Belgium

[BE] The Flemish Community's media policy priorities for 1997

IRIS 1997-1:1/28

Ad van Loon

European Audiovisual Observatory

On 17 October 1996, Mr Eric Van Rompuy, the Minister of the Flemish Community of Belgium who is responsible for media policies, send to the Flemish Parliament an informative document on the present state of affairs of media policies in the Flemish Community and on the policy priorities for 1997.

The document is a follow-up to his policy letter of 26 October 1995 in which he set out the priorities of media policies for the period 1995-1999 (see IRIS 1996-1: 13).

According to Mr Van Rompuy, contrary to what has been reported in the press, the European Commission did not yet start the infringement procedure it announced, concerning the rule that 51% of the only recognised private commercial television broadcaster in the Flemish Community (VTM), must be owned by publishers of Dutch language newspapers and magazines.

Also, the Minister reports that despite its announcement, the European Commission did not yet start an Art. 90 procedure against the advertising monopoly granted by law to VTM.