Slovakia

[SK] Digital Broadcasting Act

IRIS 2007-1:1/35

Jana Markechová

Markechova Law Offices

On 22 November 2006 the Digital Broadcasting Act (see IRIS 2006-7: 19) was adopted by the Slovakian Ministry of Culture. It is expected to come into effect as from 3 March 2007.

The needs for the Act on Digital Broadcasting to be adopted were the exhaustion of the frequency spectrum, an increased number of people interested in a higher number of TV channels at a higher quality level, the extension of mobile signals, and the tendency to decrease power consumption. The necessity of digital broadcasting is lastly determined by the fact that the development of analogue broadcasting is no longer possible. The Slovak Republic already announced to the European Commission the termination of analogue broadcasting by the end of 2012.

The new Act regulates the following:

- creating the legal framework for the existence of digital broadcasting mainly in the terrestrial broadcasting environment;

- the terms for digital broadcasting and free provision of content services by digital broadcasting in the Slovak Republic;

- the rights and duties of natural and legal persons in digital broadcasting of program services and the provision of other content services through digital transmission and certain services related to digital broadcasting;

- the authority of public administration bodies in the regulation of digitally broadcast programme services and other content services provided through digital transmission.

The Slovak Republic is bound to ensure smooth transition from analogue broadcasting to digital broadcasting. This Act is regarded as being in accordance with the Slovak Constitution and international commitments.