France

[FR] Mission on the "Television without Frontiers" Directive

IRIS 2003-6:1/17

Amélie Blocman

Légipresse

The "Television without Frontiers" Directive is currently under re-examination and, in accordance with its Article 26, the Commission has embarked on three assessment studies on the text and is now commencing public consultation intended to examine "application of the Directive and, if appropriate, to draw up new proposals with a view to its adaptation to developments in the field of television broadcasting, particularly in the light of recent technological developments". The consultation covers the main sensitive areas of the Directive ­ promotion of European works, advertising, protection of minors, access to events of major interest, implementation of the Directive, and extracts. It should result, at the end of 2003 or early in 2004, in a communication plus any proposals for revision. With this in view, on 2 May 2003 Jean-Jacques Aillagon, the Minister for Culture and Communication, entrusted Bernard Miyet, diplomat and chairman of the managing board of the SACEM, with a mission involving the "Television without Frontiers" Directive. The Minister indicated that the mission, which is to last until the end of the year, will consist of "presenting France's position on the Directive to our European partners and to professionals, more particularly to make them aware of the need to maintain the Directive". Thus the objectives are clearly expressed ­ to establish, in liaison with the office of the Minister for Culture and in co-ordination with the offices of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister with responsibility for European affairs, the necessary contacts within the member States of the European Union, at the level of ministers with responsibility for communication and their collaborators, to meet professionals, and to contribute to making France's point of view known in the European institutions. France, which considers that the "Television without Frontiers" Directive, together with the MEDIA programme, constitutes the lynchpin of European policy, wishes to affirm its commitment to the maintenance of the Directive. France does not want to see the consultation result in a revision exercise that might challenge the logic of the text.