Finland

[FI] Higher Television Licence Fees in Finland as of 1 January 2005

IRIS 2004-9:1/18

Marina Österlund-Karinkanta

Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE, EU and Media Unit

The Council of State decree of 23 June 2004 (Valtioneuvoston asetus televisiomaksuista) increases the amount ot the television licence fee paid by households as of 1 January 2005. In Finland the television licence fee is called the television fee.

The new television licence fee is EUR 193,95 for twelve months, EUR 97,60 for six months and EUR 49,35 for three months. This is an increase of 3.9% on the previous fee.

The increase is part of an ongoing reform process, the first step of which consisted in the changes in the Act on the State Television and Radio Fund as of 1 July 2002, whereby the operating licence fee paid by the commercial television companies was cut by 50% and digital television operations were freed from the obligation to pay an operating licence fee during the ongoing licence period (i.e. until 31 August 2010, see IRIS 2002-7: 10). The second step was the increase of the television licence fees by 13% as of 1 January 2004.

The third step has now been taken through the introduction of annual television licence fee increases as of 1 January 2005. The increase of 3.9% is based on the average increase of the consumer price index in 2003 (1/3), on revised preliminary data about the average increase of the index of wage and salary earnings in 2003 (2/3) and an additional 1% which will be included in the increase as long as both analogue and digital transmissions are carried out (i.e. the simulcast period).