Cyprus

[CY] Validity of temporary TV licences extended for one more year

IRIS 2015-9:1/7

Christophoros Christophorou

Council of Europe expert in Media and Elections

On 26 June 2015, Law 94(I)/2015 amending Law 7(I)/1998 on Radio and Television Organisations was published in the Official Gazette. It extends the validity of TV licences for all operating service providers for one more year. Following the switch-over to digital television on 1 July 2011, the existing licences for analogue transmission were replaced by temporary licences for digital transmission valid until 30 June 2012. Since then, due to pending amendments to the basic Law 7(I)/1998 to respond to the conditions of the new environment and to make possible the issuance of permanent licences, temporary ones have been renewed each year for one more year. Thus, the validity of the temporary TV licences is extended until 30 June 2016.

With the same amending law, temporary licences to legal entities of public law are also extended for one year, even in the case that they do not fulfil the requirements set by law. This applies to the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (Αρχή Τηλεπικοινωνιών Κύπρου - CYTA), a semi-governmental telecommunication organisation that operates IPTV as well. Its capital share and structure deviates from the model set in the basic law and in 2011 a special provision was introduced into law to accommodate it and enable its operation in the digital environment.

A provision is also made in the amending law that authorises the Radio Television Authority to issue temporary licences to new applicants, also valid until the aforementioned date.

An amending draft law was sent to the House of Representatives in 2013 (see IRIS 2013-10/13), aiming at extensive changes to the basic law to, inter alia, make possible -the issuance of permanent licences. The draft law was later withdrawn by the government for further study, with no date set for the return to the House.