Netherlands

[NL] New Advisory Committee on Cross Ownership

IRIS 1998-9:1/22

Nico van Eijk

Institute for Information Law (IViR), University of Amsterdam

The Dutch government has created a temporary Advisory Committee on Cross Ownership Rules in the Mediasector. This nine member committee, chaired by the President of the national Cultural Council ( Raad voor Cultuur) Mr Jan Jesserun, has three tasks. First of all, it has to present a broad overview of the present situation concerning concentrations in the Dutch mediasector and possible developments in the near future in this respect. Secondly, the Government expects an advice on the effects of (future) concentrations on pluralism and the independence of information available. Thirdly, the Committee has to investigate the effectiveness of the existing regulations (Media Act, Telecommunications Act and Competition Act), taking into account the goals of the media policy, and has to look into the question whether additional regulation is needed.

The report should be ready before the end of the year. However, the committee will not cease to exist until the first of April of next year. The Committee has been created after Parliament asked for such an evaluation of cross ownership in the media. Upon completion, the advice of the Committee will be sent to the three regulators for media, telecommunications and competition for further comments. Some of the issues the Committee has to deal with are also discussed in the recent green paper of the European Commission on convergence.