France

[FR] Fee for Using Radio-electric Frequencies

IRIS 1997-9:1/14

Bertrand Delcros

Radio France

Should you have to pay to use a radio-electric frequency? Until now the question has been left unanswered in France. Since the Decree of 22 May 1997 on the fee payable by licensees of radio-electric frequencies, an annual fee must be paid for "access and management" of the frequencies. It will be for the national frequencies agency (Agence Nationale des Fréquences - ANF) to determine the amount of the fee payable by each licensee and to issue the corresponding demands for payment.

Are all users of frequencies subject to the provisions of the Decree of 22 May 1997? No; the Decree contains one very important exception, namely all radio and television stations. To date these have never been liable for such a payment and the originators of the Decree decided not to include them - at least at present - so as not to have to face very embarrassing resistance.