France

[FR] Legislation on the information superhighway adopted

IRIS 1996-6:1/4

Dorothee Schwall-Rudolph

Institute of European Media Law (EMR), Saarbrücken/Brussels

On 10 April 1996 legislation on the information superhighway was adopted in France. We reported on the corresponding bill in IRIS 1996-3 : 4.

The Act is intended to encourage the development of telecommunication services and audio-visual communication. To achieve this, according to the allowances made in the Act experimental projects, limited as regards both space and time, may now be authorised.

Approval is conditional on the experimental project being of public interest. Public interest depends on the novelty of the project, its economic and technical feasibility, its effect on the development of French and European productions in the sector, and its effect on public life, as well as the involvement of users in development and preparation.

Under the Act, telecommunication services may be authorised by the appropriate Minister if they are restricted in terms of space and have a maximum number of 20 000 users. Moreover, the Minister may also, in response to a proposal or application from a municipality, authorise the supply of telecommunication services in networks already in existence.

In the field of digital television, the government television and radio monitoring body (CSA) may, under the terms of the Act, authorise the use of frequencies for a merger of radio or television transmission services. In its authorisations, the CSA may allow exceptions to the provisions stipulating a specific proportion of French and European productions in the programmes.

Authorisations and agreements on the basis of this Act may only be given or undertaken within a three-year period commencing on the date of official publication of the Act.