe-wide, by 1 January 1996, the restrictions on the use of cable TV networks for the carriage of all liberalised telecommunications services in order to foster pilot projects and new initiatives in the multi-media field (such as home shopping, home transaction packages (banking, reservations, buying, trading), Edu-tainment (interactive video games) and specialised interactive on-line databases involving moving images.

Before a formal decision is taken, the Commission intends to consult the European Parliament, the Member States and other interested parties on the draft.


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This article has been published in IRIS Legal Observations of the European Audiovisual Observatory.