Slovakia

[SK] New Audiovisual Media Act

IRIS 2006-8:1/29

Jana Markechová

Markechova Law Offices

A draft new Audiovisual Media Act (audiovizuálny zákon) has been prepared by the Slovakian Ministry of Culture and the Arts. It is expected to enter into force on 1 January 2007 and would completely replace the current Act No. 1/1996 of 14 December 1995. The new legislation is required in order to bring Slovakian audiovisual law into line with the European Convention for the Protection of the Audiovisual Heritage, of which the Slovak Republic became the ninth signatory state on 17 February 2003.

The draft document regulates the following:

the obligations of natural and legal persons with regard to the production, distribution and registration of audiovisual works, sound recordings of artistic performances and multimedia works;

the position of independent producers;

the position, responsibilities and activities of the Slovakian Film Institute;

the conditions for the specialist storage of original copies of audiovisual works, sound and picture recordings, which belong to the cultural heritage of the Slovak Republic regardless of their origin.

The Act covers the following within the territory of the Slovak Republic:

publicly distributed audiovisual works, distributed in any medium either as an audiovisual performance or sold;

publicly distributed sound recordings of verbal or musical works distributed in any medium or sold;

publicly distributed multimedia works distributed in any medium or sold.

This Act follows on from the current Audiovisual Media Act, extending it quite significantly by adding new obligations concerning the protection of the Slovakian audiovisual heritage. It also regulates the distribution of audiovisual and multimedia works via the Internet (where access is provided in return for payment).