Croatia

[HR] Act Amending the Electronic Media Act

IRIS 2011-10:1/24

Nives Zvonarić

Ministry of Culture, Zagreb, Croatia

On 8 July 2011, the Act Amending the Electronic Media Act was adopted. In particular it rules as follows:

- It specifies the provisions of Article 52 regarding the transparency of the ownership structure of media service providers, so as to prescribe the obligation to submit to the Council for Electronic Media certified copies of documents relating to the acquisition of stocks or shares in the relevant provider’s company;

- It prohibits legal activities that aim to conceal the ownership structure of a media service provider or the ownership of an acquirer of stocks or shares in such a media service provider;

- It determines that all legal transactions concealing the ownership structure of a media service provider or the ownership of an acquirer of stocks or shares in a media service provider shall be void;

- It stipulates that it shall not be permitted to transfer the concession to provide television or media services to another person;

- It specifies the misdemeanour provisions governing the delivery of data and documents to the Council for Electronic Media and the introduction of a misdemeanour liability for concealing the ownership structure of a media service provider, or not publishing data on the relevant holders of stocks or shares, in the Official Gazette.