Lithuania

[LT] Amendments of the Lithuanian Law on Provision of Information to the Public

IRIS 2003-6:1/27

Viktoras Popandopula

Radio and Television Commission of Lithuania

In accordance with the National Acquis Adoption Programme approved by the Lithuanian Government, the Radio and Television Commission of Lithuania (RTCL) was designated to initiate and prepare amendments to the Law on Provision of Information to the Public, as the latest amendments to reach compliance with EC legislation were made in 2000. At present, the draft amendments are being prepared by the RTCL, which licenses and controls the activities of broadcasters in Lithuania.

It is planned that the major amendments will only concern the activities and the control of broadcasters,

The present Law envisages the licensing of terrestrial and cable TV and radio, as well as MMDS (multi-point multi-channel distribution service), however neither satellite nor digital terrestrial TV and radio is covered. Regulations for broadcasting / re-broadcasting on Internet are also planned, in a manner to be determined by future regulation.

Apart from the new issues mentioned above, it is also planned to liberalize activities of cable TV, to modify the functions of the broadcasting regulatory institutions and to specify the requirements for TV programmes set by the European Convention on Transfrontier Television.

The amendments should be approved and adopted this year.