European Parliament/Council of the EU: Directive on the use of standards for the transmission of television signals

IRIS 1996-2:1/6

Ad van Loon

European Audiovisual Observatory

As reported by Mr Andrew Watson of Denton Hall in the special issue of IRIS, published in December 1995 (IRIS 1995: Legal Developments in the Audiovisual Sector, p. 22-23), Council Directive 92/38/EEC of 11 May 1992 on the adoption of standards for satellite broadcasting of television signals (OJEC of 20.5.1992 No L 137: 17) became obsolete due to its failure to take account of market developments and the fact that the HD-MAC standard has been superseded by the recent technical advances of fully digital systems.

Therefore, in 1993, the European Commission decided to change its policy and to accelerate the development of advanced television services in the 16:9 wide-screen format on 625 or 1250 line services, regardless of the European television standard used and irrespective of the broadcasting mode (terrestrial, satellite or cable) (Council Decision 93/424/EEC of 22 July 1993 on an action plan for the introduction of advanced television services in Europe, OJEC of 5.8.1993, No L 196: 48). Finally, on 24 October 1995, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union adopted the Directive on the use of standards for the transmission of television signals. This Directive now repeals and replaces Directive 92/38/EEC and entered into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities (OJEC), 23 November 1995.

The EU Member States are obliged to bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary for them to comply with this Directive, by 23 August 1996. (Ad van Loon, European Audiovisual Observatory)